Form 157A – Fill Out and Use This PDF

Application for a student visa

Form

157A

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the department) acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the traditional custodians of the Australian land.

The Student (Temporary) (Class TU) visa

All student visa applicants must declare that they understand that a student visa is a temporary visa, and being granted a student visa will not guarantee that they will be eligible for the grant of a further visa to remain in Australia.

To complete this form you must first read these notes and the information sheet Applying for a student visa available on the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/applying-student.pdf

Your application must be lodged at the correct address for this visa application. More information about student visas and lodgement addresses is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/study.aspx Please read the information under ‘How to apply’ for the correct lodgement address for this application.

Life in Australia – Australian values

The Australian Government encourages people to gain an understanding of Australia, its people and their way of life, before applying for a visa to live in Australia. As part of this application every person aged 18 years or over must declare that they will respect Australian values, as outlined below, and obey the laws of Australia.

Australian values include respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, Parliamentary democracy, equality of men and women and a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion for those in need and pursuit of the public good.

Australian society also values equality of opportunity for individuals, regardless of their race, religion or ethnic background.

It is also important to understand that English is the national language.

Further information is contained in the Life in Australia booklet, however, you are not required to read the booklet. The booklet is available in a wide range of languages. If you would like a copy of the booklet it can be obtained from www.immi.gov.au

Information about studying in Australia

All student visa applicants must make a declaration that they have read the www.studyinaustralia.gov.au website. This contains information on studying and living in Australia.

Information can also be obtained from state and territory governments and education providers.

About this form

Important – Please read this information carefully before you complete your application. Once you have completed your application we strongly advise that you keep a copy for your records.

Applying online

The department offers a number of convenient internet services for student visa applicants. To find out whether you are eligible to apply online for a student visa, refer to the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/study.aspx

If you wish to enter Australia or extend your stay as a student and you are not eligible to apply online, complete this form in ENGLISH using BLOCK LETTERS.

Who can use this form?

You should use this form if you wish to apply for a student visa and be assessed against one of the following subclasses:

•Independent ELICOS (subclass 570) visa;

•Schools (subclass 571) visa;

•Vocational Education and Training (subclass 572) visa;

•Higher Education (subclass 573) visa;

•Postgraduate Research (subclass 574) visa;

•Non-Award (subclass 575) visa;

•Foreign Affairs or Defence (subclass 576) visa.

Each subclass is linked to the type of course you intend to undertake in Australia as your main course of study.

You are not able to use this form to apply for a Student Guardian (subclass 580) visa. Form 157G Application for a Student Guardian visa is the only valid form for a Student Guardian visa application. Form 157G is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/index.htm

If you are in Australia and you make, in Australia, a valid application for a student visa using form 157A, this form also serves as an application for a bridging A, C or E visa, for which you may be eligible to apply. Further information on bridging visas is available on the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/visas/bridging

For further information about Australia’s student visa programme, refer to the information sheet Applying for a student visa available on the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/applying-student.pdf

Integrity of application

The department is committed to maintaining the integrity of the visa and citizenship programmes. In relation to this application, if you or a member of your family unit:

•provide, or have provided in a previous application, fraudulent documents or false or misleading information (knowingly or not); and/or

•fail to satisfy, or have failed to satisfy in a previous application, the Minister of your or their identity;

this visa application may be refused and you, and any members of your family unit, may become unable to be granted a visa for specified periods of time, as set out in migration legislation.

If information or documents are found to be fraudulent or misleading after the grant of a visa, it may subsequently be cancelled.

Welfare arrangements for students under 18 years of age

Students under 18 years of age need to have adequate arrangements for their welfare in Australia. If the student is applying for a student visa in Australia, these arrangements need to be in place before an application can be considered valid.

The department bears no responsibility for welfare arrangements made on a student’s behalf. It is the responsibility of the parents or legal custodians of a student under the age of 18 to ensure that the arrangements that they make on the student’s behalf provide appropriate welfare for the entirety of the student’s stay in Australia while they are under the age of 18. If welfare arrangements break down the parents or legal custodians must make new welfare arrangements or the student under the age of 18 must depart Australia. It is a visa requirement that appropriate welfare arrangements are maintained while the student is under the age of 18.

