The DIAC published new assessment levels on Mar. 27, 2010, that apply to all student visa applications made on or after this date. You must identify your assessment level before completing your application because this affects the class of visa you need. The DIAC has a tool on their website that allows you to enter your passport country and the level of your main course of study and then directs you to the correct visa subclass page. For example, a U.S. passport holder wishing to study business studies at a higher education level will be directed to a page with information about temporary visas in subclass 573, which is assessment level 1. Higher education includes associate's and bachelor's degree, a graduate certificate, a graduate diploma or a master's by coursework.
Students can stay in Australia for the duration of their educational course and are allowed multiple entries, enabling them to travel freely in and out of Australia. Any dependent family members who remain in Australia with you can stay for the duration of the student's period of study, but must leave the country when the student leaves at the end of the course.
To be eligible for a student visa in subclass 573, you must be accepted for full-time study on a registered course, which means a course offered by an Australian educational institution registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). You can check your course's registration status on the CRICOS website.
In addition, you must have sufficient funds to pay for your course and living expenses for yourself and any family members that accompany you. You may also have to undergo a health examination, depending on your circumstances and country of origin. You are obliged to purchase health insurance in Australia; students usually choose the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), which can be arranged by your education provider and must cover the full period of your stay in the country.
If a student is under 18, a parent or relative must accompany him to Australia while he studies. In addition, the student's spouse or a de facto partner (of either sex) and her dependent children under the age of 18 may also apply for a visa. The student must provide proof of the relationship, such as birth or marriage certificates, and must be financially responsible for them while in Australia. In addition, like the student, family members may have to undergo a health examination and must have health insurance for the duration of their stay. Family members can be included on the student's OSHC.
Complete the correct application form, which you can download form the DIAC website. For visa subclass 573, you will need to complete Form 157A, the Application for a Student (Temporary) Visa. To include all the required paperwork with your application, review the full checklist on the DIAC website. You don't need to include original documents unless requested, but any copies must be in English and certified as copies of the original. If you are applying for your student visa from outside Australia, you must direct inquiries and file your visa application with the relevant Australian visa office. In the U.S., this office is based in the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C.
If your visa was granted after Apr. 26, 2008, you and any family member that accompanies you to Australia will have permission to work included in your visa. The student may work a maximum of 20 hours per week when the course is in session and unlimited hours during vacation periods. Family members can work up to 20 hours per week at any time of the year, but can work unlimited hours if the student is studying for a master's or doctorate degree course. They are not permitted to start work until the student has started the course. (References 9)