Course selection and admission

■  Are there any fees for the AIES student services?
Our services to international students for counseling, course admission and student visa preparation are free. In fact, by using an agent such as us you will generally not need to pay the institution course application fee either. To find out more about how we can help you, please visit our study in Australia section.

■  How do I apply for a course?
The first step towards studying in Australia is to contact AIES. We will review your career goals and interests, academic background and English level to assist you in selecting suitable study options.

■  Can AIES help me even if I am still in my home country?
Yes, absolutely. We help many students from all over the world. Our head office is located in Adelaide, South Australia and by using an Australian based agent you can rest assured that you are dealing with a reputable and professional company. For students arriving from overseas we help you with arrival support, accommodation (if required) and make sure that you settle into to your new home. Our office is located in the heart of the city near many of the institutions where students study, so if you ever have any problems we are always just a phone call or short walk away.

■  When should I apply to study in Australia / When do courses start?
You should apply to study in Australia as soon as possible, ideally 5 months prior to commencing your course (see visa details also). However, for some courses it is possible for the application and visa process to take less time than this. In general, University courses start in February each year, a number of Universities also offer a mid-year intake in July. VET courses generally have two intakes a year, February and July and a number will also offer April and September intakes.

■  What are some important considerations for choosing a course?
For students who are unsure of their study path following completion of their high school education, there are a number of factors which they need to consider when selecting a suitable course. These include:

a) Desired study subject area
b) Institution type – i.e. University or a Vocational Education and Training (VET) institution, a bridging course to gain entry into a specific university course may also be considered.
c) Academic background and English level
d) Desired living location
e) Available finances
f) Course enrolment / commencement dates

Education is an important investment and there are many options, AIES have many years experience in helping students choose a study path this is right for them.

■  What is a Vocational Education and Training (VET) institution?
Australia's VET system comprises of government-owned TAFE and a wide variety of private training organizations. VET courses focus on delivering training that is both practical and career-oriented, you'll earn qualifications in fields such as IT, business, tourism and hospitality, to name just a few. These qualifications are recognized all over the world; and thanks to pathways, you can easily move across to university degree courses, with your VET qualification counting towards entry (i.e. certain VET Diploma courses can provide 1 year credit towards a related Bachelor Degree at University).

■  What are the different levels of education qualifications in Australia and typical entry requirements?

■  What are important considerations regarding IELTS?
IELTS is the international English lanaguage test which student need to undertake for entry into courses and also for visa applications. Typically a student is required to have completed an IELTS exam no more than 2 years prior to the start date of their course. If a student has already studied for 12 months in an Australian institution an IELTS exam may not be required. If a student does not have the particular IELTS score for their course often an English course can be completed prior to commencing study. To find your nearest IELTS testing centre visit www.ielts.org.

■  What happens if I don't meet the minimum entry requirements for a course?
AIES are very experienced at helping students fulfill their study goals. If a student does not meet all the entry requirements for a particular course we will provide advice on relevant study options such as English, foundation or diploma courses to help you gain entry into your chosen course.

■  How much are tuition fees?
Tuition fees vary depending on the course and institution. As a rough guide, VET courses for a 1.5 to 2 year Diploma range from $9,000 to $11,500 per year ($18,000 to $23,000 in total) and a University 3 year Bachelor Degree ranges from $15,000 to $23,000 per year ($45,000 to $69,000 in total). A University 2 year Masters Degree ranges from $15,000 to $23,000 per year ($30,000 to $46,000 in total).

■  When am I required to pay for my tuition fees?
Once you have received your offer into a course you will usually be required to pay 6 months tuition fees to secure your place. Only after this payment has been made will the institution be able to provide a Confirmation of Enrollment (COE) and then the student visa process can begin. Learn more about the steps to studying in Australia ».

■  Are the institutions Government or Privately owned and which is the best?
Most Australian universities are government owned and most VET institutions (except Tafe) are privately owned. Both operate to the Australian Quality Framework to ensure a high standard of education is delivered. In general, government institutions will have a greater number of students (several thousand versus several hundred in a private institution).

There is no official ranking system for institutions in Australia as such. Different universities will tend to specialise in different areas. Students should focus on the course they want to study and find out the appropriate institutions that can satisfy their needs according to their requirements.

Student visas / Financial requirements

■  What are important considerations for student visa applications?

Note: AIES will assist students with their student visa applications.

Each student coming to Australia will be required to obtain a student visa. Applications are assessed by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). The student visa type and application information required varies depending on the level of study being undertaken in Australia and the student’s nationality. These two factors determine the DIAC visa assessment level (view visa assessment levels).

