Student Visa (Subclass 500)

The following types of study programs in Australia fall under the Student visa (subclass 500) category:

· English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS);

· Schools, including primary or secondary schools;

· Secondary school exchange programs;

· Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, both registered VET courses and advanced diplomas;

· Higher education courses, including bachelor's or associate degrees, graduate certificates or diplomas, doctoral degree courses, or higher education diplomas or advanced diplomas;

· Postgraduate Research Degrees, comprising master's or doctoral degrees;

· Non-degree courses, foundation courses without degrees, or courses that do not award diplomas;

· Students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, or Defence.

Age Requirements

According to the new policy, international students in Australia must meet age requirements if they are enrolled in compulsory education. To be granted an Australian student visa, students must:

· Be at least 6 years old when applying;

· Be under 17 years old when starting Year 9;

· Be under 18 years old when starting Year 10;

· Be under 19 years old when starting Year 11;

· Be under 20 years old when starting Year 12.

Children under 6 years old may apply for an Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600) to attend courses lasting up to 3 months in Australia.

Validity Period

The validity period of an Australian student visa varies based on the duration of the course.

English Language Requirements

Unless exempted, applicants must provide English language scores from within the last two years, with minimum score requirements based on the actual applying institution. Exemptions from English language requirements include cases where applicants have:

· Completed at least five years of study in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or Ireland;

· Citizenship in the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland;

· Held a student visa and completed high school studies in English, both within the two years prior to applying.

· Enrolled in a main course that is taught in English, registered ELICOS courses, registered school courses, or registered postgraduate research courses.

Proof of Financial Capacity

If required, proof of financial capacity can be in the form of:

· Evidence that funds cover living expenses, tuition fees, and school fees for school-aged dependants for 12 months in Australia;

· Proof of meeting annual income requirements;

· Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Students (AASES) for secondary exchange students only;

· Support letters from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Department of Defence.

Funds can come from annual income, savings or loans, government loans, scholarships, or grants.

Annual Income: For the student's financial guarantor, annual income must be at least AUD $60,000 (approximately CNY 300,000). If there are accompanying family members, annual income must be at least AUD $70,000 (approximately CNY 350,000).

Estimated Living Expenses for 12 Months:

· Student/Guardian: 19,830 Australian dollars (approximately CNY 100,000)

· Spouse: 6,940 Australian dollars (approximately CNY 35,000)

· Child: 2,970 Australian dollars (approximately CNY 15,000) 

Therefore, for studying abroad as a single student, proof of savings of around CNY 250,000 is approximately needed. For accompanying family members, it would be around CNY 300,000.

The Australian Student Visa (subclass 500) allows applicants to undertake full-time studies in Australia, accompanied by eligible family members. Accompanying guardians cannot work in Australia. Spouses who accompany students may work for a certain number of hours and reside in Australia until the end of the course.