Student visa

	English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) Applies to stand-alone English language courses that lead to a certificate I, II, III or IV, or that result in no formal Australian award.

This visa is for international students who want to study English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) in Australia. This includes:

Courses that lead to a certificate I, II, III or IV

Courses that result in no formal Australian award.

If you are studying ELICOS as a pre-requisite to another course, you must apply for the visa appropriate to your main course of study. If you are studying several courses, the main course is the higher level course.

Example: If you plan to complete a three-month ELICOS before starting a Bachelor of Arts degree, you must apply for the Higher Education Sector visa.

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

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.

 

What does the visa let me do?

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.

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.

 

For further information please contact our office.

Primary or secondary school course

	Applies to primary, junior secondary or senior secondary school courses, and approved secondary school exchange programs.

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

a primary school course

a secondary school course, including junior and senior secondary or

An approved secondary school exchange program.

 

Who is this visa for?

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.

 

What does the visa allow you to do?

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.

 

For further information please contact our office.

Vocational education and training

	Applies to Certificates I, II, III or IV (except ELICOS), diploma, advanced diploma, vocational graduate certificate or vocational graduate diploma courses.

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

 

What does the visa allow you to do?

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

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

 

For further information please contact our office.

Higher education

	Applies to a Bachelor degree, associate degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma, or Masters by coursework.

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

Bachelor degree

Associate degree

Graduate certificate

Graduate diploma

Masters by coursework

 

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

 

What does the visa allow you to do?

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

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.

For further information please contact our office.

Postgraduate research

	Applies to Masters by research or a doctoral degree. This visa is designed for international students who want to study a Masters degree by research or a Doctoral degree in Australia.

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

 

What does the visa allow you to do?

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.

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.

For further information please contact our office.

Links between visa subclasses and courses/qualifications

Student visa subclass	Courses/qualifications
Subclass 570 Independent ELICOS	English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) undertaken as a stand-alone course, not leading to an Australian award
Subclass 571 Schools	Primary school Secondary school including junior and senior secondary Approved secondary exchange programs
Subclass 572 Vocational Education and Training (VET)	Certificate I, II, III, and IV Diploma, Advanced diploma Former RATE system qualifications: Certificate, Advanced certificate and Associate diploma
Subclass 573 Higher Education	Bachelor degree Associate degree Graduate certificate Graduate diploma Masters Coursework
Subclass 574 Masters (Research) and Doctorate	Masters Research Doctoral degree
Subclass 575 Non-award Foundation Studies/Other	Enabling course: non-award foundation studies Other full-time courses or components of courses not leading to an Australian award
Subclass 576 AusAID and Defense	Full-time courses of all types undertaken by AusAID or Defense students sponsored by the Australian Government