Selected Australian private colleges and TAFEs will benefit from the student visa fast-tracked processing arrangements already enjoyed by universities, under immigration reforms signed off, The Australian reported on 13 April.
During a meeting in Canberra, the Council of Australian Governments agreed to speed up the ‘implementation of the revised framework for low immigration risk providers so that they [private colleges] are able to have access to streamlined student visa assessments in the second half of 2012.’
Under the proposed scheme all overseas students applying for visas will be deemed low-risk – or from ‘level 1 risk assessment’ countries. It is expected that waiting time for visas and the financial requirements for “high-risk” IE markets such as China (level 3) and India (level 4) will be lowered.
Last year, the government announced a series of immigration reforms based on the Knight Review, which seek to strengthen the Australian economy and education system by making easy the visa application process and post-study work options for overseas students.
Visit the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship for more information.
Top image: Adelaide, Australia
Why study in Australia?
Australia is one of the leading destinations for students who are looking to study abroad and the number of international students increases. There are many factors that contribute to the popularity of Australia as a study abroad destination, with the low cost of living and tuition fees and excellent lifestyle and weather being important contributors.
Photo: Queensland Australia
Major cities include Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart and the country’s capital, Canberra. The population of the country is small, at approximately 21 million, and is mostly found along the eastern and south-eastern coasts of the country, while the interior is flat, barren and sparsely populated.
An outdoor lifestyle and love of sports punctuates Australian life. With more than 80 per cent of Australians living within 50 kilometres of the coast, urban and secluded beaches are popular for leisure and holiday activities. The most popular watched sport in Australia is Australian Rules football, with rugby, cricket, tennis, swimming, and of course surfing and yachting all popular participant and spectator sports.
Related content
Check how Australian universities have performed in our University Rankings page.
Chat with Couru
