Streamlined Student Visa Processing

Publish Date: Dec 11, 2013

The Federal Government has recently made amendments to the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) to introduce the new streamlined student visa processing scheme. The new process means that eligible visa applicants are assessed as low-risk immigrants. The applicant's nationality is not relevant to the assessment. Eligible students are now not assigned an Assessment Level, with the affiliated reduction in evidentiary requirements when applying for a visa to study in Australia.

Streamlined Student Visa applicants can only be from the specified institutions. A list of participating universities and education providers can be found in Schedule A of the Migration Regulations 1994, and includes universities, TAFEs, colleges and other higher education providers. Students coming to Australia on an AusAid or Defence Force visa are not eligible.

Provided that they are applying to an approved university, students with a Confirmation of Enrolement (CoE) for a Bachelor, Master or Doctorate Program are eligible for the streamlined processing arrangments. The amended processes also apply to non-award students on exchange and study abroad programs. For those students enrolled in a package of courses, all of these must take place at a participating university, or be a nominated business partner in order to be eligible for the scheme.

A university letter of offer is insufficient for the purpose of Streamlined Student Visa Processing; a CoE is required before a student may be eligible. A student that is deemed eligible for the new processes must provide a range of supporting documents. These must be translated into English unless otherwise requested, and include:

  • A CoE letter
  • The relevant form
  • Passport-sized photographs
  • Evidence of the relationship between you and your family (ie birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce papers, joint bank account statements)
  • Evidence of purchase of Overseas Student Health Cover
  • A declaration that you can afford the duration of your studies
This list is not exhaustive; other documents may be required by the Department of Immigration at any stage of Streamlined Student Visa Processing. But for students eligible for the Streamlined Student Visa Processing, getting permission to study and live in Australia has never been easier.
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