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Document checklist and requirements

The following is a list of documents which should be submitted when you apply for this visa.

A) Form

♦ form 157A, signed by the applicant, with all questions answered. Please visit the DIAC website to download at: 
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/157a.pdf

B) Fees

♦ Visa application charge (VAC). See: Fees

C) Photograph

♦ A recent passport photograph (there are no restrictions on the size as long as it is recent)

D) Passport

♦ A signed valid international passport or. Please ensure that there is at least one blank page available for the visa label. If you are unable to provide the original document, please provide photocopies of every page (including blank pages).

E) Passport Return Authority

♦ A fully completed and signed ‘Passport Return Authority’. If you wish to arrange for a courier to collect your passport, you will be responsible for all arrangements and associated costs;
See: Moscow Passport Return Authority

F) Letter of Offer

♦ A letter of offer for your proposed course of study. If you are undertaking a package of courses (for example an English language course followed by another course) you should submit an offer of a place from all courses you wish to undertake. The letters of offer should indicate your proposed entry level, course name, tuition fee and proposed start and end date.

G) Financial Documents

♦ You must have enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for yourself, your spouse and your dependent children for the duration of your stay in Australia.

♦ The table below outlines the amounts in Australian dollars (AUD$) that you need access to. They do not necessarily represent the cost of living in Australia.

♦ For all visa subclasses except for Subclass 574 (Postgraduate Research), evidence that you or another person funding your study has sufficient funds to meet the costs of your proposed education and stay in Australia for you and members of your family as outlined in the table below for the first 24 months of your stay in Australia OR for the total period of your course if your course is shorter than 24 months;

♦ Declaration that you have access to adequate funds to meet costs for remainder of study and stay in Australia.

  
Please note that the above applies to all members of your family unit, whether or not they are joining you in Australia, unless you are applying to study a course that is 12 months or less.

There is a cost calculator on the DIAC website to help you work out your financial requirements.
See: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/students/cost-calculator/al3.htm

The evidence you will be required to submit will depend on the subclass of visa you are applying for.

H)

♦ Subclass 574 (Postgraduate Research)
Evidence that the person or persons funding your study has sufficient funds to meet costs of prerequisite ELICOS, bridging or foundation course and first year of postgraduate education and stay; 

♦ Evidence that these funds are consistent with the income of the person who is funding the study; AND

♦ Declaration that you have access to adequate funds to meet costs for remainder of study and stay in Australia.

I)

♦ Acceptable sources of funding for all subclasses are:
- Money deposits held in banks or other such institutions eg savings account or term deposit. You should provide copies of bank certificates, bank slips or passbooks, etc, including bank transaction history for at least three months at the time of application;
- Government scholarships (Australian Commonwealth or State or Territory, or the government of a foreign country or state or province);
- Financial institution and government loans;
- Multilateral agency funding;
- Education provider financial support, such as a scholarship.

         NOTE: non-cash assets are not acceptable

- Family funds must be consistent with the declared income. You need to provide objective documentary evidence to verify this. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, letter from employer indicating salary level, income from investments, evidence of business if self-employed, including evidence of financial position of business (eg financial statements, tax documentation);
- Private corporate sponsorship may be considered only if the company has been verified by the visa office to be genuinely operating in the international arena and the proposed course of study is consistent with the applicant’s background and role within the company;
- Financial support from an applicant’s proposed education provider will only be accepted where it falls within the parameters defined by the Migration Regulations.
- Where institutional, school, government or multilateral agency funding covers only part of the costs of your proposed study in Australia, the remainder of your funding must also meet these guidelines.

J) Educational Documents

♦ Evidence of any scholarship(s) that you have been awarded;
♦ Evidence of your highest formal academic qualifications and documents that show your current academic level; and your original school reports or academic transcript. If you are currently studying, a letter from your institution confirming your student status;
♦ If you are applying for a visa in subclasses 572-575, original certificate showing your IELTS test score. You must have taken the test less than 2 years before you apply for your visa. In Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan TOEFL may be undertaken as an alternative to IELTS . There are minimum overall score requirements for subclasses 572-575:

Subclasses 572 and 575:
- IELTS score of 5.5 (or TOEFL of 197) to commence course

- IELTS score of 4.5 (or TOEFL of 133) if also planning to undertake maximum 30 week ELICOS course

Subclass 573:

- IELTS score of 6.0 (or TOEFL of 213) to commence course
- IELTS score of 5.5 (or TOEFL of 197) if undertaking a foundation course of at least one year before commencing principal course;
- IELTS score of 5.0 (or TOEFL of 173) to obtain visa to also do maximum 30 week ELICOS course before commencing principal course

Subclass 574:
- IELTS score of 6.0 (or TOEFL of 213) to commence course
- IELTS score of 5.0 (or TOEFL of 173) to obtain visa to also do maximum 30 week ELICOS course before commencing principal course.

Subclass 570-571:
- evidence that your English language ability has been accepted by your proposed education provider
- You do not have to provide evidence of English if you have an Australian government, foreign government or multilateral agency scholarships. Scholarships from education providers including Australian universities do not fall within this exception and applicants with these scholarships should provide evidence that they meet the English language requirement;
- Your level of English is satisfactory to your education provider and you can provide evidence of having undertaken at least 5 years of study in English in 1 or more of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, or USA;

K) Employment Documents

- If you are employed, an original letter stating whether you have approval from your place of employment for you to study in Australia;
- an original letter from your employer, written on official letterhead detailing: the position you hold; the duties of your position; the salary and any other forms of income you receive; and the date you commenced your employment with the organisation. Full details of your work address and telephone number should be provided.

L) Special Requirements for Students under 18 yrs old

♦ A letter from your parents that nominates the name and address of a person aged over 18 years, who is well known to your parents, who you will be staying with in Australia; and
♦ an Australian police clearance for the nominated persion; OR
♦ a signed statement from the education provider for the course in which you are enrolled, confirming that appropriate arrangements have been made for your accommodation, support and general welfare during your stay in Australia;
♦ you parents' consent. Please see: Applying for Visas

- You and any school-aged children included in your application will be asked to undertake a medical examination.
See: Medical Requirements

Student Guardian Visa
A Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 580) is available where parents or other relatives wish to look after a school-aged child who holds a student visa during their stay in Australia. In very limited circumstances, they can also be used to care for students 18 years or over. There is a limit of one guardian per student
For further information and forms for the Student Guardian Visa, see the DIAC website.
See: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/student_guardians/index.htm

Please lodge applications for student guardian visas together with the student visa application and with the nomination for the student guardian, completed by the student. The student guardian applicant is linked to the student, and their financial capacity requirements match those of the student.

October 2007

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