If you are under 18 years of age currently or will be studying in Australia and will be in the care of a relative for the duration of your visa or until you turn 18 years of age, form 157N Nomination of a student guardian must be completed and lodged together with this form.

Working while studying

All student subclass 570–576 visas are subject to a condition imposing restrictions about the work that may be done while the holder of a student subclass 570–576 visa is in Australia.

If you, as the principal visa holder, and your family members are granted student subclass 570–576 visas, you and your family members will only be allowed to work up to 40 hours a fortnight. Fortnight means the period of 14 days commencing on a Monday. You and your family members cannot commence work until you, as the principal visa holder, have commenced your course of study.

You, as the principal visa holder, will have unrestricted permission to work during periods of vacation recognised by the education provider.

If you are the holder of a subclass 574 (Postgraduate Research Sector) visa and you, as the principal visa holder, have commenced the masters degree by research or doctoral degree, you will have unrestricted permission to work once you commence your course of study. If you are the principal visa holder, you satisfied the criteria for a subclass 573 (Higher Education Sector) visa or a subclass 574 (Postgraduate Research Sector) visa or a subclass 576 (Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector) visa, and your course of study is a course for an award of masters or doctorate degree that is registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses of Overseas Students, your family members will have unrestricted permission to work once you, as the principal visa holder, commence your course of study.

More information about permission to work while studying is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/study.aspx

Changing course type (education sector)

Your student visa is linked to the type of course you are studying. Each student visa subclass covers specific types of course only. If you wish to change your principal course at any time to a course in a different education sector, you must first apply for a new student visa using this form (form 157A).

For more information on whether you need a new student visa whenever you change a course, refer to the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/changing-courses.aspx

For information on course types and their relationship to the different student visa subclasses, refer to the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/study.aspx

Applying for a student visa

To help you lodge your application and communicate with the department while your application is being processed you should read information form 1025i Making and processing visa applications, which is available from your nearest Australian Government office or the department’s website.

All student visa applicants must satisfy the criteria for grant of one of the student visa subclasses. These criteria include (but are not limited to) a genuine temporary entrant requirement, financial ability, English language proficiency, intention to comply with visa conditions and other relevant matters. Information on these criteria and the conditions that may be attached to your visa can be found in the information sheet Applying for a student visa or from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/study.aspx

If you wish to study in Australia, your application will either be assessed against one of three Assessment Levels for each visa subclass, or if you are an eligible student, against the streamlined visa processing requirements. Before completing this form, you must refer to information on whether streamlined visa processing requirements apply to you or which Assessment Level applies to you. Under the streamlined student visa processing arrangements, eligible student visa applicants from participating universities and eligible non- university education providers are assessed as though they are a lower immigration risk, irrespective of their country of origin. Information on streamlined visa processing is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/streamlined-student- visa-processing.aspx

Information on Assessment Levels can be found in the information sheet Student Visa Programme – Assessment Levels or from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/study.aspx

In certain circumstances you may be requested to complete a supplementary information form. You will be advised by the visa processing office if this is necessary.

Your application may be decided solely on the basis of information provided in this application. Failure to answer a question may result in your application being refused if the decision-maker cannot be satisfied that you meet all of the criteria for grant of the visa. The provision of information to the department that is incorrect may result in cancellation of your visa if it is granted. If you need more space to answer any question, write the details on a separate sheet, sign it and attach it to the application form.

You must provide all of the documentation necessary to support your application (originals or certified or notarised copies) and you must declare that you have done so. Failure to provide all necessary documentation may result in your application being refused. The documentation required may vary depending on whether you are eligible for streamlined visa processing or depending on your Assessment Level and the subclass appropriate to your course of study. Checklists by Assessment Level and subclass are available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/study/pages/study.aspx

A decision on your application will be made on the basis of all the information you provide, your circumstances and the legal requirements that apply. If your circumstances change in any way after you make your application you must inform the department immediately. Failure to do so can lead to cancellation of your visa (if it is granted).

Applicants who provide false or misleading information may either have their applications refused, or their visa permitting them to remain in Australia cancelled.

