Study Abroad in Australia
Visa Information

In order to study in Australia, you are required to have a valid Australian visa.
Please read this entire page very carefully. 

For All Students Participating in the Sydney Internship

You will need to apply for a Special Programs Visa. The visa application will be sent to you via certified mail after you have been accepted. You will need to complete and return your application along with a photocopy of your passport to Arcadia. The rest of this information does not apply to you.  

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For All Students Participating in the Contemporary Australia J-Term

In order to participate in the January Term, you will need to arrange for a Tourist Visa or an ETA Electronic Travel Authority once you are officially accepted into the program. You can apply online for either a Tourist Visa or an ETA if you have a passport, so please make sure you have a valid passport ready.

You will receive an Offer Letter from Arcadia on behalf of the University of Queensland approving your participation in the Arcadia Contemporary Australia J-Term, and then you are able to apply online for your visa. Approval for either of these visa types is usually issued within a week.  

For more information about the Tourist Visa or ETA, please visit the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website: http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/ or please contact the Program Manager staff at Arcadia immediately at 866 927 2234.

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For All Other Students Studying at an Australian Institution

If you ARE a US citizen 

You are able to apply for a student visa online. This is the easiest and most efficient way to secure your visa as most applications are approved within a week.  If your application is not approved within this time period or if you are contacted by the Australian Department of Immigration requesting additional information, please notify the Program Manager staff at Arcadia immediately at 866 927 2234.

If you are NOT a US citizen

You may need to complete a hardcopy student visa application.  Please contact Arcadia University as additional steps may need to be taken to secure your student visa.   pecifically, you may need to complete a Pre-Visa assessment process as well as undergo English language proficiency or medical examinations.  As this can be a time consuming process, be sure to contact the Program Coordination staff for further information at 866 927 2234.

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Visa Process

For those students attending an Australian institution, who are applying for a student visa, please follow this step-by-step process.

Step 1

You must possess a valid Passport.  If you do not have a passport, please begin the process of securing one immediately. If you already have a passport, please check to see that it has not expired. If it has, you will need to renew it.    

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Step 2

The following universities require the completion of an acceptance agreement in order to continue with the visa process:

• James Cook University
  
  
• University of Melbourne
  
  
• University of New South Wales
  
  
• University of Sydney
  
  
• University of Wollongong

If your program is not listed above, then you are not required to complete an acceptance agreement (please move forward to Step 3).  If your program does require an acceptance agreement, then Arcadia University will forward these forms on to you once you have confirmed your place in the program.  Once received, please complete these documents and return them to Arcadia University.  The visa process cannot continue until these forms are returned to our office. 

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Step 3

After you have accepted your place in the program, the overseas university will issue the Confirmation of Enrollment (COE) document.  Your COE is an official form issued by the university; your acceptance letter from Arcadia University is NOT your COE.  COE documents will usually be sent to you around 4 weeks prior to your departure. 

Most COE documents will be sent via email, though Arcadia University may send your COE via mail or facsimile.  Once you have received this document, please check that all of the information on the form is correct; please note that your birthday will be written day/month/year.  If there any errors on the document, please contact Arcadia University immediately, so a correct COE can be issued. 

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Step 4

If you are a US citizen and have obtained your COE, you may now apply for your student visa online.  The website to apply for an electronic student visa is www.immi.gov.au/students/index.htm.   

• At the top of the page, click on ‘Student Visa Options.’.
  
  
• From the list of Visa Options, scroll towards the bottom and click on ‘Non-Award.’
  
  
• On the next page, you will need to indicate your citizenship by selecting from the list.  (If you are not a US citizen, review Form 1219i to determine your assessment level.*)  and then click on ‘Continue to your visa.’
  
  
• It is important that you read all of the information on this page by clicking on sections 1 – 4.  After you have done so, click on section 5 ‘Applying for this visa.'
  
  
• Read the information on this page and then click on ‘How To Apply’ at the bottom of the page.
  
  
• Towards the middle of the page, click on ‘Online Applications.’
  
  
• Read the information on this page and at the bottom, click on ‘Online Applications for Students.'
  
  
• Scroll to the section titled ‘Start an application’ and under the heading ‘Applicants from outside Australia’ click on ‘New student visa.’
  
  
• On the next page, click on ‘Start your application' and next to the location ‘Outside Australia’ click on the link ‘First student visa.’
  
  
• On the next page, review the terms and conditions of the application process.  Before you can proceed, you will need to agree to these by clicking the appropriate button.
  
  
• You with then need to review the information pertaining to Australian values and click on ‘Next.'
  
  
• You are now ready to begin the online student visa application.  You will need to passport details and COE to complete the application. 
  

Other Notes:

• The current visa fee is A$540 (approximately US$405 as of July 2009).  Please note that the fee is subject to change without notice; refer to the Australian Department of Immigration website for the current fee.
  
  
• Your COE code will be located in the upper right hand corner of your COE document. 
  
  
• The Provider's Code is listed next to the name of your Australian University. 
  
  
• It is important that you enter your email address correctly on the visa application.  All correspondence, including notification that your visa has been granted, will be sent via email.
  
  
• If you are applying electronically, you do not need to submit any other documentation unless specifically directed by the Australian Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC). 
  
  
• In the event DIAC requires additional documentation to be provided, they will notify you by email.  These may include: medical examinations, chest x-rays, police reports or English language requirements.  If you are asked to submit additional documentation, notify your program manager and act promptly.  

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Step 5

After you have submitted your online visa, a receipt screen will confirm that your application has been lodged.  This screen will contain your Transaction Reference Number (TRN).  Please copy and store this number in a safe place.  You will only be able to check the status of your visa application by using your TRN.

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Step 6

Approximately two or three days after submitting your online application, you should query the status of your application to determine if your application has been approved.  You will need your date of birth, passport number and TRN to check the status of your application. 

 In order to do so:

• Visit www.immi.gov.au/students/index.htm and follow the first five points in Step 4 above.
  
  
• From here, click on ‘After You Have Lodged Your Application’ towards the bottom of the page.
  
  
• On the next page, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ‘Check the progress of your online application.’
  
  
• Enter your TRN, date of birth and passport details as prompted and click ‘Next.’
  
  
• If your status is listed as “not approved” please contact Arcadia University immediately. 
  
  
• If your status is listed as “pending”, please allow a few more days for processing.
  
  
•  If, after two weeks, your application is still listed as “pending,” please contact Arcadia University. 
  
  
• If your status is approved, please print out the web page and carry this with your passport. 

Important Visa Notes

• Most online visa applications will be approved within 72 hours; however, DIAC officially advises that you allow 21 working days to complete the visa process.
  
  
• Your student visa is issued electronically. DIAC will not issue any additional materials associated with this visa. 
  
  
• Notification that your visa has been granted will be sent to the email address you list on your visa application.  It is recommended that you save this email and print a copy of it to bring with you to Australia. 
  
  
• The issuance of a student visa is dependent on a satisfactory health clearance by the Australian Government.
  
  
• Your student visa will allow you to work 20 hours per week; however, you will need to apply for a work permit after you have arrived in Australia.  The study abroad office at your Australian university should be able to assist you with this process.
  
  
• If you plan on departing earlier than the group flight, please contact your program manager for special visa application instructions. 
  
  
• These web instructions are valid as of August 2007.  DIAC occasionally amends their website, invalidating these instructions. 

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Questions?

Please contact our office at 866-927-2234 if you have any questions.