Study In Australia

If you enjoy the Australian way of life and are looking to extend your time here, or return for another year or so … or simply looking for a great education, then why not consider studying in Australia?

We see many people electing to study in Australia as a way to update or gain new skills while enjoying the lifestyle. Popular vocational study options include Certificate to Diploma studies in Management, Business, Accounting, Web Development or Fitness, Massage or Beauty Therapy.  Courses can be from as short as three months or as long as four years duration but twelve to twenty-four month diploma courses seem to be popular.

Before applying for the student visa, you need to apply to be accepted for full-time study by a ‘CRICOS’ registered college and in a ‘CRICOS’ registered course. Check this carefully as not all college courses are open to international students. Lower fees apply to domestic versus international students so again check the fee structure carefully.

Full time study is usually around 20 hours per week, requiring attendance at college around three times per week for 6-7 hours at a time. Timetables will vary form course to course and college. A good website to check out is https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/

UK and Irish passport holders applying for student visas fall under the Department of Immigration’s country assessment Level 1 criteria. This means they can apply while in Australia or from outside Australia.

As part of the visa application you need to make a declaration stating you have access to sufficient funds to pay for travel, your course and living expenses in Australia. If you have a partner, your partner can join the visa application as a dependent.

As part of the study visa conditions, you have to maintain attendance in your course and or make satisfactory progress in each study period.

Student Visa applicants need to satisfy Immigration that they have a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily to study, gain a qualifcations and return to their home country.

Working While Studying

Once the study course begins; Student visas allow you to work part-time, up to a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight while the course is in session. When the course is on holidays, the student visa allows you to work unlimited hours.

What does it all cost? 

Course fees vary a lot but as a guide, expect to pay college fees of $1,400 up wards per term (every three months) for many courses. Most colleges have enrolment fees of around $200.  Student health insurance is required and costs approximately $380 per year for single insurance.

The Department of Immigration student visa application base fee is currently $535. If you have a partner the Additional Applicant fee is $405. If you apply while you are in Australia on a visa granted while you were in Australia, The Department of Immigration ‘STAC’ fee of $700 also applies.

So as a rough guide, for a 12 month course, to get enrolled, pays the first three months college fees, the visa application, and mandatory student health insurance, expect to outlay around $2,500.

Second and future term fees are then paid about every three months form the course start date. Make sure you have the budget to live in Australia.

The Department of Immigration estimate the cost of living in Australia for a student to be approximately $18,600 per year for a single person, and around $25,000 for a couple.

Of course student work rights can assist fund your stay, but as always, it pays to plan your budget. The cost of living estimate is in addition to college fees and travel costs.

Degree Level Study:

Graduates who complete degree level study after at least two academic years’ study in Australia are eligible to apply for a post-study two year work visa. This allows graduates to look for work in their newly qualified field.

Finding skilled work may in turn lead to options to apply for other skilled or sponsored visas.

Degree level study costs are much higher than vocational study costs. Expect university fees to be from around $5,000 per term.

By John Mc Quaid

John McQuaid is registered Migration Agent and Director at Arrive Australia Migration Services.

John, originally from Northern Ireland migrated to Australia in the early nineties and now lives permanently in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs.

https://www.arriveaustralia.com.au/