If you:

•are applying in Australia;

•do not already hold a student visa; and

•you are in Assessment Level 2 or 3.

you must provide exceptional reasons for the grant of your visa in Australia.

Student visa application checklist

Specific application checklists providing detailed information on student visa requirements based on your individual circumstances are available at www.immi.gov.au/students/checklists/

Qualifying visas for student visa applications lodged in Australia

If you are applying in Australia for a student visa you must either be the current holder of a qualifying visa or have held a certain visa no more than 28 days prior to making your application. More information on qualifying visas is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/students/students/qualifying-visas- for-student-visa-applications-lodged-australia.htm

Students and the skilled migration programme

Australia has a well-deserved reputation for high-quality education and training. We continue to welcome overseas students, and appreciate the contribution they make to both academic life and the communities in which they live.

People who wish to study in Australia may be granted a student visa that entitles them to come to Australia on a temporary basis for a specified period to undertake study at an Australian educational institution. While many overseas students make a decision to apply for a permanent visa upon completing their studies, this is an entirely separate process and there is no guarantee that, on the basis of having held a student visa, a person will be invited to make an application for a permanent skilled migration visa at the end of their studies.

The skilled migration programme is highly competitive and the programme is designed to be responsive to Australian labour market conditions. For skilled migration, Australia draws from the highest ranking clients with Expressions of Interest in SkillSelect. A person’s ability to be invited to apply for skilled migration will be determined by the person’s skills, experience and attributes, but also by the level of competition for skilled migration to Australia, regardless of whether or not they have previously been in Australia.

It is important to note that student visas are aimed at achieving an educational outcome, and students should choose a course of study based on their own interest and the quality of the course. Students should not make educational choices solely on the basis of hoping to achieve a particular migration outcome, as the skilled migration programme will continue to change and adapt to Australia’s economic needs.

Photographs

Applying outside Australia – enclose 4 recent passport-sized photographs of yourself and all family members included in this application.

Applying in Australia – enclose one recent passport-sized photograph of yourself and all family members included in this application.

Health requirements

All applicants must meet Australia’s health requirements. You and any family members included in this application may be required to undergo a chest x-ray and medical examination. More information on health requirements is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/health- requirements/health-exam.htm

Members of your family unit

The term ‘members of your family unit’ covers your partner and any dependent children of you or your partner who are unmarried, not in a de facto relationship and who have not turned 18 years of age. School-age dependants are children of you or your partner who are unmarried, not in a de facto relationship and who have turned 5, but have not yet turned 18.

Members of your family unit may apply for visas that will allow them to join you in Australia. They may apply for visas at the same time as you, or after you have been granted a student visa. If you are, or expect soon to be, in Australia on a student visa other than a Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector visa subclass 576, and your family members intend to apply separately for a student visa outside Australia, you will need to complete form 919 Nomination of student dependants. Either you or your family member must lodge form 919 Nomination of student dependants. For quicker visa processing, you should send this completed form and other supporting documentation to your family members for them to lodge at the relevant Australian Government office or Service Delivery Partner. More information on visa lodgement arrangements is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/help/locations/pages/default.aspx

Note: If you are processed at Assessment Level 3 and intend to undertake a course of 12 months or less in duration, members of the family unit are not permitted to accompany you to Australia on a student visa.

All members of your family unit must be included in your application form 157A, whether or not they intend to become applicants for a student subclass 570–576 visa. If you are the holder of a student subclass 570–576 visa and a member of your family unit was not included in your application form, they will not be eligible for grant of a student subclass 570–576 visa as a member of your family unit, unless they give evidence that they became such a member (eg. you got married or had a child) after the decision to grant you the student subclass 570–576 visa was made.

A school-age family unit member joining you in Australia is expected to attend school in Australia. You must provide evidence of enrolment for them if you wish them to be granted a student visa as a family unit member. In most cases, public and private schools charge fees for family unit members of student visa holders. You should check the exact fee with the school where your family unit member will be studying. You are responsible for their education costs in Australia.

Your partner will have a condition placed on their visa that limits their period of study in Australia to a maximum of

3 months. If they wish to undertake study beyond this period they must apply for a student visa in their own right.

If you are a Foreign Affairs or Defence-sponsored student, members of your family unit must provide evidence of support by the relevant Minister for them to be granted a visa as your dependant.

