Locations and MapsDetailed information on getting to each of our
campuses:MelbournePlenty Road, Bundoora, Melbourne VIC 3086. Ph:
(03) 9479 1111BendigoEdwards Road, Flora Hill, Bendigo VIC 3550.
Ph: (03) 5444 7222Albury-WodongaUniversity Drive, Wodonga VIC 3689.
Ph: (02) 6024 9700Franklin Street (City)215 Franklin Street,
Melbourne VIC 3000. Ph: (03) 9479 8888Mildura3502 Benetook Avenue,
Mildura VIC 3502. Ph: (03) 5051 4000Shepparton210 Fryers Street,
Shepparton VIC 3262. Ph: (03) 5820 8600SydneyLevel 10, 11 York
Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Ph: (02) 9397 7600Railway station:
Macleod Railway Station(Hurtsbridge Line)Bus 561
Applying for a student visaIt is your responsibility to ensure
you obtain and maintain a valid passport and student visa to enter
Australia for study purposes.Future studentsIf La Trobe University
makes you a full-time study offer and you accept it, you will be
issued with a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) form which you can
then use to apply for a student visa at your nearest Australian
diplomatic post. The process of obtaining your visa is different in
each country. You can find your local diplomatic post on
theDepartment of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP)
website.To apply for a student visa, applicants must first satisfy
basic eligibility requirements.A student visa application will be
assessed against Assessment Levels (AL) or Streamlined Visa
Processing (SVP). They are determined by the following: Assessment
Levels are determined by your nationality and the student visa
subclass you apply for (this refers to the type of program you will
study in Australia). There are five Assessment Levels in the
student visa program: Assessment Level 1 represents the lowest
immigration risk and Assessment Level 5 the highest. If you have a
CoE for a course of study not eligible for SVP, which includes
short courses, Graduate Diplomas, Graduate Certificates, Diplomas
and Advanced Diplomas, non-award courses and pathway programs (such
as ELICOS, Foundation and Diplomas) not packaged with an eligible
university course, you must meet the following key requirements to
be granted a student visa:1. a genuine temporary entrant
requirement2. financial capacity to undertake studies3. English
language proficiency4. likely compliance with the conditions of
your student visa and other relevant circumstances.Further
information available on theDIBP website La Trobe University
participates in the DIBP Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP). If you
have a CoE for an eligible course, this includes:- Bachelor
degrees- 2 plus 2 (or 3 plus 1) arrangements with La Trobe partner
universities- Masters by coursework- Research degrees- Doctoral
degrees- ELICOS and/or preparatory courses such as the La Trobe
Melbourne Foundation Year and Diploma Programs, Which are packaged
with an eligible university courses from one of our SVP business
partners at the time the offer is made- Semester or year-long,
non-award courses at La Trobe University as part of a student's
home university degree course and /or part of an agreed student
exchange between universities.Please note: AusAid applicants will
not be affected by SVP.You will be assessed as if you are an
Assessment Level 1 (AL1 - low migration risk) applicant regardless
of your country of origin, as long as you choose to study an
eligible course at a university or package a course with one of La
Trobe University's business partners for SVP. To access the SVP,
you must have a CoE and all the other documents required at the
time of your visa application and satisfy DIBP's Genuine Temporary
Entrant criteria. More information can be found on theour
websiteThere are a number of ways to apply for your student visa,
please view the following: Online(preferred by DIBP) - follow the
instructions to complete the online application and attach required
documentation. You can save your application and continue at a
later time if you don't have all documentation to submit at one
time. In person completeForm 157A (PDF 39KB)- lodge application at
one of the following DIBP offices:Melbourne OfficeGround Floor,
Casselden Place2 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000Counter and
courier access hours 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
Dandenong OfficeLevel 5, 76 Thomas StreetDandenong VIC,
3175Counter and courier access hours 9am to 4pm Monday to
Friday.The process of obtaining your visa is different for each
country. You can find your local diplomatic post on theDepartment
of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) website.Assistance with
student visa applications is also available from La Trobe
University's representatives, visitother ways to apply.It is
important to apply for your visa within a reasonable time frame,
preferably at least 2-3 months before the start date of your
course. Processing offices need to undertake a number of standard
checks, including health assessments, which can sometimes take
longer than expected. Furthermore, if you are not eligible to
participate in theStreamlined Visa Processing (SVP) program,
student visas can take up to 6 months to process if you are from
Country Assessment levels 3, 4 and 5. For further information
please visit theDIBP websiteFor up-to-date information on student
visa regulations, full instructions on how to apply for a student
visa, and a list of Australian Diplomatic Missions, or for general
information about immigration matters and what documents you will
be required to submit for your visa application, please visit
theDIBP website.Package coursesIf you have received an offer for
both a pathway course (e.g. Foundation, English or bridging course)
followed by a main course (e.g. a Bachelor degree), you can be
granted a student visa to cover the total duration of the proposed
package, only if you provide a CoE for both programs. You will be
assessed under the visa subclass for the principal course and at
the highest Assessment Level of the course in your nominated
package. If you're principle course is eligible for SVP, you will
be assessed against the SVP criteria. Further information on course
packaging available on theDIBP website.Applying for a further
student visa in AustraliaIf you are already studying in Australia
