The Australia student visa is a temporary visa that is valid for the duration of your course. If you are not an Australian citizen, but want to take advantage of the Australian education system, you may apply for a Australian student visa.

Most student visa holders will no longer need to apply separately in Australia for permission to work. Read more about the Australia student visa requirements.

You may be entitled to apply for another temporary visa or even permanent residence before your visa expires. Otherwise when you have completed your studies, you will be required to leave Australia.

Do you want to study in Australia? Most student visas for Australia allow you to bring your family members with you.

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Work Visa Australia

Students and any family members travelling with them on their student visa can work.

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Visa applications by international students wanting to live and study in Australia are being subjected to closer checking in a bid to stamp out fraudulent applications.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has announced plans to strengthen checks on student visa applications to stamp out fraud and ensure students are able to support themselves financially when living and studying in Australia.

Announcing the tougher regime the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said the 362,193 student visa applications in 2008-09 were a 20% increase on the previous year. In 2008-09 almost 28,000 students were refused visas, up 68% on the year before.

The Minister said while the majority of student visa applications complied with requirements, there are elements of concern about the large number of fraudulent applications.

The new measures will target document fraud, as well as the ability of students to support themselves financially, identification and bona fides in some parts of the student caseload.
The measures implemented with immediate effect include:

• Upgrading the interview program to identify fraudulent applications.
• Removing or restricting eVisa access for some agents where there is evidence of fraud.
• Restricting access to eVisa for applications from some countries if analysis demonstrates restricted access would allow for better control of fraud.

The measures will focus on student visa applications from India, Mauritius, Nepal, Brazil, Zimbabwe and Pakistan.

“These measures are consistent with those used by other countries that receive large numbers of student visa applications, such as the United States,” said Senator Evans.

“Australia's student visa program supports the entry of genuine international students. For those students, the department provides a convenient, efficient service.

“The message is clear. Genuine international students remain welcome in Australia, but we will not tolerate fraud in the student visa program.”

These latest measures are part of the Government’s response to the increase in fraudulent applications and will build on earlier measures put in place to combat fraud. Similar arrangements are already in place for students from other countries, such as Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

The Minister said student visa requirements matched the immigration risk presented by an applicant.

“The greater the risk identified, the more evidence required to be granted a student visa. Risk is determined by an objective analysis of visa compliance,” Senator Evans said.

The next formal review of student visa risk framework is scheduled for 2010. The data obtained from the enhanced checking of student visa applications will provide information for future reviews.