VPA will assist you in the lodgement of the student visa application once finance is cleared and COE issued by the institution.
The form used for Student Visa is 157A. All information IN FULL must be addressed at the time of lodgement. This will assist the Department of Immigration & Border Protection (DIBP) in the processing of the application. If the Department request any further information from you, please ensure you respond promptly to avoid any delays.
Completed Form and Payment
Once payment is received and funds cleared in full and upon the issue of COE, the Visa application commences. All relevant questions on form 157A or the eVisa application must be complete in order for an application to be valid. Payment must be received and funds cleared in full.
Applicants will need to provide a clear statement, (SOP), explaining the reasons for undertaking the intended course in Australia, outline career aspirations and why the applicant has chosen the particular course and university. Applicants must declare all family members on the application (even if there are no plans for family members to travel to Australia on this visa).
Passport
The applicant must provide a clear front on a photograph and the details page of the current passport. Passports must be valid.
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
The applicant must provide a valid CoE (for paper applications) or eCoE (for eVisa application).
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
Applicants will be required to medically insure themselves by obtaining an Overseas Student Health Cover while in Australia on a Student Visa. The OSHC must cover the entire length of the applicant’s intended stay covering the duration of study and student visa (include accompanying family members).
Generally, the OSHC is required for two to three months after the COE end date. PhD students must provide OSHC that expires no less than eight to nine months after your CoE end date.
Health Requirements / Medicals
My Health Declarations –
Electronic health examinations for visa processing
All applicants must meet the Government health requirements and will need to undertake a health examination – Note that examination results are valid for twelve months. Please refer to
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1163i.pdf
To avoid delays, applicants may be eligible to complete their health examinations prior lodging the visa application by using the online system – My Health Declarations. It is, however, advisable to wait until the applicant’s case officer requests the completion of the health examinations and provides an HAP ID, or delays in the processing of your visa application may occur.
Signed Declarations
The ‘Financial Declaration’ must be completed and ‘Australian Values Declaration’ of the paper form 157A MUST be signed by all applicants in order for your application to be finalised.
Family Members
Family members (spouse, dependants) are only eligible to accompany students to Australia if the intended course is at least twelve months in duration. Proof must be provided of the relationship to the student if this is the first visa together, in the form of a marriage or birth certificate.
Other Requirements
Applicants may be required to provide further documentation depending on the country of citizenship. Country specific requirements should be checked before an application is lodged: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/checklists/.