What should Vietnamese students do when Australia tightens student visas?

Students and their families need to prepare early in terms of finances, academic performance and English ability if they want to study in Australia, after this country tightened visa requirements.

Australia has implemented new visa regulations for international students since March 23, in an effort to curb immigration. Here are 5 things Vietnamese students should know, according to admissions experts:

Improve English skills

Australia will increase English requirements for international students. Previously, if you wanted to study English in Australia, you only needed to take a test, but from today, you must have an IELTS certificate of 5.0.

To study at college or university preparatory school, the requirement is IELTS 5.5, instead of 4.5 as before. At university and postgraduate level, international students need to achieve IELTS 6.0 and 6.5, both increased by 0.5 points compared to before.

“Students need to practice and improve their English skills as early as possible and strive to achieve high results in exams,” noted Andy Pham, senior manager of the Mekong region at the Australian National University.

Demonstrate serious purpose of studying abroad

Students need to prepare early to have good academic performance. This not only helps candidates get into the desired school but also shows their true purpose of studying abroad.

In addition, international students will have to take a new test called The Genuine Student Test (GST), which replaces the Temporary Entrant (GTE) report.

Ms. Lu Thi Hong Nham, Director of Duc Anh Study Abroad Consulting Company, assessed that the nature and content of the two tests are not much different. The questions are still mainly about the student's circumstances (family relationships, education, economic situation); reasons for choosing to study in Australia, school, course... Those who have studied in Australia should state their academic history here. If you are holding another type of visa and are applying for a student visa, you need to state the reason.

"The Australian government's goal is for every applicant to understand what it means to be a genuine international student, and to understand their rights and responsibilities," said Ms. Nham.

Student at the University of Sydney, Australia. Photo: University of Sydney Fanpage — Student at the University of Sydney, Australia. Photo: *University of Sydney Fanpage*

Clear Personal Statement

Mr. Andy considers this essay important, it does not need to be too long but the candidate must clearly state and include enough elements to prove the serious intention to study abroad. According to him, students should learn about the school, clearly express their goals as well as evaluate the benefits that the courses bring.

"Through what you write, the Immigration Department will understand more clearly about your orientation," he said.

Find a reputable school

Mr. Nguyen Nhut Hung, Admissions Manager in Vietnam at the University of Technology Sydney, said that in the new immigration policy, the authorities said they would prioritize visa processing for international students from prestigious educational institutions. Therefore, learning about the school is very important, partly deciding the success of the visa application.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs does not provide a specific list, students can ask for experience from predecessors or seek advice from reputable experts.

According to The Age , the list is divided into three groups. International students studying at Tier 1 schools will be given priority. Tier 2 and 3 schools will have slower visa processing times and require additional evidence. The list is expected to be updated in March or April:

Group	Higher education institution
1	Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Catholic, Macquarie, Western Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney, Sydney Technology, Bond, Griffith, Queensland Technology, Queensland, South Australia, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide, Deakin, Monash, RMIT, Swinburne Technology, Melbourne, Curtin, Murdoch, Notre Dame Australia, Western Australia WA
2	Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross, Wollongong, New England, Newcastle, Charles Darwin, Central Queensland, James Cook, Southern Queensland, Flinders, Torrens, Tasmania, Latrobe, Victoria, Edith Cowan
3	Federation University Australia

Financial preparation

Students and their families need to find out about the necessary expenses when studying abroad in Australia. In addition to the tuition fees published on the school's website, international students need to cover many other expenses such as food, accommodation, insurance, etc. When applying for a visa, they must also prove that they have a savings account of at least AUD 24,500 (nearly VND 400 million).

According to experts, the demand for studying in Australia is currently high. Statistics from the Australian Department of Home Affairs show that the number of student visa applications for the 2022-2023 academic year increased by more than 30% compared to the pre-Covid-19 period. This academic year, the number increased by another 70%.

"This certainly puts a lot of pressure on the visa processing system. Therefore, preparing complete and clear documents is an advantage," Mr. Hung said.

As of As of October 2023, there were more than 31,600 Vietnamese students studying in Australia, ranking 6th in the number of international students here. This number includes high school, university, college, vocational and English language students.

Dawn

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