In general, visa applicants will be required to submit:

• Visa application form
• Confirmation of Enrollemt (COE) from the educational institution
• IELTS results (students over the age of 18)
• Proof of your economic situation and financial resources

In order to allow sufficient time for visa processing, eVisa applications (only applicable to China, India, Malaysia and Thailand) should be submitted at least 3 - 4 months prior to the course start date. Non eVisa applications should be submitted 4 - 5 months prior to the course start date. Once the student has supplied AIES with all the relevant information AIES will submit the application directly to DIAC (using the eVisa service where possible) and advise the student of the outcome.

Student visa renewals can be submitted anytime prior to the visa expiry date (a bridging visa is automatically provided if the visa expires while the new student visa is being processed by DIAC).

■  How much does it cost for a student visa?
All students applying for a student visa are required to pay an Australian Government student visa application fee of AUD$540 (from July 1 2009). Students are also responsible for payment of a medical exam as required by Australian Immigration. AIES will provide details of the medical exam upon lodgement of the student visa application.

■  What are the financial requirements for an assessment Level 4 student visa (i.e. Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Nepal [VET only], Pakistan, Sri Lanka)?

In order to obtain an Assessment Level 4 visa 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.

You must show proof that you can meet these financial requirements for the first 36 months of your stay in Australia. If you have completed 75 percent of your course and are applying to renew your student visa, you do not need to show your savings history.

The table below outlines the amounts in Australian dollars (AUD$) that you need access to. These amounts are the minimum required for this visa. They do not necessarily represent the cost of living in Australia.

As an example for a student with no dependents, if you are enrolled in a 3 year Degree course which costs $15,000 per year. You will be required to have - Tuition fees of $15,000 x 3 years ($45,000), return flight ($2,000) and 3 years living expenses $12,000 x 3 ($36,000) = total of $83,000 (less any deposit or tuition fees already paid).

Acceptable sources of income:

The money to support you and your family members must come from one or more acceptable sources, which may include:

• A money deposit with an approved financial institution that has been held in an account for at least six consecutive months immediately before the date of your visa application by
• You
• Your spouse
• Your brother or sister
• Your parents
• Your grandparents
• your aunt or uncle (only if they usually live in Australia and are either a citizen/permanent resident of Australia or an eligible New Zealand citizen)
• A loan from an approved financial institution made to (and in the name of)
• You
• Your spouse
• Your brother or sister
• Your parents
• Your grandparents
• Your aunt or uncle (only if they usually live in Australia and are either a citizen/permanent resident of Australia or an eligible New Zealand citizen)
• A loan from your government
• A multilateral agency. Examples: United Nations, World Bank or Asian Development Bank

Note: Non-cash assets such as property and shares are not acceptable sources of income. However, non-cash assets may be liquidated or used as collateral on a loan, if they are provided by an acceptable source.

Note: For details of approved financial institutions please see below.

Providing evidence of deposits or loans:

You need to show evidence of how the money to fund your studies was accumulated.

If your source of income is a money deposit held in a bank account, you must provide the following evidence:

• Pay slips
• Bank loan documents
• Interest from investments

If your source of income is a loan, you must provide the following evidence:

• A bank statement showing the amount of available credit
• a statement from the holder of the loan that its purpose is to support your studies

Note: If your source of income is a home loan with a redraw facility from an Australian financial institution, the funds from the redraw facility may be considered a loan. A home loan with a redraw facility from a non-Australian financial institution may be acceptable, but must be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Supporting family members when studying for less than 12 months:

If you are applying to study in Australia for less than 12 months, your family members are not eligible to come with you to Australia. However, you must show that you have enough funds to support your family members in your home country, taking into consideration the standard cost of living in that country.

In order to obtain an Assessment Level 3 visa 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.

You must show proof that you can meet these financial requirements for the first 24 months of your stay in Australia. If you have completed 75 percent of your course and are applying to renew your student visa, you do not need to show your savings history.

The table below outlines the amounts in Australian dollars (AUD$) that you need access to. These amounts are the minimum required for this visa. They do not necessarily represent the cost of living in Australia.

As an example for a student with no dependents, if you are enrolled in a 3 year Degree course which costs $15,000 per year. You will be required to have - Tuition fees of $15,000 x 2 years ($30,000), return flight ($2,000) and 2 years living expenses $12,000 x 2 ($24,000) = total of $56,000 (less any deposit or tuition fees already paid).

