Australia is considered one of the most prestigious study destinations worldwide. The country’s excellent academia with great earning potential and PR prospects attracts hundreds of foreign students to go for study in Australia. Many Pakistani students also share this Australian dream to benefit from these growth opportunities. However, the application process for Australia is a bit demanding, which often becomes a hurdle for aspiring students.
Following is a simple guide which students from Pakistan can follow to apply for their studies in Australia as international students.
- Find Relevant Courses and University
To get an education in Australia, foreign students must choose a course that is registered by the CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions & Courses for Overseas Students). Therefore, the first step in applying from Pakistan is to find a registered course at a reputable Australian Institute that matches your qualification and interests. Australia offers thousands of study programs for international pupils at different levels e.g. bachelor’s masters, PhD. Students in Pakistan can opt for online search and peer suggestions or can take assistance from professional consultants in Pakistan like Highbrow to choose their desired programs to process further.
- Look into Entry Requirements:
Each Australian institute has different requirements set for international students which Pakistani students must meet to be accepted. These typically include providing academic transcripts, personal statements, recommendation letters and language proficiency test results. Commonly accepted tests in Australia include IELTS (min. 5.5), TOEFL (min. 55), and PTE (min. 42). The required score may vary further as per the institute’s set criteria. Prospective students have to prepare all these documents timely to be able to pursue a degree in Australia.
- Apply for Admission to chosen institute:
The next step is to submit the admission application with all required documents to the relevant Australian university within the given deadline. Though students can choose to apply themselves online, several institutes in Australia offer international students the option to apply through specified agents. Thus, as a student from Pakistan, you can submit your application through these agents, or can simply visit the given online portal to complete the forms. Besides, you can also contact Australian study and immigration experts in Pakistan to do the processing on your behalf. The decision time varies for different institutes. You have to wait until you receive an acceptance for a registered institute to start the further visa process.
- Submit an Application for an Australian Student Visa
After acceptance, students can start applying for study visas under subclass 500 in Australia online on the official website of the Department of home affairs. As a foreign student from Pakistan, you’re also allowed to hire a registered immigration agent to help you process the visa.
The current student visa fee for Australia from Pakistan is 650 AUD. Once you complete the application with all documents and pay the fee, you can expect your visa to be processed within a few days to 12 months.
Additional Considerations:
- Documents:
There’s a specified list of documents that students have to provide to be successful. Some of these are common to other countries e.g. proof of acceptance, language proficiency and tuition funds, medical and police certificates etc. However, some of them are unique to study in Australia e.g. the document of Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) in which students have to mention their genuine interest to continue the proposed study program (just like the personal statement document).
- Sufficient Funds:
Since Australia is a costly place to study, a Pakistani international student must ensure the availability of Sufficient Funds at the time of visa processing. Currently, the required amount is over 60,000 AUD. It could either be your personal funds or loans. In the case of study loans or scholarships, students have to provide documented proof e.g. loan details, scholarship letters etc.
- Health Insurance:
Australia has made it mandatory for all oversea students to obtain health insurance (OSHC) before leaving their home country. Its purpose is to make sure students can take care of their health throughout their study period. You can get your oversee student health coverage through a registered Australian doctor in your area. This costs up to 430 AUD which is separate from the visa fee.
If you’re a student from Pakistan and need further assistance in applying for studies in Australia, Highbrow is here to help you out. We have the top Immigration Experts in Pakistan that are proficient in Australian admissions and visa processing. Contact us right away if you wish to have a seamless study journey to Australia.