Introduction

Vocational education and Training Sector: Temporary Visa (Subclass 572) – Assessment Level 3

This visa is designed for international students applying to study in Australia and whose main course of study is:

• a certificate I, II, III and IV (except ELICOS)
• a diploma
• an advanced diploma
• a vocational graduate certificate
  or
• a vocational graduate diploma

This visa is for you if you want to do one of the following:

• apply for your first student visa
• renew your student visa
• apply to join a family member who is in Australia on a student visa

With this visa:

• you can study in Australia
• eligible dependant family members can accompany you to Australia
• when you have commenced your course of study in Australia, you can work up to 20 hours per week while your course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks
• your family members can work up to 20 hours per week provided you have commenced your course of study in Australia
  Note: If you have been granted Student visa before 26 April 2008 you and your dependent family members may need to apply separately for Permission to Work
• your spouse can study in Australia for up to three months
  Note: If your spouse wants to study for more than three months they must apply for their own student visa. The application can be made in Australia.

Your assessment level is determined by your nationality and course of study.

Before you apply for this visa, you must have applied for and been accepted to study full-time at an educational institution in Australia.

Length of stay

This visa allows you to stay in Australia for the duration of your course. It permits multiple entries to Australia. Dependent family members who come with you to Australia are usually able to stay the same length of time as you, but they cannot stay once you have left the country.

The table below outlines the usual duration for a student visa.

Duration of Course	Duration of Visa
10 months or less	Your visa will usually be granted for one month longer than the end date of your course.
Longer than 10 months	Your visa will usually be granted for two months longer than the end date of your course, if your course ends before November. Note: If your course ends in November or December, your visa will usually cease on March 15 of the following year.

Note: If your student visa expires before your graduation, you can apply for a Visitor visa. You will need a letter from your education provider which states the date of your graduation.

Working while studying

If you have been granted a Student visa on or after 26 April 2008, you and your dependent family members will already have Permission to Work automatically included with your visa. Further information on the conditions that apply to working while studying is available.

If you were granted a student visa before 26 April 2008 and have not yet applied for Permission to Work, you and your dependent family members may only apply for Permission to Work after you have started your course in Australia.

The table below outlines the work entitlements for you and your dependent family members if you have Permission to Work.

Type of Applicant	Work Entitlement
Students with Permission to Work	You can work a maximum of 20 hours per week when your course is in session and unlimited hours when your course is not in session. You cannot undertake work until you have started your course in Australia. Note: Work that is a formal registered part of your course is not included in the limit of 20 hours per week. If you are doing voluntary or unpaid work you must apply for permission to work. It is included in the limit of 20 hours per week. A week begins on Monday and ends on the following Sunday.
Dependent family members with Permission to Work	You can work a maximum of 20 hours per week throughout the year. A week begins on Monday and ends on the following Sunday. Exceptions: Family members of the following students can work unlimited hours once the student starts their main course: students enrolled in Masters by coursework (visa 573) students enrolled in Masters by research or Doctoral degree (visa 574) students studying a Masters by coursework, Masters by research or Doctoral degree, sponsored by AusAID or Defence (visa 576) You cannot undertake work until the primary student visa holder has started their course in Australia.

Important: You must also comply with the State and Territory laws of Australia. Under all State and Territory laws, you cannot work during school hours if you are under the school leaving age, which in most states is 15 years.

When is your course in session?

The department considers your course to be ‘in session’:

• for the duration of the advertised semesters (including periods when exams are being held)
• if you have completed your studies and your Confirmation of Enrolment is still in effect
• if you are undertaking another course, during a break from your main course and the points will be credited to your main course.

Student visa definitions

Eligible family members
Your spouse and your spouse’s dependent children.

Spouse
The person you are married to, or in a de facto (common law) relationship with. You are in a de facto relationship if you have been living with a person of the opposite sex for at least 12 months and you have a genuine and exclusive relationship with them.

Dependent child
The natural or adopted child, or step-child of yourself or your spouse who has not turned 18 and is not married or engaged to be married or in a de facto relationship.

Fully funded student
A student whose travel, tuition and living expenses are paid by one of the following:

• the Australian Government or an Australian State or Territory government
• the government of a foreign country
• a provincial or state government of a foreign country (with the written support of the national government)
• a multilateral agency
  Examples: United Nations, World Bank or Asian Development Bank or an organisation gazetted by the Minister

Student Eligibility

You must meet the following specific requirements to be eligible for this visa.

Accepted in full-time study

You must be accepted for full-time study in a registered course or part of a registered course to be eligible for this visa.

Note: A registered course is an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Lodgement Method	Proof of Acceptance
Online	You must provide the code from your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment.
Post or in person	your Confirmation of Enrolment your Letter of Offer.

