Visas & Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
You need a student visa (subclass 500) to study at Victoria University (VU) in Australia. The Australian Department of Home Affairs is responsible for issuing student visas.
The Department of Home Affairs website contains all the information you need to know about preparing your student visa application, including the documents you are required to submit.
To apply for your student visa, you will need a Confirmation of Enrolment, which we will send to you once you have accepted your offer to study with us.
If you are applying to be a guardian for a student under 18, you will instead need a student guardian visa.
Student visa (subclass 500) application process
You will need to complete the following steps to get a student visa (subclass 500) to study at Victoria University.
1. Apply for your VU course
You can apply directly to VU or through VU representatives in your country.
2. Accept your offer
If you meet VU’s entry requirements, you will receive a letter of offer. There may be conditions attached to your offer, which you must meet before you can accept your offer.
You will find information on accepting your offer under 'After you apply' on the international applicants page.
3. Receive your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
Victoria University International will send you, your agent or your home institution a CoE through the International course enquiries and applications system once you have accepted your offer to study.
This is an official document that confirms your place with us. You will need it when you apply for your student visa, your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and for other administrative processes.
Your CoE will contain information regarding your total course fee, course start date and total course duration.
This information will include any successful credit transfers, with the course duration amended accordingly. If you have deferred your course starting date, you will require a revised Letter of Offer that you must accept. The new semester commencement date will be indicated on your updated CoE.
4. Make sure you have a valid passport
It is your responsibility to make sure your passport is current and up to date.
5. Arrange health insurance
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is provided by Medibank OSHC.
If you indicated that you would like VU to arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) on your behalf, you'll need to include payment to VU. We will then arrange OSHC cover.
6. Apply for your visa
Include all the relevant documents listed on the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) document checklist in your visa application.
This includes your letter of offer and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
Create an ImmiAccount before you submit your student visa application through DHA.
DHA will guide you through the rest of the application process.
A successful student visa application should show proof of the following:
- English-language proficiency
- evidence of funds to cover travel to Australia and 12 months’ living, course and (for school-aged dependants) schooling costs for the student and accompanying family members
- genuine student requirement
- health and character criteria
- arrangements for Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
Read the Australian Government information out about applying for student visa (subclass 500)
Students under 18
According to Australian immigration regulations, students under 18 years of age can study in Australia if they do one of the following:
- Nominate a student guardian. Nominate a parent, legal custodian or relative over 21 years of age as your student guardian. This person must have a visa to stay in Australia for the duration of your student visa or until you turn 18. You must attach a completed Form 157N Nomination of a student guardian to your application (PDF, 290KB). If your nominated guardian is applying for a student guardian (subclass TU-590) visa, both applications should be made at the same time.
- Arrange a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW). Unless you are a secondary exchange student or a Foreign Affairs or Defence student, organise for your education provider to approve your welfare arrangements. Your education provider will issue a CAAW and advise us of your welfare arrangements start and end date.
- Provide your Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Student (AASES) form if you are a secondary exchange student. Attach a signed copy of the CAAW to the student visa application.
- Organise approval of your welfare arrangements from the relevant Minister, if you are a Foreign Affairs or Defence student.
If you require Victoria University to arrange a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW), you must have an agreement with our approved caregiver services and one of our approved accommodation providers.
These welfare arrangements must be maintained until you reach 18 years of age. During this period (including periods of non-enrolment), any changes to accommodation and/or welfare arrangements must be approved by VU.
Please apply for their services directly via their nominated websites.
Visa conditions
As an international student in Australia, you must meet the conditions of your visa throughout your entire study.
In order to meet your visa conditions you must:
- be enrolled in a full-time, registered program*
- complete your study within the time shown on your confirmation of enrolment
- meet the financial requirements to cover your living costs (and costs for any dependents) during your study
- arrange education for your children aged 6-17 years if you have children who are accompanying you to Australia (international research students can send their children to a public school without paying any tuition fees)
- maintain satisfactory academic progress to avoid exclusion from your course. If you are reported for unsatisfactory progress during your study, please contact VUHQ (Student Service Centres) for advice.
*International students can only enrol in VU-registered programs that are listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
Health insurance
As a condition of your visa, you must arrange health insurance for the duration of your study and your visa.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is provided by Medibank OSHC.
If you wish to arrange health insurance through your education agent or another provider, you should carefully compare the premium fee and the items covered by the insurance, since some health insurance policies do not cover all expenses that you may incur in the course of medical treatment.
Working in Australia
Once your course starts, you and your dependants can work up to 40 hours per fortnight (starting on a Monday) and unlimited hours during the holidays. Work that is part of your course at VU or genuine voluntary unpaid work is not included in the 40 hours.
You need a tax file number (TFN) to work in Australia.
Students and their families must not breach the work conditions that apply to their student visa.
If you want to share your visa details with your education provider or employer, you can do this through DHA’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).
Changing your VU course
International students may be able to change their course at VU. Visit VUHQ (Student Service Centres) to discuss the possibility of changing your course.
All student visa (subclass 500) holders are required to maintain enrolment at the same course level or a higher level for which they were granted a visa. You do not need to apply for a new visa if you are changing from an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level 10 course (doctoral degree) to an AQF 9 course (masters degree).
If you want to transfer from VU to another place of study, you must complete six months of your principal course before you can transfer. If you have not completed six months at VU, you will need to complete an International Student Release Letter Application (PDF, 219.3 KB).
All transfers from VU are assessed on a case-by-case basis in line with the university's Transfer Policy.
Extending your studies
If the length of your study is shortened or extended, it is your responsibility to contact the Department of Home Affairs to advise them of the change.
Extending your studies is only possible in some cases.
If you need to extend your student visa, start the visa renewal process through the Department of Home Affairs at least six months before the expiry date of your current student visa or the end date of your current COE.
You will also need to apply to VU to extend your CoE.
Your application must satisfy one of the following criteria:
- compassionate or compelling circumstances, such as:
- serious injury or illness
- death of close family member
- a traumatic experience
- changes to the course structure or subject availability.
- evidence of an intervention strategy (e.g. study plan) if you have been identified as at-risk of not meeting satisfactory course progress
- approved leave of absence or suspension of study.
Please note: financial difficulties or homesickness do not qualify as compelling circumstances.
Submit your request for CoE variation for enrolled students form at least six weeks before your visa is due to expire, either via AskVU or in person at VUHQ.
