Enrolment Process – Overseas Students

1. Contact the registrar or the admission office of your chosen ACT’s affiliated college, making sure it has approval to deliver courses to overseas students.
2. The ACT through its affiliated college provides the following information to the student:
   • the requirements for acceptance into a course, including the minimum level of English language proficiency, educational qualifications or work experience required and whether course credit may be applicable
   • the course content and duration, qualification offered if applicable, modes of study and assessment methods
   • campus locations and a general description of facilities, equipment, and learning and library resources available to students
   • indicative course-related fees including advice on the potential for fees to change during the student’s course and applicable refund policies
   • information about the grounds on which the student’s enrolment may be deferred, suspended or cancelled
   • a description of the ESOS framework made available electronically by DEST
   • relevant information on living in Australia, including:
     • indicative costs of living
     • accommodation options
     • where relevant, schooling obligations and options for school-aged dependants of intending students, including that school fees may be incurred; and
     • Other pertinent information

3. Submit your application with the entry requirement documents.
4. The ACT through its affiliated college ensures student’s qualifications, experience, and English language proficiency are appropriate for the course for which enrolment is sought.
5. If the student meets the entry requirements and the college decides to accept the applicant, the ACT through its affiliated college offers a place to study by providing a Letter of Offer. They will also provide a written agreement* to the student.(If applicable, apply for credit for prior learning. If there’s a credit granted, this should be indicated in the written agreement. Please refer to the ACT course credit procedure).

6. The written agreement must be signed by the student prior to college accepting any course money.
7. Once the signed written agreement is received, a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) will be issued. You will need the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) to apply for a student visa. (The course duration in the CoE may be reduced as a result of any credit granted.)
8. As a condition of student visa, the student will need to arrange overseas health cover (OSHC) for the duration of the study.

Note – The ACT and its affiliated colleges do not use or permit the use of Education Agents.

* The written agreement is a legal contract. You should read it carefully and make sure you fully understand what it says before signing it. Once the agreement is signed or otherwise accepted, the ACT and the student must follow whatever is set out in the written agreement. You should keep a copy of it. Should you ever make a complaint, you will need to refer to your written agreement.

Most overseas students wanting to study in Australia require a student visa. The Department of Home Affairs (HA) is responsible for issuing visas for entry to Australia.

Overseas students outside Australia must be enrolled in a registered course of study and provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) when they lodge their Student visa application.

If you are living in and applying for a student visa within Australia, you can continue to apply online for a student visa with an offer letter.

Please see visa options for studying in Australia for more information about the application procedure.

Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF)

From 1 July 2016, a single immigration risk framework applies to all overseas students and replaces the previous streamlined visa processing and Assessment Level frameworks. All overseas students apply for a single Student visa (subclass 500), regardless of the chosen course of study.

Under the SSVF, the combined immigration risk outcomes of the student’s education provider and country of citizenship will be used to guide the level of documentary evidence of English language and financial capacity that the student needs to provide with their visa application.

The online document checklist tool advises students about the documentation they need to provide with their visa application based on their combined country provider immigration risk outcomes.

The HA online student visa application will assess you against a range of criteria and determine the level of English and financial capacity required. You are still expected to meet other requirements such as Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE), good character and health criteria. For more information click here

Note :

• You must ensure you allow enough time for processing between lodging your application and the start of your academic program, as it can be a lengthy process depending on your country of origin.
• The visa application process can be complicated and for students from some countries. It may be better to submit an application with the assistance of an accredited agent due to their familiarity and experience in the field. The ACT does not employ the use of education agents.

If you are granted a visa, you must abide by its conditions. Failure to comply with these conditions could result in the cancellation of your visa.

Below are the visa conditions for students.

• complete your degree within the timeframe outlined on your eCoE
• make satisfactory academic progress
• maintain a full-time study load
• continue to satisfy the requirements for grant of your student visa. This means, for example, that you continue to have sufficient financial capacity to support your study and stay in Australia.
• work no more than 40 hours per fortnight during any study period (all students on a postgraduate research visa are exempt from this condition, and can work unlimited hours)
• notifying us of your address within seven days of your arrival, and if you change your address later
• hold Overseas Student Health Cover from an Australian Government-approved provider for the duration of your visa
• notify the college of any changes to your visa
• maintain adequate schooling arrangements for your school-age dependents who joined you in Australia for more than 3 months as part of your student visa application

For a full list of mandatory and discretionary student visa conditions please visit – visa conditions for student visa holders.

Note :

• From 1 July 2016, all Student (subclass 500) visa holders should maintain enrolment at the same level or a higher Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level for which they were granted a visa, unless they are undertaking a doctoral degree (AQF10) and transfer to a master’s degree (AQF9).

• Transferring to a lower AQF level course or transferring from an AQF level course to a non-AQF Award course would be in breach of the student visa condition and might result in the visa being cancelled. Students who want to change to a lower level course must apply for, and be granted, a new student visa before they change their course.

Working in Australia

If you are a student visa holder, you and your dependent family members have permission to work included with your visa. Once your course has commenced, you are permitted to work a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight when your course is in session, and unlimited hours when your course is not in session. For more information, please visit – https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/english/live-in-australia/working