Study in Australia
What You Need
to Know
Background
The Australian government operates an Overseas Student Program
(OSP) that
allows people who are not Australian citizens or Australian permanent
residents to study in Australia. Any person who is not an Australian resident
may apply to study in Australia under the OSP. Generally, a person who wants
to study under the program must get a Student visa before they can begin to
study their course in Australia.
To be granted a student visa you
must complete an application form, pay the application charge and satisfy the
student visa requirements. You can be granted a student visa only if you
intend to undertake a registered course or part of a registered course on a
full-time basis.
A registered course is an education or training course offered by an
Australian education provider who is registered with the Australian Government
to offer courses to overseas students. The Department of Education, Training
and Youth Affairs (DETYA) can
provide details of registered courses.
Important Things to Know About Coming to Study in
Australia
Cost of Living in
Australia
Before lodging your application you should consider whether you will have
enough money to set up house in Australia as well as pay for your air fares
(including return), course tuition fees, overseas student health cover (OSHC)
and all general expenses during your stay in Australia.
As a general guide, your accommodation, food, transport, clothes and
expenses could cost you between AUD$8,500 to AUD$15,500 or more a year,
depending on your lifestyle and where in Australia you will study.
For example, a single person renting accommodation would need at least $200
a week just to spend on general expenses and a married couple would need at
least $330 a week. If accompanied by family members, you will also need enough
money to cover their expenses.
You should be aware that these amounts are only an indication of everyday
expenses and do not include air fares, health insurance or the cost of your
course.
Working While Studying
As an overseas student in Australia, you should have enough money to
support yourself and your family for the entire time that you are studying.
You are not automatically given the right to work once you are in Australia.
If you do need to get a job while studying, you will need to apply for and get
a new student visa with permission to work attached as a condition of that
visa. Students and dependents can only apply for a visa with work rights after
they arrive in Australia and the student has begun studying. The application
charge for a student visa with permission to work is AUD$50. Work rights
cannot be given with a student visa granted outside Australia.
If a student visa with work rights is granted, you will only be allowed to
work for 20 hours a week while the Australian education provider you are
studying at is in session. However, you can work for longer periods during
your holidays. The money you earn from working in Australia should only
supplement your income and not be used as your only source of
income.
Dependents of students from non-gazetted
countries who are undertaking courses of less than 12 months are not allowed
to work.
Overseas Student Health Insurance
Cover
It is a condition of the grant of your Overseas Student Visa that you and
your dependents have acceptable health insurance cover during the whole time
you are in Australia. To be covered for health insurance, you will have to pay
the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for yourself and any family members
travelling with you.
The OSHC provides medical and hospital insurance for overseas students and
their dependants who have travelled to Australia with them. All applicants
must show evidence that they have health insurance cover before a visa can be
issued to them.
To arrange for the
OSHC, students can pay the OSHC premium to the education
provider which will then arrange to pay the health insurance cover on their
behalf.
-
Student Health Cover for AusAID Students
If you are a student
sponsored by AusAID, you will not need to pay the OSHC yourself. You will,
however, need to provide proof that AusAID supports your application.
-
Student Health Cover for Students from Norway and
Sweden
Students applying from Norway and most Swedes do not need to
obtain OSHC because the Department of Health and Aged Care has advised that
these countries have a national health scheme or other arrangements that
provide acceptable health insurance for them while they are overseas. For
the OSHC requirement to be waived, Norwegian students should have
documentation proving that they are covered by the Norwegian National
Insurance Scheme. Swedish students should have proof that they have
insurance provided by CSN International (the Swedish National Board of
Student Aid). OSHC is available to Norwegian and Swedish nationals if
they require it.
Click
for more information regarding study
in Australia.
