Australia Visa Information

If you plan to study for less than 12 weeks in total, you will need to apply for a Tourist Visa. If your length of study is over 12 weeks, you will need a Student Visa. For more information about obtaining an Australian visa, please visit the Australian Immigration Services website or visit the Australian Embassy or Consulate in your region.

A Student Visa is issued to students who are going to study full-time in Australia. The time it takes to obtain one depends on the Australian Embassy from which you apply. The average time is 4-8 weeks.

If you are applying for a visa you should give yourself from 1 - 2 months until your desired starting dates, especially if you need accommodation.
I didn't write a start date on my application because I want to start as soon as I get approved for a student visa is that ok? We need to have a start date in order to process an application. Enough time should be given for your visa to be processed and accommodation secured.

As per our terms and conditions, fees paid will be refunded on receipt of written notification and proof that your visa application was denied prior to your start date.

You must first apply to study at one of the schools or colleges on the Wiseward website. If you are eligible for admission, the school will issue an Enrolment Agreement (EA) and invoice to you. Your chosen school will issue you a receipt and ECOE (Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment) for a student visa when the completed and signed EA and full payment is received for your booking. You should send these documents to the Australia Immigration Service or Embassy/Consulate as evidence of your course.

Usually, you are expected to visit the Australian Embassy/Consulate in the country for which you hold citizenship (i.e. the country that issued your passport). If your country does not have an Australian Embassy/Consulate or if you are currently located in a different country, you should contact the closest Australian Embassy to see if they can accept your application for a visa. Check here to find the location of your nearest Australian embassy.

As we don’t issue your visa it is difficult to confirm how long it will be valid for. Visas are typically given for the length of your course + 4 weeks. However, this is dependent on providing the Immigration service with the proper documents. You should confirm this information with your local Australian Embassy/Consulate.

Wiseward and the relevant partner school are able to provide you with the documents to prove you are a confirmed student at their school (Enrolment Agreement, Accommodation Guarantee, and/or Receipt). However, prior to arrival, it is the student's sole responsibility to complete all government documents. Once you are at school, they will give you the necessary information on how you can change your visa or apply for a visa extension if necessary.

Wiseward does not issue visas and therefore cannot confirm the likelihood of approval. However, you should note that the granting of a visa is not guaranteed.

If denied your visa, you should ask the Consular Officer for the reason for the denial before you leave the Embassy. You have the right to request the denial in writing as well. If no reason or a reason due to your personal submission is stated, it is unlikely that we will be able to assist you further. In most cases, the government’s decision is final and there is little we can do to change their decision.

Yes, if you would like to continue your studies the school’s Student Services department will be glad to assist you with your Student Visa extension. You should notify Student Services of your plans to extend at least 4 weeks prior to your last day of study.

The bank statement/letter should show that you and/or your sponsor have enough funds to cover the cost of the study. In addition, it must show that all funds are readily available without penalty for withdrawal. For this reason, statements from checking and/or savings accounts are best. Income statements, property deeds and other similar forms of investments are typically not acceptable.
You can show funds through multiple accounts and/or multiple sponsors, if necessary.

We recommend that all students arriving into the country carry with them proper documentation as stated on the DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship) website.

Australia Immigration Service needs to see that you have sufficient funds to cover your living requirements while in Australia. You must also show you have a return air ticket on arrival in Australia.

You can change your start date any time before entering Australia. Simply contact your school to confirm your new start date as soon as you know about the change. At that time, we will mail you a revised Enrolment Agreement to show your new study dates. A failure to notify us about these changes can cause problems for you at the Port of Entry and/or Australian Embassy. If you want to begin before your start date, this is acceptable. Simply go to the school and let them know you want to start early.

You may change your school at any time before you apply for your Student Visa at no additional charge. We currently feature two schools to choose from in Australia, Sydney and Melbourne. Simply contact us to confirm the new location and a new Letter of Acceptance will be mailed to you for the new location. If your visa has been issued, you can change locations, but you will need to submit a Change of Provider application before arriving in Australia. This may cost an additional fee. Please check with your Australian Embassy/Consulate regarding this fee. If the names do not match because you changed school locations after getting your visa, you may be denied entry to Australia.

The Student Visa issued to you by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship will notify you of the dates your Student Visa is valid. You should adhere to these dates.
If you travel to Australia after your start date, you will probably face problems at the Port of Entry, since it appears you failed to meet the requirement of reporting to the school by your start date. To prevent problems at the Port of Entry, you should contact Wiseward and ask that we postpone your start date if you are unable to arrive before your start date. At that time, your chosen school, via Wiseward, will mail you a revised Letter of Acceptance with a postponed start date.

In general, you must show the Port of Entry Officer the following documents. If these documents are missing or incomplete, you may be detained, questioned or denied entry altogether:

• A valid (non-expired) passport
• A valid (non-expired) Student Visa (if applicable)
• Bank statement
• Proof of outbound travel (if arriving on a visitor’s visa)
• Documents from Kaplan International Colleges:
• Letter of Acceptance
• Receipt

This link gives you more information

Students on a Student Visa must study full-time. If you do not meet the school's full-time study requirements while studying with a Student Visa, the school will be obliged to notify the Department of Immigration and Citizenship of your status and you risk falling out of legal status.

Students with a valid student visa may work up to 20 hours per week after starting their course and work unlimited hours during their course holidays. This work right is included automatically for all students coming in on a student visa. Students may also work on a working holiday visa, but those on a tourist visa may not work.

If you would like to go onto the OPUS Work and Study programme in Australia you will require a Working Holiday Visa

Residents of the countries listed in the table below, aged between 18-30.

Important: Applicants must have turned 18, but not turned 31, at the time of visa application.

If you are granted this visa you can:

• stay up to 12 months in Australia
• leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
• work in Australia for up to 6 months with each employer
• study for up to 4 months.

Important: Applicants must enter Australia within 3 months of the grant of the visa