Financial requirements

You must have enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for yourself, your spouse and your dependent children for the duration of your stay in Australia. You must also have enough money to support your spouse and dependent children, even if they do not travel with you to Australia.

Note: Specific financial requirements apply to fully funded students.

Health requirements

You must meet certain health requirements and may need to undergo a health examination. The requirements vary based on:

• your length of stay in Australia
• other health risks in your home country or countries you have visited for more than three months within the last five years.

Health examinations can be completed before you lodge your visa application, but no more than six months before your course starts.

Health insurance

You must have health insurance while in Australia. Health insurance can be provided by obtaining Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which provides medical and hospital insurance.

You can ask your education provider to organise OSHC for you, or you can select an approved OSHC provider yourself and pay the insurance.

Exceptions: You do not need OSHC if you are:

• a Norwegian student covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
• a Swedish student covered by the National Board of Student Aid or by Kammarkollegiet.

Proof of insurance: When you lodge your application, you must provide a receipt or other proof of your OSHC payment. The OSHC should commence when you arrive in Australia.

English language skills

The table below outlines the English language skills you require and the evidence you must provide at the time you apply for your first student visa or to renew your student visa.

You need one of the following	Evidence Required
IELTS test	If you are applying: for direct entry into a course, you must have an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 5.5 or above to do an ELICOS course before your main course, you must have an IELTS score of at least 4.5. You can study a preliminary English course for up to 30 weeks. Note: You must take the IELTS test within two years prior to the date of your application. You can take the Academic or General IELTS test to meet English Language requirements for a student visa. However, please check with your Australian education provider about which test they require for your enrolment.
English test other than IELTS	You must have a score equal to IELTS 5.5 in one of the following tests: Occupational English Test (OET) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Note: This test is only acceptable if taken in one of the following countries: Belarus, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Moldova, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda and Uzbekistan. Internet, paper and computer based tests are all acceptable.
Study in English	You must provide evidence that you have: studied in English for at least five years in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or United States or within two years of your application date have successfully completed in Australia a foundation course a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or a substantial part of a Certificate IV or higher level qualification, from the Australian Qualifications Framework. Note: The AQF does not provide information or advice on skills assessment.

Fully funded students: If you are a fully funded student, your education provider will advise you of the level of English you require and the evidence you must provide.

Academic record and history

If you are applying for your first student visa, you must provide evidence that you have successfully completed Year 11 or equivalent, by providing school reports and academic records.

If you are applying to renew your student visa, you must provide academic reports and previous records of attendance to show that you satisfied the course requirements.

Character requirements

You must be of good character to enter Australia. The information you provide on the ‘Character Declaration’ section of your application will be used to assess your character.

Debts to the Australian Government

To enter Australia you must:

• have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government
  or
• have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government.

Students under 18 years of age

You must meet all the above, and the additional eligibility requirements.

Australian Values Statement

If you are aged 18 years or over, you must declare that you will respect Australian values and obey the laws of Australia. For this visa, the values statement is included in the general declaration section of the application form. When you sign the application form it means you will also be signing the values statement. You will not be required to have read the Life in Australia book, but may do so if you wish.

You are also encouraged to gain an understanding of Australia, its people and their way of life, before applying for this visa.

Family Member Obligation

Your dependant family members must maintain their visa conditions. A breach of these conditions may result in your visa being cancelled and you may have to leave Australia.

Your family members must:

• remain a member of your family for the duration of their stay in Australia
• have adequate financial support
• maintain adequate health cover
• work no more than 20 hours per week
• attend school if they are of school age

Important: It is your responsibility to ensure that your family members meet the above conditions.

‘No further stay’ condition

Some visas are issued with a ‘no further stay’ condition. If this condition applies to any of your family members, it means they cannot stay in Australia beyond the date specified on their visa, except in extremely limited circumstances.

Limited circumstances may include family members who want to apply for:

• a student visa with permission to work
• a student visa that is supported by a sponsoring government agency
• a Graduate Temporary Entry - Skilled visa
• a visa to engage Australia’s obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees

Nil fee applies to students sponsored under Commonwealth approved programs and secondary exchange students.

The Student visa application charge includes an International Education Contribution of $115. This contributes to Australian Government initiatives to support international education through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Charge Type	Charge Amount
Visa Application Charge	$540
Permission to Work Note: If you were granted a Student visa on or after 26 April 2008, you will already have Permission to Work automatically included with your visa. If you were granted a Student visa before 26 April 2008 and have not yet applied for Permission to Work, you and your dependent family members may only apply for Permission to Work after you have started your course in Australia.	$70