Only some people can help you with your application. If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance they must be:

• a registered migration agent
• a legal practitioner, or
• an exempt person.

You can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter.

We need proof of your identity. If you cannot prove your identity:

• we will refuse your visa application
• we might not grant you another visa for 10 years
• we might not grant any family members you listed on your application a visa for 10 years

You must provide:

• the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates
• a national identity card, if you have one
• proof of any change of name (if applicable)

Documents that prove a change of name include:

• a marriage or divorce certificate
• change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
• documents that show other names you have been known by.

You must have any document(s) in a language other than English translated into English. Provide copies of both the translated documents and the document in the original language.

Provide a completed Form 157N - Student guardianship arrangements (291KB PDF).

Your application will not be valid if you do not provide the completed Form 157N.

The living costs we ask you to declare and provide with your visa application indicate the cost of living in Australia. Actual living costs vary throughout Australia. We recommend you research the area you intend to live including the cost of living in that area

There are options to prove you have genuine access to enough money for your stay.

You must ensure you have enough money to support yourself, the student visa holder(s) and any children who come to Australia with you.

You need to have enough money to pay for:

• Travel for you and the student visa holder(s)
• 12 months of course fees for the student visa holder(s)
• 12 months specified annual living costs for you
• 12 months of living costs for the student visa holder(s) and accompanying family members and
• school fees for school-age children who accompany you

Evidence that an applicant may provide can include:

• money deposits held within a financial institution
• loans from a financial institution and/or government
• scholarship or financial support.

If someone else is providing you funds, give us:

• evidence of your relationship with them and
• their identity documents

If you are providing evidence of deposits of money, explain their source. Only certain people are acceptable in terms of providing you with financial support.

Work out how much money you need

Use the following information to work out how much money you need. To calculate pro rata costs, divide the annual cost by 365 and multiply the result by the number of days you intend to stay in Australia.

Living costs

12-month living costs are:

• AUD21,041 - for students or guardians
• AUD3,152 - for a child under the age of 6 years coming with you

From 1 October 2023, the 12-month living costs will increase to:

• AUD24,505 - for students or guardians
• AUD3,670 - for a child under the age of 6 years coming with you.

Schooling costs

12 month course fees for the student visa holder(s) ( or pro-rata if less than 12 months).

If you are including school-age children (under 6 years) in your application, add schooling costs of at least AUD8,296 per year per child. Costs vary between states, territories and schools in Australia – You are responsible for finding out how much the child’s schooling will cost.

From 1 October 2023, if you are including school-age children (under 6 years) in your application, add schooling costs of at least AUD9,661 per year per child.

Travel Costs

As a guide, allow $2000 per person.Evidence you have genuine access to the money

You must show you will have genuine access to funds while you are in Australia for:

• meeting the costs and expenses of yourself, your accompanying family members and in most cases, the student visa holder.
• proving your financial capacity for the matters specified above

Annual income

Alternatively, you can show us that your spouse or de facto partner (who is not travelling to Australia) will support you. They must have an annual income of AUD72,592 or more in the 12 months immediately before you apply.

From 1 October 2023, your spouse or de facto partner must have an annual income of AUD72,592 or more in the 12 months immediately before you apply.

You must provide evidence of personal income in the form of official government documents such as tax assessments less than 12 months old. We won’t accept bank statements or direct evidence from an employer.

You will need to provide evidence of adequate health insurance for you and your family members for the first 12 months of your stay in Australia.

This can be an Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) premium or another health insurance product from Australia or your home country that provides a similar level of cover.

OVHC is available through several private and general insurers in Australia. However, the benefits available, membership costs and eligibility can vary between insurers.

Learn more about Overseas Visitors & Overseas Students and adequate health insurance.

Show proof that you are staying in Australia temporarily:

Write a personal statement addressing the Genuine Temporary Entry requirement. If you are not comfortable writing it in English, you can write your statement in your own language and submit a translated copy with your application.

In your written statement, provide evidence or information about circumstances in your home country, ties to your home country or country of residence and incentive to return. This could include:

• evidence of immediate family members in your home country
• your visa or residence status in your home country and your right to return
• proof of property or other significant assets in your home country
• a return air ticket
• a letter from your employer confirming your leave

We consider your personal circumstances when we make a decision. When we assess whether you are a genuine temporary entrant, we consider your situation as a whole.

Ministerial Direction 69 (52KB PDF) (52KB PDF) sets out a number of factors we take into account when determining if you meet the GTE requirement. It is not a checklist. We encourage you to read Ministerial Direction 69 before drafting your GTE statement.

If you are a relative of the student visa holder, you must provide an Australian police certificate if you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since you turned 16.

We only accept complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. We do not accept standard disclosure certificates or national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police.

You are also required to provide an overseas police certificate from every country, where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16. This includes your home country.

Learn more about country-specific instructions on how to obtain a police certificate and Character requirements for visas.

For every dependant 6 years old or younger who is applying with you, you must provide:

• copies of birth certificates or the family book showing the names of both parents of all your dependent children and
• copies of the adoption paper, if applicable

You must also:

• demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances in a separate statement or
•  provide written support from the government of your home country or a letter of support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Parental responsibility documents

You must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who:

• has a legal right to decide where the child lives and
• is not coming to Australia with the child.

They must complete either:

• Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (276KB PDF) or
• a statutory declaration giving their consent for the child to visit Australia on this visa.

Alternatively, if you have sole responsibility of the student(s) you must, provide evidence. Acceptable evidence may include:

• a court order, custody documentation, or a death certificate of the other parent, or
• that the laws of your home country allow them to migrate.

You must also include:

• an identity document that shows the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver’s licence and
• adoption papers or other court documents if applicable.

To nominate someone to:

• receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
• provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

1. Log in or create an ImmiAccount
2. Attach documents
3. Pay the application fee. We will not process your application until you pay the fee.

You do not have to tell us if you want to travel outside Australia while we process your application. This is because you can be outside Australia when we make a decision.

But if you leave Australia, make sure you have a valid visa to return.

You can't leave Australia without the student visa holder unless you you have made alternative welfare arrangements.

Learn about visa expiry.

If you are in Australia, make sure you stay lawful by holding a valid visa while we process your application.

If you were in Australia when you applied for this visa, you were granted a Bridging visa A (BVA). If your current visa expires before we decide on your application, the BVA will start. You can stay in Australia on the BVA while we process your new visa application. You cannot travel on the BVA - there is no right of return on this visa; it cancels on departure.

Do not get cancel your current visa cancelled. If you do, you will be in Australia unlawfully.

Learn more about visa expiry.

Let us know if you no longer want someone to:

• receive your correspondence - complete Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
• provide immigration advice - complete Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

For more information see Who can help you with your application.

Things you need to let us know about after you have applied include:

• changes to your phone number, address or passport
• changes to your marital or de facto status
• the birth of a child
• you want to withdraw your application

See how to tell us if your situation changes.