Coming to Australia
La Trobe University welcomes students from all over the world. We are very confident that you will enjoy studying and living in Australia. In order to commence your course at La Trobe University in Australia, you must apply for a student visa that will allow you to travel to Australia. There is some important information on student visas that you need to know before coming to study in Australia.
Student visas
It is your responsibility to ensure you obtain a valid passport and student visa before you enter Australia for study purposes. Visa assessment levels are determined by country of citizenship and course type. Onlystudents subject to Assessment Level 1 may apply for their initial student visa while they are in Australia. Other students from countries with Visa Assessment Levels 2-5 must obtain a student visa before travelling to Australia.
Please note that as a condition of a student visa you are required to complete your course in the minimum time, as stated on your eCOE, unless there are compelling and compassionate circumstances, you have taken an official Leave of Absence (intermitted) your course, or you have an Agreed Course Plan in place. As such, the University requires you to be enrolled in a full-time load, unless:
- there are 'compelling or compassionate circumstances'
- you have received Advanced Standing (credit) that affects your load during a relevant progression period
- you have problems with academic progress and have an academic intervention plan, or condition on your enrolment, imposed by the University, or
- you undertake subjects at times other than Semester 1 or 2, which count towards your course credits, e.g. during Summer School.
Please contact your nearest Australian Diplomatic Mission (Embassy, High Commission or Consulate General) for more information: www.immi.gov.au. Assistance with visa applications is also available from La Trobe University’s representatives: www.latrobe.edu.au/international/agents
Please note the University is unable to provide advice concerning immigration matters.
Health insurance (Overseas Student Health Cover)
All international students must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) before they are granted a student visa. OSHC provides medical and hospital cover for international students and their dependants while in Australia. La Trobe University currently has an agreement with OSHC by Allianz Global Assistance, a private health fund, for the provision of OSHC. La Trobe University’s policy is that students purchase health cover for the duration of their student visa. This one-off payment saves students needing to renew their OSHC each year and avoids any price increases during that period.
OSHC rates for 2012 (these rates are subjects to change without notice and may increase in 2013):
| Length of Stay | Single* | Dual family+ | Multi-family# |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 months | A$218 | A$495 | A$644 |
| 1 year | A$435 | A$990 | A$1287 |
| 2 years | A$870 | A$2200 | A$2860 |
| 3 years | A$344 | A$3290 | A$4277 |
* Single covers only the valid student visa holder.
+ Dual family covers only one valid student visa holder plus either one adult spouse or recognised de facto partner or one or more dependent children
# Multi family covers one valid student visa holder plus more than one dependant. This may include only one adult spouse or recognised de facto partner and one or more dependent children.
Please note commencing students not using OSHC Worldcare must make payment arrangements with their provider directly and must provide proof of their visa duration OSHC to La Trobe International and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) before their eCOE is released and their student visa is issued. A list of OSHC providers is available from the Department of Health and Ageing.
OSHC is not required for Belgian, Norwegian and some Swedish students. For more details see the Department of Health and Ageing website.
Employment
International students can work a maximum of 20 hours per week during semester, including the entire advertised exam period, and unlimited hours during official University vacations once they have commenced their course. This includes any employment, volunteer work or work placement. The exception to this is where a placement or internship is a registered part of your course, which does not count towards the 20 hours per week limit. From April 2008 all student visas are granted with work rights.
Please note in some university courses, study demands allow little free time for employment. Part-time work and vacation work are not always available and students should not depend on this form of income to cover living expenses or tuition fees.
Students under 18 years of age
Students under the age of 18 must have their parents (or legal custodian) nominate a guardian who resides in Australia prior to DIAC considering their student visa application. Parents must lodge the Nomination of a Student Guardian form (157N) available via the Embassy in their home country, or at: www.immi.gov.au/allforms/application-forms
DIAC requires this guardian to be over 21 years old, an eligible relative and of good character. If a student under 18 does not have an eligible relative in Australia they will normally be required to defer enrolment until after they turn 18 years of age. An exception is where a student has enrolled in a course at the La Trobe Melbourne prior to articulating to a La Trobe University Bachelor’s program. In exceptional circumstances, the University may permit direct entry into a Bachelor’s program. In such cases, the student will need to be supported by the services of a La Trobe Melbourne-approved care provider agency, before the University will issue an eCOE and the Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation/Welfare (CAAW) form: www.latrobemelbourne.edu.au/students/under-18
Students with school-aged children
If you have school-aged dependants accompanying you to Australia, it is a visa requirement that you enrol them in primary or secondary school and pay school fees. Exceptions to this are if you are the recipient of an Australian government scholarship (that covers your tuition fees), or the holder of a Subclass 574, Postgraduate Research Visa. Then you are exempt from paying school fees at a Government School: www.study.vic.gov.au/Intstu
Important note
If you are in Assessment Level 3 or 4 you may be required by DIAC to provide a minimum IELTS score (or its equivalent) as part of the student visa application process. To determine your assessment level see: www.immi.gov.au/students/student-visa-assessment-levels.htm
More visa information is available from the DIAC website: www.immi.gov.au
Information about leaving home, arriving in Australia, visas and accommodation is also available at www.latrobe.edu.au/international/predeparture/visa