With its world-class educational system, Australia attracts students from nearly 200 countries. Student visas are among the most popular type of Australian visas available. Once you have acquired one, it is important to understand that there are certain conditions you must fulfill to be allowed to stay and study in Australia.
The most common ones for most student visas are as follows:
• Maintain satisfactory attendance in the course as required by the Australian school, college or university.
• Make satisfactory course progress for each study period and achieve satisfactory academic results.
• Continue to be enrolled in a study course in Australia.
• Notify your Australia school, university or college of your address within seven days of arriving in the country. If there are changes to your address, notification for this must also be sent within seven days. The educational institution needs to be made aware of your address so they can contact you if you do not satisfy the requirements of the course.
• If you plan to move from one Australia school to another, you must also inform your original education provider within seven days of obtaining your new certificate of enrollment.
• You must also maintain your health insurance, particularly the mandatory Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
These conditions are sent out with our letter of approval for your student visa or on your visa label. Overseas students who do not comply with these conditions may get their Australian visa cancelled and may be deported. Non-compliance may also mean that you will no be able to return to Australia for three years after the visa cancellation.
The most common types of non-compliance committed by students are working without approval or longer than permitted hours, ceasing studies before the end of the course overstaying and using fraudulent documentation.
Since July 1, 2007, the “no change of provider” condition (8206) has also been implemented for most student visas. This means, that Australian student visa holders are not allowed to change their education provider within the first 12 months of the course.
By: Dylan Lautner
Posts Tagged ‘Educational Institution’
Student Visa Conditions
January 16th, 2010Information on South African Study Permits
November 26th, 2009
With South Africa’s diverse and highly recommended range of schooling and tertiary education institutions, it is no surprise to know that many foreigners who immigrate to RSA, either as individuals or families with children, will receive the best education for the person(s) concerned. There are so many different options of education institutions (from pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary schooling facilities) to choose from. South Africa is abundant with students who thrive on knowledge and highly qualified teachers/lecturers to provide the knowledge required to go forward in life.
In South Africa, a foreigner who would like to study in one of these institutions would require a study permit (temporary residency). There are two options for this type of permit for the respective foreigner(s):
The first option would be for families immigrating to South African with children from the age 6 to 16 (as all children from the age of 6 – 16 are required by law to attend schooling, therefore, requiring a study permit). If a child is young enough to attend crèche, pre-school, etc, provision may be made by the Department to issue a permit to the child(ren), this is done with their own discretion. These permits are issued to the length of the schooling period, the maximum period length of a study permit is 3 years.
What documentation would be required for a study (children accompanying families) permit ?
The documentation required for a RSA (children accompanying families) study permit would include an acceptance letter (“provisionally accepted”) from the RSA educational institution concerned, South African Registered Medical Insurance and proof from the parents (guardians) of financial support for during their stay in RSA while studying.
The second option would be for individual (stand alone) foreigners wishing to continue their studies in South Africa (e.g. university, college, etc). These permits are issued by the Department of Home Affairs to the applicant who has been “provisionally accepted” to a South African Registered Educational Institution. RSA Study permits are issued to the length of the course; this is done with the Department’s discretion.
What documentation would be required for a study (individual) permit ?
The documentation required for a South African (individual) study permit would include an acceptance letter from the South African educational institution concerned, South African Registered Medical Insurance and proof that the applicant can sustain themselves financially during their stay in RSA while studying.
Can a foreigner work on a South African on this permit?
The student (over the age of 16 years) may work 20 hours per week during their term (semester) or when the workplace is a learning institution on this permit.
In order to retain a study permit while in South Africa, the foreigner must attend the courses/school-days. As this permit is a specific permit, if a child/person moves to a different institution or from primary to high school (secondary school), etc – a new study permit would need to be applied for in order to legally attend the new institution. Correspondence courses/distance learning courses do not allow for the issuance of a South African study permit.
South Africa thrives on education. All South Africans and foreigners alike, see education as a significant part of our lives in order to better ourselves and our futures. Therefore, obtaining a permit for education is important to a child or a person continuing their studies in South Africa.
By: Claire Roodman