Introduction
Australia remains a favorite study destination for international students. The compelling reasons attracting thousands of students are its high education quality, options for working there following completion of studies, and the opportunities for Immigration.
Besides their chief factors, a multi-cultural atmosphere, and stunning natural beauty also draws International students.
Australia regularly features in the list of the top student countries, it houses the several best student cities, and its universities are among the best in the world.
Besides, there are government scholarships, and no concerns about the safety of international students, as Australia, is one of the safest countries in the world.
Further, Australia also offers a variety of courses and institutions to choose from.
If you also want to study in Australia, we will walk you through the steps involved:
1. Choosing A Course & Educational Institution
Students need to start by deciding what courses they are interested in. Based on that and their current level of study, they need to choose the course and the University/College they’re interested in.
Popular courses with overseas students are Accounting & Finance, Engineering, Cookery, Hospitality Management, Nursing, Information Technology, etc.
Those interested in courses that can lead to Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia can consider fields like Accountancy, IT, Engineering, Nursing, Education, etc.
2. How to Apply to the Preferred Institute
Once you decided on what course to study,
Once you have decided upon your preferred course and institute, it is time to apply to the college. In case the application is accepted, it is time to seek an offer letter (conditional) if the English Test Score is not yet ready to be used.
If you already have an English test score, you can directly seek an Unconditional Offer Letter from the institute.
The next step is to receive the Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE).
It serves as evidence of your enrolment in study and is necessary for the application for the student visa.
To apply for the eCoE, you will need to do the following:
- Write a strong statement of purpose
- Have your English Test Score ready
- See if you are eligible for scholarships
- Furnish additional documents at the request of your Institute
3. Meeting of English Language Requirements
You need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. There are many English language test providers like IELTS, PTE Academic, Occupational English Test, etc.
The most famous English tests amongst these are IELTS and PTE.
So, let us look at the minimum score requirements for both.
- IELTS
The minimum IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score is 5.5 in all the four skill abilities of the English language—Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. On that basis, you get some points for Australia migration and PR.
It is advised that the student finds out in detail about how to prepare for IELTS.
- PTE Academic
The Pearson Test of English Academic requires you to score 42 points in the test.
Points for English Language Test
| English Language Test | Minimum test score |
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) | 5.5 |
| Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic | 42 |
The IELTS and PTE exam results are considered valid for two years from the date of conduct of the test.
To prepare for these tests, it is recommended that you take the help of language trainers, who can guide you with the right tips, tricks, and strategies.
4. Adequate Health Insurance
It would be best if you were covered by adequate OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) by an approved provider of health insurance in Australia. Some popular health providers of OSHC for Australia are ahm, nib, Medibank, Bupa, and Allianz.
Australia has an RHCA (Reciprocal Health Care Agreement) with 11 countries. Students who are residents of those 11 countries are capable of getting Medicare facilities.
These countries are Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom New Zealand, Ireland, and Slovenia.
But what about students from other countries?
For them, getting an Overseas Student Health Cover or OSHC Australia is mandatory to fulfil the visa requirement. One must be wondering, what is a good, reliable platform to buy a suitable Overseas Health Cover and which one will be the best?
OSHC ahm Cover is 100% student visa compliant with 24*7 student health and calling support.
If you are applying from a place, not in Australia, please make sure that the cover starts from the exact day you reach the country. Not when your course commences.
Generally speaking, there is a specific time before the course begins. This time can range from a week to a month. Also, it is vital to maintain your OSHC as long as you are in Australia.
You may be denied entry to Australia if you cannot prove you have health insurance in place when you arrive.
5. Finally, Applying for Student Visa
The next step is to apply for Subclass 500 (Australia Student Visa) finally.
Here re some pre-requisites to apply:
- Fulfilled health & character requirements
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Adequate OSHC
- Sufficient funds
- English language proficiency proof
- Academic Certificates
Once you receive your visa, here are some additional tips for maintaining it:
- At no point should you lose your enrolment in the institute. This means that you have to take care of your school progress, and things like attendance as well.
- At every point, the institute should have your updated Australian address.
- Never violate the work-related conditions that come along with your Visa grant.
Conclusion
Choosing to study in Australia is considered to be a wise decision, given the many benefits and potential opportunities for work and migration.
If you choose to pursue academics Down Under, then English language proficiency and adequate Health Cover are a must, as we have explained above.
If you wish to, you can choose to go through the whole process all by yourself. However, it is recommended that you consult professional education and immigration consultants to guide you through every step of the process.
