Australian Student Visa Rules
from melbourne metroblog reader Z.Z:
Australia is undoubtedly a great country and i am inspired by its culture and people and long to live in Australia. I am currently a highscool student in Pakistan that wishes to take undergraduate study in Australia and here is my problem: According to Australian immigration rules, an applicant for a Student visa should have sufficient funds to travelto, live and study in Australia.
Their website states that estimated costs for a single student living in Australia are $12,000 AUS. Now for example, if i want to complete a three year Bachelors degree in Australia, i have to prove to the embassy that i have the total course fee, in my case (20,000 dollars annual X 3) = $60,000 plus (12,000 dollars X 3) = $36,000. That adds up to around a $100,000. In addition, their policy states that the candidate should have the money kept as a bank balance for atleast six consecutive months prior to the visa application lodgement.
It is common sense that in a country like Pakistan, even the richest of people do not leave such money lying around as interest rates are not attractive and other investment opporutinites are very open. How is a normal person supposed to show such big amounts of money? People can afford to show maybe one year and prove that they have sufficient income for the rest of the time but 5 million rupees at once? And six months is a long time, the students plans may change in such a long time!
I hope the Australian government and immigration department will consider this and will facilitate students to come to Australia and not create hinderances. I want the australian government to hear what we have to say and please ease the policy. i do not wish to compare but even countries like USA, U.K or canada do not have such harsh financial requirments, all they require is proof of living for a year and a progressive income, not all the money ALL TOGETHER.
as an international student myself i can relate to the incredibly large amounts of money which is required to even begin an education here, much less complete it. if you’re not a PR or citizen, you’ll basically have to pay the full fee. and of course, your living costs.
don’t get me wrong, i’m definately “on the side” of all international students everywhere. but isn’t it always going to cost alot of money when you relocate from one country to another? especially one as affluent as Australia. not to mention the fact that Australia really has no reason at all to let foreign students into their country, if not for the $$. sorry to be cynical, but that’s the fact. they have absolutely no reason in the world to “make it easy” for anyone coming into the country. do i agree with it? of course not. is there much to be done for it? i doubt so.
Z.Z, i suggest you look at the other countries on your list of options. i have to say, if not for the fact that they offer undergraduate law degrees in australia, i would have preferred to go to America myself. no offence you guys.
anyone have any *reasonable and polite* comments to make on this issue?
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Hey Ronny, thanks for posting this. The sad part is i’ve emailed DIMA (immigration authority) about this too and their website promises a reply within 10 days and its been almost 2 months now and nothing. I would have to consider other choices but im doing all i can to be where i want to be! I emailed a few Australian newspapers too but they dont seem to care.
I would think if you could show them that you would be able to come up with that money every year then you should be alright. I don’t know how you plan on paying for uni, but if you show them that you have taken out a loan then that should suffice. DIMIA just want to make sure that students don’t come here and end up with not enough money to live.
Hey Neil, thank you for the comment.
Thats what i mean, my father is going to be paying for my tuiton and he earns enough monthly, but obviously not all the money in 6 months time? But there are certain loopholes, just wish me luck guys. thanks. And if Ronny can email this story to some print publishers (i tried it too) that would be great!
As an international student here, I totally understand and agree what this blog was talking about. I had the same problem and I had to loan from the bank to show the OZ govenment that everything is alright. I think it’s crazy.
What about studying in New Zealand?
Might be cheaper and the education there is just as bad/good. The immigration requirement might not be as stringent.
My guess on the reasoning behind DIMA’s requirement is because many previous students did not have enough money to pay the fees and students suffered from added stress and other problems?
Gday. I know where you are comming from, kind of. I’m Aussie and have been an international student in America, so I know the hassels of getting student visas and the costs involved.
Education is an export for Australia. Thats the reason for paying international students. Australia provides many scholarships for people from developing countries as charity, and also to promote our relationship with other countries, expecially in our region. Check them out if it relates. Our immagration is very strict. We only except very skilled specific people downunder who we need, and the occasional refugees who applies correctly. So student visas are a business. Immigration needs to see the cash before you come to know that you can support yourself. It’s so they won’t have to support you if you can’t. It is business. My Chinese mates generally take out a $100000 loan from a bank and leave it there, and pay the interest for 6 months. The interest payed is simply the cost of getting an Aussie student visa.
There are other options though. Aussie uni’s have international campuses overseas, like Monash in Malaysia, Swinburne in Malaysia, RMIT in Viet Nam etc, you get an Aussie degree but for umm ‘non developed world’ prices. You spend like 2 years there, then final year in Australia. But this limits your Aussie experience to one year, and forget about applying for PR.
Cool thing about Aussie compaired to US and UK is that you can work! Yep make like $20AUD per hour for 20 per week during school semester, then like full time over Christmas (Dec-Feb) holidays. That’s 3 months of Aussie cash at about 40 hrs per week @ $20 per hr. Try making that in Karachi during your break from study!
Cost of living is so much less than American and the UK as well, but the same quality. Even better in Melbourne or Sydney where its totally multicultural where you can get most things you want from home without much hassle. Aussie has a better climate than the UK, and well American’s just don’t play cricket!