Acceptable sources of income:

The money to support you and your family members must come from one or more acceptable sources, which may include:

• A money deposit with an approved financial institution held by you, or a person supporting you. This money must be held in an account for three consecutive months immediately before the date of your visa application
• A loan from an approved financial institution made to you or a person supporting you
• A loan from your government
• A multilateral agency. Examples: United Nations, World Bank or Asian Development Bank

Note: Non-cash assets such as property and shares are not acceptable sources of income. However, non-cash assets may be liquidated or used as collateral on a loan, if they are provided by an acceptable source.

Note: A person supporting you is anyone who is prepared to accept financial responsibility for your fees. A certified or notarised letter would be required from this person.

Note: For details of approved financial institutions please see below.

Providing evidence of deposits or loans:

You need to show evidence of how the money to fund your studies was accumulated.

If your source of income is a money deposit held in a bank account, you must provide the following evidence:

• Pay slips
• Bank loan documents
• Interest from investments

If your source of income is a loan, you must provide the following evidence:

• A bank statement showing the amount of available credit
• A statement from the holder of the loan that its purpose is to support your studies

Note: If your source of income is a home loan with a redraw facility from an Australian financial institution, the funds from the redraw facility may be considered a loan. A home loan with a redraw facility from a non-Australian financial institution may be acceptable, but must be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Supporting family members when studying for less than 12 months:

If you are applying to study in Australia for less than 12 months, your family members are not eligible to come with you to Australia. However, you must show that you have enough funds to support your family members in your home country, taking into consideration the standard cost of living in that country.

■  Which are approved financial institutions?
Approved financial institutions are those governed by the central bank of the foreign country in which it operates, AIES will provide details at the time of visa preparation as it varies for each country. However, some details are available for the following countries - China, India, Nepal.

Living and studying in Australia

■  Where can I study in Australia?
Students can choose to study in any Australian city, however most of the students AIES helps study in the South Australian capital Adelaide as that it where our head office is located. However, for student wishing to study in other cities we can certainly help you and offer the same course admission and visa services.

■  Can I bring my family (husband/wife, children) with me to Australia?
Yes, if you are studying for longer than 12 months you can bring your husband/wife and children with you to Australia. You will be required to provide additional money to support them and children will need to be enrolled at school. Your husband/wife can also work for up to 20 hours a week while you are studying (or fulltime if you are studying a postgraduate university qualification). As part of your visa application you will be required to have additional funds to cover their living costs (and also tuition fees for children between 5-18) .

■  What does it cost to study and live in Australia?

■  Can overseas students work in Australia?
Overseas students are allowed to work in Australia during their study period. Student visas granted since April 2008 automatically allow students to work up to 20 hours per week (view fact sheet). It is very common for students to find part-time work in Australia. Jobs can be found through student noticeboards, job advertisements (Seek, Carrer One) and by approaching employers directly.

■  Can mobile phones from overseas be used in Australia?
Yes, Australia's mobile phone service is similar to most other countries and uses the GSM network. It is generally cheaper to buy a local SIM card after arrival. Australia's mobile phone charges are one-way fares, so you do not need to pay to receive calls.

Migration

Depending on your circumstances, it may be possible to migrate to Australia once you have finished your studies. Please be wary of any promises from agents or other organisations that claim a certain course will guarantee or lead to automatic permanent residency (i.e. there are no guarantees & immigration rules are subject to change). For the latest and most up to date migration information always visit the Australian Government Immigration website or contact a registered migration agent.

Migration options to consider include:

Employer Sponsored Workers - For lawfully operating Australian and overseas employers to sponsor and employ skilled workers who have recognised qualifications and skills/or experience in particular occupations required in Australia.

General Skilled Migration - For people who are not sponsored by an employer and who have skills in particular occupations required in Australia. Applicants must be over 18 and under 45 years of age, with good English language ability, and recent skilled work experience or a recently completed eligible Australian qualification. Applicants must also have skills and qualifications for an occupation listed on Australia's Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

Eligibility for Skilled Migration is based on a points test. The points test pass mark is 120 points (or less if you are being sponsored by a family member living in Australia). Points awarded are based on a number of variables including your nominated skilled occupation (see Skilled Occupation List), your age, English language ability, work experience, regional Australian study (i.e. an extra 5 points are awarded if you studied in Adelaide for 2 years), qualifications and partner skills.

View points test for Skilled – Independent (Residence) visa (subclass 885) »

■  Professional Year Program - Accounting, IT and Engineering
The Professional Year Program is designed to assist Accounting, IT and Engineering international graduates gain employment in their chosen career as well as giving eligibility for 10 migration points towards permanent residence. Find out more ».