‘Partner’ means your spouse or de facto partner (including same-sex partners).

‘Further stay restricted’ conditions

Your visa will be subject to a number of visa conditions. Information on these conditions can be found in the information sheet Applying for a student visa and on the department’s website.

In certain circumstances, your visa may be subject to the ‘further stay restricted’ condition 8534 or 8535.

Condition 8534

If you are applying for a student visa subclass 570, 572, 573, 574 or 575 and you are an Assessment Level 3 student the ‘further stay restricted’ condition may not be imposed if you can show additional funds from an acceptable source to cover living and school costs for a 12 month period in addition to the period of your intended study in Australia and a further amount specified under the Migration Regulations.

A ‘further stay restricted’ condition may also be imposed on your visa, irrespective of your Assessment Level or period of study, if the decision maker considers this appropriate.

More information on living costs is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/students/student-visa-living-costs.htm

Condition 8535

If you are a Foreign Affairs or a Defence sponsored student you will be subject to this ‘further stay restricted’ condition (condition 8535). Members of your family unit may also be subject to this condition.

If you are not a Foreign Affairs or a Defence sponsored student, you may also be subject to this ‘further stay restricted’ condition.

A ‘further stay restricted’ condition (condition 8535) means that after entering Australia, you will not be entitled to be granted a substantive visa while you remain in Australia1. However, if the Commonwealth or the government of a foreign country provided you financial support for your study, you may be granted a further student visa if you provide evidence, in writing, that the Commonwealth or the government of the foreign country, as the case requires, does not oppose you undertaking a course of study despite your previous student subclass 570–576 visa being subject to condition 8535.

Information about other visa conditions is available on the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/students/visa-conditions-students.htm

Health insurance

8501 is a condition of your visa that you and any family members accompanying you must maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while in Australia. This means you and your family members must maintain health insurance for the whole time you are on a student visa and in Australia – not just while you are studying. Your insurance must commence from at least the date you arrive in Australia and remain in effect until you leave Australia, or move to a different visa subclass. Further information is available on the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/students/health-insurance.htm

1Except in certain circumstances or to engage Australia’s protection obligation.

Length of student visa

Provided that you have adequate arrangements for health insurance for the relevant period, the maximum period of time that your student visa may be granted for is outlined below.

For visas other than Postgraduate Research (subclass 574) visa and Foreign Affairs/Defence (subclass 576) visa the maximum is:

•up to March 15 of the following year if your course is longer than 10 months and finishes at the end of the Australian academic year (November – December);

•up to 2 months longer than the duration of your course if the course is longer than 10 months and finishes between January and October;

•up to one month longer than the duration of your course if the course is 10 months or less.

For Postgraduate Research (subclass 574) visa courses the maximum is:

•up to September 15 of the following year if your course is longer than 10 months and finishes at the end of the Australian academic year (November – December);

•up to 8 months longer than the duration of your course if the course is longer than 10 months and finishes between January and October;

•up to 7 months longer than the duration of your course if the course is 10 months or less.

For Foreign Affairs/Defence (subclass 576) visa students the maximum is:

•generally granted in accordance with the date recommended by Foreign Affairs or Defence; or

•one month after the course end date indicated on the Foreign Affairs/Defence letter of support.

Important – Students younger than 18 years old

1.If your education provider has approved your welfare arrangements, and you will still be younger than 18 years old at the completion of your studies, the visa end

date will correspond with the visa end date nominated by your provider on the Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter. If you will turn 18 during the course of your studies, the standard visa end date will be applied instead.

2.If you are seeking to study as a secondary exchange student and will still be younger than 18 years old at the completion of the exchange, the visa period will be granted according to the nominated welfare period on the Acceptance Advice Secondary Exchange Student (AASES) form. If you will

be 18 years old or older at the end of the exchange, the visa period will usually be granted until the end of the month the exchange period finishes (generally the end of December) as shown on the AASES form.