and would like to enrol in a new course after the completion of
your studies, you should apply for a new student visa before your
current visa expires. The exception is if your student visa
contains the 8534 or 8535 ('No Further Stay') condition, you will
not be able to renew your student visa in Australia unless there
are exceptional circumstances. For further information please visit
theDIBP website.If you are returning home temporarily and would
like to renew your visa at an Australian diplomatic post in your
home country, you must indicate this on your Offer Acceptance (new
students) or CoE Application (continuing students) form to ensure
your CoE is issued to the correct office.Visa applications for
family membersSome student visa holders are permitted to bring
their immediate family members to Australia as dependents, either
by including them in the initial student visa application or by
applying for their dependents to join them after the commencement
of the course in Australia. Applicants must declare all immediate
family members on their application, even if they do not plan to
travel with their family members to Australia. If the applicant
does not do this, their family members will not be eligible to join
them in Australia. For further information please visit theDIBP
website.Student visa conditionsThe Department of Immigration and
Border Protection (DIBP) issues student visas with a number of
conditions. There are two categories for the student visa
conditions for the primary visa holder, they are: Mandatory
Conditions - attached to all primary Student visas Discretionary
Conditions - may be attached to a Student visa.For further details
and information please visit theDIBP website.The University is
obliged to notify DIBP if you breach any visa condition, change
your course, defer prior to commencement, temporarily suspend, take
an official Leave of Absence (intermit or suspend), discontinue
your studies or make any changes affecting the duration of your
study.For an overview and general information please visit theDIBP
websiteFor information about visa requirements for students with
families, visit ourstudents with families sectionNote: the
University can only provide general information regarding
immigration matters.Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)It is a
condition of your student visa that you have Overseas Student
Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of your student visa. You need
to ensure that your OSHC is valid throughout your studies in
Australia. For further information please visit theDIBP websiteLa
Trobe University currently has an agreement withOSHC by Allianz
Global Assistance, a private health fund, to provide health cover
for our international students. If you purchase OSHC through La
Trobe University we will advise DIBP on your behalf. Under this
agreement, you pay an OSHC premium for the entire length of your
course with your first instalment of tuition fees. This means that
you are covered from the day you arrive in Australia. For further
information regarding La Trobe University's OSHC provider please
visit theOSHC websitePermission to workYou cannot work before you
commence your course in Australia. Once your course has commenced
you are permitted to work a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight when
your course is in session, and unlimited hours when your course is
not in session. International students holding a student visa can
work during semester (including the entire advertised exam
periods), or unlimited hours during official University vacations,
once granted Permission to Work by the DIBP. This is for students
holding a subclass 573 Higher Education visa. However, the
permission to work rights are different, depending on the visa
subclass you have been granted. Please visit theDIBP websitefor
working right and other visa requirements.All student visas granted
from April 2008 include work rights (condition 8105) with your
student visa.If your visa was issued before 26 April 2008 and you
have not yet applied for Permission to Work, visit theDIBP
websiteto find out how to apply.In some university courses the
demands are heavy and students have little free time for
employment. Part-time work and vacation work is not always
available and students should not depend on this form of income to
cover living expenses or tuition fees.For further information
regarding work rights and other visa requirements, visit theDIBP
websiteStudents under 18DIBP requires students under 18 years of
age (an underage student) to have appropriate welfare and
accommodation arrangements in Australia. In order to acquire a
Student Visa, underage students need to provide evidence that they
will be living with either DIBP approved, or La Trobe University
approved, welfare and accommodation arrangements. Please see our
websitefor more informationRenewing your student visaIf you need to
renew your student visa before it expires, you need to apply for a
CoE at La Trobe International Compliance. You can get information
on how to renew your student visa by visiting ourapplying for a
visa pageor contacting La Trobe International's Compliance team
[email protected] can apply for your visa renewal
at a DIBP office in Australia or online. Please visit theDIBP
websiteNote: the University can only provide general information
regarding immigration matters.La Trobe University cannot advise
students or prospective students on migrations related issues such
as applying for Permanent Residency and appealing to the Migration
Review Tribunal.For detailed immigration advice, visit
theDIBPwebsite, phone the DIBP inquiry line on 131 881 (call from
anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call) or contact
aRegistered Migration Agent.Current students - visa renewalApplying
for a CoEGuide to applying for a further student visa in AustraliaA
student visa is a temporary visa that allows you to come to
Australia for a specified period of time to study at an Australian
educational institution.It is important to be aware of the expiry
date of your student visa as you must either depart Australia
before it expires, or lodge a new visa application.If your visa
does expire you need to contact theDepartment of Immigration and
