The Australian Government’s Overseas Student Program (OSP) allows people who are not Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents to study in Australia. A person who wants to study under the program must obtain a student visa before they can commence a course of study in Australia.

Any person who is not an Australian resident may apply to study in Australia under the OSP. However, you can only be granted a student visa only if you wish to undertake a registered course or part of a registered course on a full-time basis.

A registered course is an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider who is registered with the Australian Government to offer courses to overseas students. The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) lists all providers registered to offer courses to people holding student visas and the courses offered. The Department of Education, Science and Training DEST can provide details of registered courses.

The Australian education system is divided into four levels of schooling:

• Primary
• Secondary
• Vocational education
• ELICOS Training and higher education

In addition to these broad categories, students from other countries wishing to undertake study in Australia, have the option to study within specific courses such as English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) and non-award courses.

The type of visa appropriate for you will depend primarily upon the course you intend to undertake. Specific visas cover specific courses.

Subclass 570:
Independent ELICOS – English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) undertaken as a stand-alone course, not leading to an Australian award

• courses that lead to a certificate I, II, III or IV
• Courses that result in no formal Australian award.

If you are studying ELICOS as a pre-requisite to another course, you must apply for the visa appropriate to your main course of study. If you are studying several courses, the main course is the higher level course.

Subclass 571:
Schools – Primary school, secondary school including junior and senior secondary, or approved secondary exchange programs
This visa is designed for international students applying to study in Australia and whose main course of study is:

• a primary school course
• a secondary school course, including junior and senior secondary
• An approved secondary school exchange program.

Subclass 572:
Vocational Education and Training (VET) – Certificate I, II, III, and IV, Diploma, Advanced diploma
This visa is designed for international students applying to study in Australia and whose main course of study is:

• a certificate I, II, III and IV (except ELICOS)
• a diploma
• an advanced diploma
• a vocational graduate certificate
• A vocational graduate diploma.

Subclass 573:
Higher Education – Bachelor degree, Associate degree, Graduate certificate, Graduate diploma
This visa is designed for international students applying to study in Australia and whose main course of study is:

• Bachelor degree
• associate degree
• graduate certificate
• graduate diploma
• Masters by coursework.

Subclass 574:
Master’s and Doctorate – Master degree including master coursework and master research, or doctoral degree
This visa is designed for international students who want to study:

• A Masters degree by research or a Doctoral degree in Australia.

Subclass 575:
Non-award Foundation Studies/Other – Non-award foundation studies, such as full-time courses or components of courses not leading to an Australian award
This visa is designed for international students who want to study the following courses in Australia:

• a non-award foundation studies course
• Other full-time course (or components of a course) that does not lead to an Australian award.

Exception: If you are studying a non-award course as a pre-requisite to another course, you must apply for the visa appropriate for your main course of study. If you are studying several courses, the main course is the higher level course.

Subclass 576:
AusAID and Defense – Full-time courses of all types undertaken by AusAID or Defense students sponsored by the Australian Government
This visa is designed for international students:

• Who are sponsored by AusAID or Defense to study a full-time course of any type in Australia

Who are these visas for?

This visa is for you if you want to do one of the following:

• apply for your first student visa
• renew your student visa
• Apply to join a family member who is in Australia on a student visa.

What do these visas let me do?

With this visa:

• You can study in Australia
• Eligible dependant family members can accompany you to Australia
• When you have commenced your course of study in Australia, you can work up to 20 hours per week while your course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks.
• Your family members can work up to 20 hours per week provided you have commenced your course of study in Australia.
• Your spouse can study in Australia for up to three months.

Note: If your spouse wants to study for more than three months they must apply for their own student visa. The application can be made in Australia.

Length of stay

This visa allows you to stay in Australia for the duration of your course. It permits multiple entries to Australia. Dependent family members who come with you to Australia are usually able to stay the same length of time as you, but they cannot stay once you have left the country.

When is your course in session?

• The department considers your course to be ‘in session’:
• for the duration of the advertised semesters (including periods when exams are being held)
• if you have completed your studies and your Confirmation of Enrolment is still in effect
• If you are undertaking another course, during a break from your main course and the points will be credited to your main course.

As shown in Figure 11, the share of the Vocational Education and Training (subclass 572) sector in student visa grants increased from about 25 per cent in 2007–08 to about 32 per cent in 2008–09. The share of the Higher Education (subclass 573) sector decreased from about 47 per cent to 43 per cent during the same period.
This may be attributed to a 52.2 per cent increase in the number of grants for the Vocational Education and Training (subclass 572) sector.