Condition 8532

If you are under 18 years of age and you are neither a Foreign Affairs student nor a Defence student, you will be subject to visa condition 8532. Under this condition, you must either:

•stay in Australia with a person who is either your parent or a person who has custody of you; or

•stay in Australia with a relative who has turned 21 and is of good character. The relative must be nominated by your parent or by a person who has custody of you; or

•have appropriate arrangements for your accommodation, support and general welfare that have been approved by your education provider for the course to which your visa relates, and you must not enter Australia before the day nominated by the education provider as the day on which those arrangements are to commence.

Visa Application Charge

Refer to Questions 110 and 111 Payment details of this form to calculate the correct charge and make payment.

Refer to www.immi.gov.au/fees-charges for a complete and current list of applicable fees and charges.

Fees and charges may be subject to change at any time and this may increase the cost of a visa application.

Generally, Visa Application Charges are reviewed on 1 July each year, and the exchange rates used to calculate the amount payable in a foreign country are updated on 1 January and 1 July each year.

If you do not pay the full Visa Application Charge amount, your visa application will not be valid.

Charges are generally not refundable, even if the application is withdrawn or refused.

Method of payment

In Australia

To make a payment, please pay by credit card, debit card, bank cheque or money order made payable to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Debit card and credit card are the preferred methods of payment.

Outside Australia

Before making a payment outside Australia, please check with the Australian Government office where you intend to lodge your application as to what methods of payment and currencies they can accept and to whom the payment should be made payable.

Immigration assistance

A person gives immigration assistance to you if he or she uses, or claims to use, his or her knowledge or experience in migration procedure to assist you with your visa application, request for ministerial intervention, cancellation review application, sponsorship or nomination.

In Australia a person may only lawfully give immigration assistance if he or she is a registered migration agent or is exempt from being registered. Only registered migration agents may receive a fee or reward for providing immigration assistance.

If an unregistered person in Australia, who is not exempt from registration, gives you immigration assistance they are committing a criminal offence and may be prosecuted.

Migration agents in Australia

Migration agents in Australia must be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (Office of the MARA) unless they are exempt from registration.

Migration agents outside Australia

Migration agents who operate outside Australia do not have to be registered. The department may give some overseas agents an ID number. This number does not mean that they are registered.

Note: Some Australian registered migration agents operate overseas.

Migration agent information

A migration agent is someone who can:

•advise you on the visa that may best suit you;

•tell you the documents you need to submit with your application;

•help you fill in the application and submit it; and

•communicate with the department on your behalf.

If you appoint a migration agent, the department will assume that your migration agent will be your authorised recipient, unless you indicate otherwise.

Your migration agent will be the person with whom the department will discuss your application and from whom it will seek further information when required.

You are not required to use a migration agent. However, if you use a migration agent, the department encourages you to use a registered migration agent. Registered agents are bound by the Migration Agents Code of Conduct, which requires them to act professionally in their clients’ lawful best interests.

Information on migration agents, including a list of registered migration agents, is available on the Office of the MARA website www.mara.gov.au

You can also access information about migration agents on the department’s website www.immi.gov.au

Exempt persons

The following people do not have to be a registered migration agent in order to provide immigration assistance, but they must not charge a fee for their service:

•a close family member (spouse, de facto partner, child, parent, brother or sister);

•a member of parliament or their staff;

•an official whose duties include providing immigration assistance (eg. a Legal Aid provider);

•a member of a diplomatic mission, consular post or international organisation.

Appointing a migration agent/exempt person

To appoint a migration agent/exempt person you should complete Question 109 Options for receiving written communications.

Your migration agent/exempt person should complete form 956 Advice by a migration agent/exempt person of providing immigration assistance.

Form 956 is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/

Options for receiving written communications

If you do not appoint a migration agent/exempt person you may still authorise another person, in writing, to receive written communications on your behalf. This person is called the authorised recipient.

Authorised recipient information

All written communication about your application will be sent to your authorised recipient, unless you indicate that you wish to have health and/or character information sent directly to you.

The department will communicate with the most recently appointed authorised recipient as you may only appoint one authorised recipient at any time for a particular application.

You will be taken to have received any documents sent to that person as if they had been sent to you.

To appoint an authorised recipient you should complete:

•Question 109 Options for receiving written communications; and

•form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient.

Note: Migration agents/exempt persons do not need to complete form 956A.

Form 956A is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/