Your questions from Global Agent Week answered
1. Are you reading the GS attachment in the documents sections or just the 1000 characters in the visa application?
- All documents provided with a visa application are considered by the Decision Maker.
- The Department’s preference is for applicants to respond to the questions in the application form rather than provide a separate statement.
- Questions in the application form guide applicants to address the GS requirement. The questions ask the applicant to: - Give details of the applicant’s current circumstances, including ties to family, community, employment and economic circumstances.
- Explain why the applicant wishes to study this course in Australia with this particular education provider including their understanding of the requirements of the intended course and studying and living in Australia.
- Explain how completing the course will be of benefit to the applicant.
- Give details of any other relevant information the applicant would like to include. - All responses should be in English.
- There is a text box limit of 150 words per question.
- Applicants should refer to the associated help text in the application and the Department’s web pages Genuine Student requirement for further guidance.
2. How often does the department update providers’ priority status and when is it published on the website?
- The Department of Home Affairs processes Student visa applications in line with government priorities such as those outlined in Ministerial Directions. Currently, all newly lodged offshore student visa applications are processed and receive priority levels in accordance with Ministerial Direction 115.
- The International Education Providers – Progress Against Indicative Allocations report is updated weekly on the Department of Education (DoE) website and provides detail about higher education and dual sector provider progress towards their indicative allocations under the National Planning Level (NPL).
- Visa applicants should note the status of their provider against this report on the date that they lodge their visa application as this determines the priority of their visa application.
- Visit the Student visa processing priorities page on the Department of Home Affairs website which provides detailed information on the visa processing priorities and links to the DoE Visa Prioritisation Status page.
3. For students from Assessment Level 2 countries who apply to a Level 1 university, the DHA Document Checklist Tool does not show any English proficiency requirement. However, many students are still being asked to provide IELTS or PTE, even in cases where the university has granted an English exemption (e.g. students who completed A-Level, IB or other qualifications with sufficient English results).
- Evidence Levels (EL) determine the English language proficiency and financial capacity evidentiary requirements that a student visa applicant needs to provide at lodgement, they do not exempt the visa applicant from these requirements.
- The combined EL of an education provider and country determines whether an application is subject to streamlined or regular evidentiary requirements.
- Under Student visa regulations the Department can request evidence of English language skill and/or financial capacity after the application has been submitted and at any time while processing the application, even though the Document Checklist tool shows that evidence did not need to be provided at the time the application was submitted.
- Education providers and agents should already be verifying these requirements with prospective students and therefore applicants and agents should be prepared to provide this evidence at any time if requested.
4. So, are IELTS and PTE compulsory for visa applications?
- The Department strongly recommends Education Providers (EPs) and agents verify all supporting documents, particularly English, financial and identity documents before Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) issuance.
- EPs and agents must ensure that all students meet the English language and financial requirements, regardless of the Evidence Level (EL) of the application.
- The Department conducts regular sampling activities of streamlined caseloads, requesting additional evidence for visa applications to ensure claims are genuine.
- Under the EL framework within the Simplified Student Visa Framework, where streamlined evidence requirements apply, a Student visa applicant will not usually need to provide evidence of their English proficiency at the time of application on the basis that the EP has checked the relevant evidence.
- However, Student visa regulations allow the Department to request evidence of English language skill and/or financial capacity after the application has been submitted and at any time while processing the application, even if not required at the time of application. This must be communicated to students.
- EPs and agents should already be verifying these requirements with prospective students and therefore applicants and agents should be prepared to provide this evidence at any time if requested.
- Important: For visa purposes, the applicants must meet the Department of Home Affairs English language requirements regardless of what the requirements are for entry to the University course. For more information, refer to Subclass 500 Student visa.
5. If a student is applying from a Level 1 country to a Level 1 university, are they still required to submit financial and English requirement documents?
- Yes, the Department strongly encourages Education Providers, agents and applicants to include as much information as possible with their application.
- Providing comprehensive documentation upfront—often referred to as "front-end loading" the application—is highly beneficial. Applications that are front-end loaded typically result in quicker overall processing times because Decision Makers have all necessary information immediately available. This allows Decision Makers to form a complete understanding of the applicant's circumstances, particularly when assessing the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
6. If the student starts University in 2027, why is the prioritisation for 2026?
- Under MD115, the prioritisation of the visa application is determined by the education provider of the main CoE and their progress towards their indicative allocation for the calendar year in which the application is lodged; except between 15 November and 31 December every year when applications are prioritised using the main provider’s progress towards their indicative allocation for the following calendar year.
- For more information, refer to Student visa processing priorities.
7. Is there anywhere we can locate the level of the institution and the level of each country?
The Department does not comment on or publish the Evidence Level of institutions or countries.
8. What evidence should students submit for future career aspects?
- When assessing the value of the course to the applicant’s future the Department will consider:
- if the course is consistent with their current level of education and if the course will assist them to obtain employment or improve employment prospect in their home country or another country.
- if the course is relevant to past or proposed future employment in their home country or another country.
- expected salary and other benefits in their home country or another country obtained with the applicant’s qualifications from the proposed course of study. - Applicants should attach evidence that is unique to their situation and supports their stated claims.
- Please refer to the following page on the Department of Home Affairs website for guidance on how to address the Genuine Student requirements.
9. If providers get more than 50% of their enrolments through onshore transfers, the government should seriously consider this and put more correction measures in place.
- Thank you for the feedback. Across Government a number of policy and integrity measures are being considered to address emerging issues and changes in the sector.
- It is important that all Education Providers recruit genuine students who they have fully vetted and who are seeking an educational outcome with their institution.
- Providers must monitor their student outcomes, retention and attrition rates and adjust their recruitment settings to address issues.
10. May I know when students who got rejected can relodge their application?
Education Providers and agents should carefully review and analyse all visa refusal decisions to identify trends and issues and adjust settings accordingly. If Providers and agents are seeing a spike in refusals, urgent action must be taken to review and adjust.
If visa applicant intends to relodge, the Education Provider and agents must ensure that the refusal reasons are addressed in the new application. The chances of a positive outcome when the same information is provided is highly unlikely.
11. Can you elaborate on the post-graduate options, subject-wise and area wise?
Detailed information on Temporary Graduate visas is available on our website at Temporary Graduate visa - Subclass 485