You can apply for a student visa in person at the Australian Consulate or Embassy in Vietnam or by mail. The visa application process does not include a personal interview.

Requirements

To obtain a visa to study in Australia, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Be of good character and health (a health check may be required)

• Have health insurance through the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

• Have no unpaid debts to the Commonwealth of Australia

• If under 18 years of age, have acceptable arrangements for accommodation, support and general welfare

• Be accepted in a registered Australian course

• Demonstrate that you are able to cover the cost of air fares, tuition and living costs for the duration of your stay in Australia (you will need at least AUD$12,000 a year for living costs)

• Demonstrate your English language proficiency by achieving the IELTS scores required for the type of course you will take. Score requirements can be found o­n the Study in Australia Website at: http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/EntryRequirements.htm.

In addition, visa officials will consider:

• Your home country situation - personal or financial commitments that may cause you to return to your home country

Your academic record and history in the context of the course you intend to study

Your immigration history - previous compliance with immigration laws and whether you have previously applied for entry in Australia.

Whether your proposed course of study is what you might reasonably have chosen given your circumstances and whether it is consistent with your current level of education.

Application steps

A preliminary assessment by the visa processing office will determine whether you are eligible for a student visa. For this assessment, you will need to provide an acceptance letter from the Australian institution where you will study. The letter should indicate your proposed entry level, name of course, proposed start and end dates and the full tuition fees for the course.

If the assessment is favorable, the visa processing office will send you a letter to give to the Australian institution where you will study authorizing them to issue you Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE), which is the o­nly accepted evidence of enrolment for processing student visa applications. Generally the visa processing office will require payment of at least o­ne semester of course fees before issuing this confirmation.  

Once you have the eCoE, your visa application can be processed. You will be required to submit a completed application form that includes academic and financial data and copies of documents. At this point you will also be advised to pay the health insurance premium and possibly undergo a medical check. The student visa will be granted when the eCoE and all other requirements are satisfied.

For more detailed information about how to apply for a visa and to download application forms and checklists, you can visit the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship website, http://www.immi.gov.au/students/index.htm .

Further information o­n how and where to apply is available o­n the Australian Embassy website, http://www.vietnam.embassy.gov.au/ . For contact information for the Australian Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City visit

http://www.dfat.gov.au/missions/countries/vnho.html .

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) insurance was introduced by the Australian government to ensure that international students have access to affordable medical attention while studying in Australia.  You must have OSHC in order to get a student visa for Australia.

OSHC provides coverage for general public medical services that are available to all Australians, as well as access to some private hospitals, ambulance servive and pharmaceutical benefits. A full list of what is and is not covered is available from the OSHC provider. The Australian Consulate or Embassy or the institution where you will study can provide you with information about government-approved OSHC providers.  The cost for OSHC insurance in 2007 is approximately 230 to 270 USD a year.