Border Protection (DIBP)immediately. If your visa has expired for
more than 28 days an exclusion period may be imposed which means
you cannot return to Australia for three years.Section A -
Preparing to apply for a new eCoEStep 1 - apply for a new Personal
Study PlanYour new Personal Study Plan (PSP) has to be approved by
your College and it will outline how and when you will complete
your course and will include recommendations for how to improve
your studies.You need to contact your College directly to request a
meeting to complete a new PSP: College of Arts, Social Sciences and
Commerce College of Science, Health and EngineeringStep 2 - Extend
your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)Your new student visa will
be valid for the same period as your OSHC policy to ensure that you
have health cover for the entire period you are in
Australia.Coursework studentsIf your PSP indicates that you will be
completing your studies: at the end of Semester 1 (your CoE will
end on 30 June) you will need to extend your OSHC policy until 30
August of the same year. This is because DIBP will allow you to
stay in Australia for an additional period of approximately two
months after you have finished your studies in order to prepare for
your departure. at the end of Semester 2 (and your CoE will end on
31 December) you will need to extend your OSHC policy until 15
March the following year. DIBP allows you to stay in Australia with
enough time to enroll in additional studies the following year the
completion of your current course.Research studentsIf your Progress
Report or Resumption of Candidature form indicates that you will be
completing your studies: between November-December (your CoE will
reflects this) you will need to extend your OSHC policy an extra 6
months. This is because DIBP will allow you to stay in Australia
for an additional period of approximately 6 months after you have
finished your studies for the purpose of interactive marking of a
thesis. between January-October (your CoE will reflects this) you
will need to extend your OSHC policy an extra 8 months. This is
because DIBP will allow you to stay in Australia for extra six
months (on top of the two months that is normally granted for a
student visa) for the purpose of interactive marking of a
thesis.Note: if you discontinue your course, or leave Australia
earlier than the date your visa expires you may be able to claim a
refund on your unused OSHC.Step 3 - Apply for a new electronic
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)Download and complete the
relevantApplication for Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) form [PDF
88KB]and provide: a copy of your passport a copy of your current
visa page or e-visa a receipt showing that you have extended your
OSHC your Personal Study Plan (PSP)Please note: it may take up to 7
working days for the CoE to be issued a new CoE will not be issued
until the results of the current Semester are officially released
by the University, so an accurate assessment of your program can be
completed sponsored students will need to obtain a new Financial
Guarantee Letter from their sponsor before a new CoE can be
issued.Section B - Preparing to lodge your visa applicationRead
carefully theApplying for a Student Visa FormStep 1 - Identify your
student visa subclassThe student visa subclass under which you will
be assessed is determined by your main course of study, even if you
are studying a package of courses.Higher education (Subclass 573)-
applies to a bachelor degree, associate degree, graduate
certificate, graduate diploma, higher education diploma, higher
education advanced diploma or masters by coursework.Postgraduate
research (Subclass 574)- applies to Masters by research or a
doctoral degree.AusAID and Defence (Subclass 576)- applies to
students sponsored by AusAID or the Australian Department of
Defence undertaking full-time courses of any type.Step 2 - Am I
eligible for Streamlined Visa Processing?At the time of making your
student visa application, you must have a CoE with La Trobe
University for one of the following: Bachelor degree Masters degree
Doctoral degree Non-award university student exchange program
Non-award study abroad program.Please note:if you are enrolled in a
package of courses, all your preliminary courses must be at La
Trobe University or a nominated educational business partner of La
Trobe University. You must hold a CoE for each course within the
package.Step 3 - Download the relevant Visa Application Document
ChecklistVisit the Department of Immigration and Border Protection
website for thevisa application checklist. If you are eligible for
SVP, select your visa subclass and select 'streamlined'. You can
read more information on theDIBP website. If you are not eligible
for streamlined visa processing, the passport you hold and the
education sector of your principal course will determine the
Assessment Level (AL) of your visa application.The information
sheetStudent Visa Program Assessment Levelslists the current
Assessment Levels for all passports and education sectors. Your
Assessment Level is the one in effect for your passport and visa
subclass on the date you lodged a valid application with
theDIBP.Step 4 - Check if you need to undergo a medical
checkMedical health checks are valid for 12 months for student
visas. Medical requirements are different for temporary and
permanent visas and sometimes the applicant may be asked to undergo
further testing.Read carefullyForm 1163i (Health requirements for
temporary entry to Australia)and call DIBP on 131 881 if unsure.If
you have not yet made a health examination appointment, you will
now need to contactBUPA Medical Visa Servicesto arrange an
appointment.withMHS.If your appointment is after your visa expiry
date, you will need to keep your receipt/booking/reference number
and quote it when applying for your new student visa.Section C -
Lodging your visa applicationApplicationThere are two ways to apply
for a subsequent student visa: Online By filling outForm 157AVisit
theDIBP websiteto check if you are eligible to apply
online.CostsPlease go to theDIBP websitefor general information
regarding visa application charges. You can use the Visa Pricing
Estimator to calculate the costs for your particular application.
