UAE
Saudi ArabiaAt a glance
- Who issues it
- Australia's Department of Home Affairs
- Apply from
- Online through ImmiAccount, from outside Australia in most cases
- Main document
- Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for a CRICOS-registered course
- Can family join
- Only in exempt cases, such as doctoral students, for applications from 2 October 2026
- Work while studying
- Limited fortnightly hours while your course is in session
- Health cover
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay
Who this is for
- Students with an offer for a full-time CRICOS-registered course at a university, TAFE or college
- Postgraduate research students, who also have wider family and work options
- Applicants who can show genuine study plans and enough money for travel, tuition and living costs
When another route fits better
- Short study of up to three months can be done on a Visitor visa (subclass 600).
- Occupational training or professional development may suit the Training visa (subclass 407) instead.
- If your main aim is to work, look at an employer-sponsored route such as the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).
Documents to prepare
Everyone
- Valid passport
- Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for every course you plan to study
- Answers to the Genuine Student questions in the online form, with supporting documents
- Results from an approved English test taken at a test centre, unless you are exempt
- Proof of OSHC starting from your arrival date
- Academic transcripts and certificates
- Polio vaccination certificate, as Pakistan is considered at risk of polio
- Certified English translations of any document not in English
Funds and ties
- Evidence of money for travel, first-year tuition and living costs, such as deposits, loans or scholarships
- Or official tax documents showing your parents' or partner's annual income
- Evidence of your study, work or business history and family ties in Pakistan
If you are under 18
- Parental consent (Form 1229 or statutory declarations) and approved welfare arrangements
Step by step
- 1
Accept your offer and get a CoE
Accept the offer from your education provider and pay any deposit it asks for. Without a CoE your visa application is not valid.
- 2
Buy OSHC
Buy cover from an approved Australian insurer, starting from the day you plan to arrive rather than the course start date.
- 3
Prepare your Genuine Student answers
The form asks you to explain, in English and within a word limit, your circumstances, your course choice and how it fits your plans. Back each answer with documents.
- 4
Gather financial evidence
Use the Department's document checklist tool to see what you need to attach. Show where the money came from, not just the balance.
- 5
Lodge online through ImmiAccount
Create an ImmiAccount, complete the form, attach your documents and pay the charge. Most applicants must lodge from outside Australia.
- 6
Give biometrics and do health checks
You may be asked to give biometrics and attend health examinations with an approved panel clinic. Act quickly, as these requests have deadlines.
- 7
Receive your decision
You are told in writing. Keep your CoE valid until the decision, and do not enter Australia before your OSHC starts.
Costs to plan for
- The visa application charge, plus a charge for any family member who is eligible to apply with you
- OSHC for the full length of your visa
- Health examinations and biometrics
- An approved English test taken at a test centre
- Tuition, living costs and travel, which you must show you can cover
- Translations and certified copies of documents
Why applications get refused
- Genuine Student answers that are generic, copied or not backed by documents
- Funds with no clear source, or large recent deposits
- A course that does not fit your previous study or career, with no explanation
- English results from at-home or online tests that the Department does not accept
- Previous refusals or visa cancellations that are not addressed
- No CoE when you apply, or a CoE cancelled before the decision
- False or misleading information, which can lead to a ban on later visas
Tips before you apply
- Write the Genuine Student answers yourself and keep them specific: name the course, the provider and how it connects to your plans.
- Sit your English test in person at a test centre; fully online tests are not accepted for Australian visas.
- Get your polio vaccination recorded on an official certificate before you apply.
- Read the Department's student visa processing priorities page, as offshore applications are processed under a ministerial direction.
Questions people ask
The Genuine Student (GS) requirement. Instead of one long statement, you answer set questions in the online form about your circumstances, your course choice and your plans, and attach evidence.
For applications lodged from 2 October 2026, most students cannot include family members, and family cannot join later as subsequent entrants. Exemptions include doctoral students, students sponsored by Australia's foreign affairs or defence departments and holders of fully funded foreign government scholarships.
Yes. You can show that your parents or partner earned the required annual income in the year before you apply, using official government documents such as tax assessments. Bank statements and employer letters are not accepted for this option.
Student visa holders can work a limited number of hours per fortnight while their course is in session and without a limit during breaks. Master's by research and doctoral students have no limit.
From 2 October 2026, most Student visa applications must be lodged outside Australia. Only people who hold an eligible visa and meet an exemption can apply onshore.
Official sources
Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.
Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.