If you are intending to study in Australia contact us for details of the assessment factors that apply to you, and the details you must submit with your visa application.

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From 01/07/2001 students who have obtained Australian qualifications are able to apply for one of three new categories of permanent skilled visas. Click here for details.

The new student visa subclasses effective from 01/07/2001 are as follows:

570 - Independent English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (although where a student is undertaking ELICOS as a prerequisite to another course the student must apply under the subclass relevant to the principal course)

571 - Schools - meaning primary, secondary, and approved secondary exchange programs

572 - Vocational education and training sector - meaning Certificate I, II, III, and IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma

573 - Higher education sector - covering bachelor degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma

574 - Masters and doctorate sector

575 - Non-award foundation studies/other - covers non-award foundation studies and other full-time courses or components of courses not leading to an Australian award

576 - AusAID or Defence sponsored sector - covering full-time courses of all types undertaken by AusAID or Defence students sponsored by the Australian Government

The Department of Immigration emphasises that the student should be certain that he or she will have enough money to set up house in Australia as well as to pay for air fares (including the return trip), course tuition fees, overseas student health cover (OSHC) and all general expenses during the stay in Australia. The assessment factors will review the student's financial resources in this regard.

There are strict conditions attaching to the visa when issued, the most common being that:

• The student must satisfy attendance and/or course requirements and maintain a valid enrolment for the chosen course of study - set out in new visa condition 8202
• The student and members of the family unit must not work unless granted permission after the course of study has commenced
• The student must remain with the education provider with whom the student enrolled for the first 12 months of the course (or for the duration of the course if the course lasts for less than 12 months) - save for in exceptional circumstances
• The student's residential address (and any changes) must be notified to the educational provider within 7 days of arrival in Australia (or of any move)

It should be noted that breaching any student visa condition might result in the visa being cancelled.

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