You will need to answer the questions as accurately as possible in
order to get an estimate of the charges you may need to pay in
order to lodge your application You can also use the Visa Pricing
Table to see the breakdown of charges that you may or may not have
to pay.Student visa FAQsCheck the DIBP website forFAQsDon't forget
to read about yourvisa rights and responsibilitiesunder the
Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework.Education
Services for Overseas Students (ESOS): your rights and
obligationsLa Trobe University's responsibilitiesLa Trobe
University's responsibilitiesAustralia provides the world's most
rigorous protection for international students through theEducation
Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000. The ESOS Act
requires those institutions providing education to international
students to meet nationally consistent standards in their education
delivery, facilities and services. The legislation aims to protect
and enhance Australia's reputation for quality education, to
provide tuition protection and support the integrity of the student
visa program.For more detailed information, please visit
theDepartment of Education and Training. La Trobe along with all
education and training providers of courses offered to
international students studying in Australia on a student visa are
required to: Register on CRICOS Meet quality assurance standards
Comply with tuition and financial assurance requirements Meet the
obligations of registered providers Report students who do not
comply with student visa conditions to the Department of Industry
and Department of Immigration and Border Protection.International
students' responsibilitiesInternational students'
responsibilitiesYou have particular responsibilities as an
international student that are related to the conditions of your
student visa (should you hold one).Below is a summary of
information that should be read together with information on the
Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) website and
La Trobe University's Policies.While it is your responsibility to
ensure that you comply with your visa conditions, the University is
also obliged to monitor your enrolment and notify DIBP of any
breaches.DIBP may cancel your student visa if you are found to have
breached your visa conditions.Your responsibilities include:
maintaining enrolment and course progress paying tuition fees on
time so you maintain your enrolment notifying the University of any
change of address maintaining visa length Overseas Student Health
Cover (OSHC) leave of absence online and distance education
transfer of course discontinuation applying for a release letter
early completions.For tips and information to help you comply with
your student visa, read thisfact sheet (PDF 62KB).Maintain
enrolment and course progressYou must be enrolled in a full-time
course registered for international students that matches the
subclass of your students visa. At La Trobe, this means you should
study 120 credit points (generally 8 subjects) per calendar
year.According to Australian government regulations, you are also
expected to complete your course by the end date specified on your
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). This means that you can only
reduce your study load by showing "compassionate and compelling"
circumstances or the Intervention Strategy has been implemented. A
reduced load may result in the need to take up additional subjects
in future sessions (summer/winter school, or be overloading) to
complete your course in the time frame specified on your CoE.If you
think that you will not be able to complete your course by the date
on your CoE, then you must see your Course Coordinator/Course
Advisor immediately so that an appropriate intervention strategy
can be implemented. To extend your CoE you will need to fill in
theApplication for Confirmation of Enrolment form (PDF 90KB)and
follow the steps indicatedIf you do not abide by these
requirements, you may not be able to extend your student visa to
complete your course.Academic progressAll La Trobe students must
maintain satisfactory academic progress according to University
policy. As an international student, if you are excluded from your
course because of unsatisfactory academic progress, the University
must notify DIBP, which can lead to your visa being cancelled.In
these circumstances, you will be notified by the University of the
decision and your rights to appeal. If you are facing exclusion or
have already been reported to DIBP, please contact the LTI
Compliance team in person at La Trobe International office or via
email or phone at:E:[email protected]: +61 3 9479
3936You can read more information about La Trobe'sacademic
progressregulations.Pay tuition fees on timeIt is a requirement of
your student visa that you have sufficient funds to support
yourself and to pay for your studies in Australia. If you do not
pay your tuition fees on time, the University may cancel your
enrolment and notify DIBP. This may lead to cancellation of your
student visa. If you have trouble paying your fees, please contact
theFees and HECS [email protected]. If you need to you
can also make an appointment to see the International Student
Services Team by [email protected] by calling
03 9479 1199.You can find more information about fees for
international studentshere.Notify the University of any change of
