If you are a student in Australia, and your studies have been interrupted due to COVID-19, you don’t need to worry. The Australian immigration department made the decision to renew the Student Visa free of charge to all those who can demonstrate that the Coronavirus pandemic interrupted their studies, and therefore, have not been able to complete their course within the validity of the visa.
You can only be eligible for a new student visa for free if you meet the following requirements:
• Have had a valid student visa on or after February 1, 2020;
• Make an online visa application after 05 August 2020;
• The student was unable to finish their studies within the validity period of the original visa due to COVID-19; and
• The student includes a Form 1545 COVID-19 Impacted Student (PDF – 228 KB) signed by their school when applying.
Pay attention to the next steps you must take to renew your Student Visa for free:
1- Request a new COE from your Educational Institution:
You must contact your school/university directly and request a new COE from them. It should have the updated new dates that indicate when you can finish your course.
What is the COE? The Confirmation of Enrolment is the paper you received at the beginning of your life as a student in Australia. It is a document that can only be issued by the Institution in which you study and represents a key document to renew and request a student visa in Australia.
2- Complete the Form 1545:
In this form, you must provide your personal data and the data of your educational institution with your new end date of the course, which is determined in your new COE.
Finally, this document must be signed by a representative of your institution. You can enter here to access and download the form.
3- Apply for the Student Visa:
Once you have your new COE and the form ready, you can go to the immigration webpage and apply for your new Student Visa (Student Visa 500). In this application, you will attach the aforementioned documents and the same page will guide you to provide your personal information and finish the process.
Do you have any questions about this particular renovation? We recommend you enter here for more information. You can renew your student visa on your own, or you can contact your educational agent for help. If you are one of our students at Puravida Study, contact us today at info@puravidastudy.com.au to help you with this application.
Do you want to learn more about the student visa in Australia? Read this article with everything you need to know about being an international student in Australia, or this article if you want to know what the basic steps are to emigrate to Australia.
See you in Australia mate! 🙂
Josefina
An Argentina passionate about travelling, cooking, interested in sustainability and always learning new things. After having travelled and lived in Australia, she is now studying a master's degree in Sydney and sharing her experience with all those who want to come!