addressIt is a student visa condition that you notify La Trobe of
your residential address in Australia within seven days of:
arriving in Australia changing your address.You can update your
contact details viaStudentOnLine. All correspondence affecting your
COE will be sent to the current address on file. DIBP also contacts
the University to find out your current address. If you do not
update your address, your visa could be affected without you
knowing.Maintaining visa length Overseas Student Health Cover
(OSHC)You need to ensure that your OSHC is valid throughout your
studies in Australia. If you need to renew your coverage and your
health provider is with OSHC Allianz, you can do this by making a
payment directly toOSHC by Allianz Global Assistance.OSHC Allianz
representatives are available on campus at La Trobe International
on Monday, Tuesday and Friday between 10am-5pm for advice, new
policies and policy renewals/extensions.Leave of absenceTo apply
for a 'Leave of absence', you must show 'compassionate or
compelling' circumstances exist or that prerequisite subjects are
not offered in the semester or term you're intermitting. You will
need to complete the 'Leave of absence Application' form and
provide documentary evidence to support this. Your leave will need
to be approved by the La Trobe International Compliance team and
then approved by the College.If you do not have evidence of
compassionate or compelling circumstances you may be required to
discontinue your studies and re-apply when you are ready to return
to enrol/study. However, if your Leave of absence is approved, and
your student visa is still valid, youmaybe permitted to remain in
Australia during this time. We strongly advise you contact
Immigration to seek visa advice on 131 881.Please note:if you take
leave of absence, you are encouraged to depart Australia within 28
days of the effective date of a deferral and return no sooner than
28 days before your new scheduled course commencement date.If you
needed to travel offshore (such as to visit a sick family member
etc), you need to depart Australia within the 28 days of the start
date of your leave, or your visa may be cancelled. To seek further
advice on your visa options, please contact Immigration on
131881.If you are unable to travel (e.g. due to medical reasons),
you may be able to remain onshore in Australia during the Leave of
Absence period. It is important that you continue to hold a valid
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) during this time. If you have Leave
of Absence, but you do not have a valid CoE, your visa may be
cancelled.If you are away for more than six months, your visa may
be cancelled. Please contact DIBP for information about your visa
before submitting a leave of absence application. For more
information please refer to ourwebsite.Online and distance
educationInternational students can enrol in online/distance
education subjects when such subjects are offered as part of
CRICOS-registered programs. However, there are limitations: Online
and distance courses can only make up 25 per cent of your total
program In each compulsory semester, you must be enrolled in at
least one subject delivered face-to-face.In a non-compulsory
semester (i.e. summer/winter school), you may enrol full-time in
online/distance education subjects, but they will still be counted
towards your 25 per cent limit of your course.Course
transferInternational students may be eligible to change courses
within La Trobe University. To apply for a change of course please
complete and submit the Application for Course Transfer Form.
Changing courses may have visa implications and you need to discuss
it with La Trobe International Compliance at the time of change.
For further information please read ourenrolment
information.Discontinuation of enrolmentIf you have decided to
withdraw from your course, you need to complete and submit the
Discontinuation of Enrolment Form for approval to La Trobe
International Compliance and then to your College, along with your
student ID card. For further information, please read ourenrolment
information.Applying for a Release LetterIf you want to change
universities within the first six months of your course (per the
date on your CoE) and you want to continue studying in Australia,
you will need to apply for a Letter of Release from La Trobe
International. If you can demonstrate to the satisfaction of La
Trobe University that the transfer to another provider is in your
best interests, a Release Letter will be granted. For further
details on how to apply please read more onwithdrawal.Early
completionsIf you have fast-tracked your course and completed a
month or more earlier than scheduled, your student visa will be
valid for 28 days after your final results are released.Make sure
you know the date your student visa expires. You must apply for a
new visa before your current visa expires. If you are unsure please
don't hesitate to contact the La Trobe International Compliance
team via email [email protected] in person at the La
Trobe International office.Please note: if you have condition 8534
or 8535 'No Further Stay' on your student visa, you willnotbe able
to remain in Australia after that visa expires, except in very
limited circumstances. Contact DIBP for more information on 131
881.FAQsTo re-apply for a student visa, please read the information
on ourApplying for a student visa page
