Your pre-visa application will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

(i) Evidence of Enrolment

One of the important requirements for a student visa application is that you must be accepted for enrolment, to undertake a course, by a Government registered Australian education institution. This is verified by the advice of acceptance from the Australian institution (commonly known as Letter of Offer), which is issued to a student who has been offered enrolment in a full-time course. You should not pay any part of the course tuition fee prior to the outcome of the PVA.

(ii) Financial Ability

Sponsor/s will have to provide documentary evidence of having cash assets ( immediately encashable assets like savings and fixed deposits in banks) held for atleast 6 months prior to the pre-visa application date. For school applicants, funds need to be held for 3 months prior to the pre-visa application date.

   Who can be a Sponsor?

Sponsor/s can be the applicant, parents, grandparents, or spouse only ( relatives like brother /sister /uncle /aunt /cousin / family friend are not acceptable). School applicants have no restriction on sponsor/s.

   How much funds have to be shown?

For Masters and Doctorate Courses
Sponsors must provide evidence of cash assets for the first year tuition fee (as on the letter of offer) and living expenses (assumed at A$ 12000 p.a.) and access to additional funds (from acceptable sources) to meet the cost of the remainder of study and stay in Australia.

Commercial loans from Banks and government loans are acceptable.

In case the applicant holds a partial scholarship from an Australian institution or an institution in India ( eg. Educational Trusts), funds to cover the remaining costs must be provided as prescribed above.

Private corporate sponsorship is acceptable subject to certain conditions. However if the company is a family owned business and if one/both parents are directors/partners, it is treated as a parent sponsor.

  Students with Dependants (Spouse/Children)
Costs could be expected to increase by atleast 35% if the student has a spouse, a further 20% (plus A$ 8000 p.a. for school fees if the child is 5 years or older) if the student has one child, a further 15% for each additional child plus school fees. The above amounts apply irrespective of whether they will accompany the applicant. Individual return travel costs need to be taken at A $ 1500 approx.

For Vocational Education and Training (VET), TAFE, Higher Education and School courses
Sponsors must provide evidence of cash assets covering tuition fee and living expenses of the entire duration of the proposed and pre-requisite course (including foundation/ELICOS/Bridging program that precedes the main course).

(iii) English Proficiency

All students have to demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency, measured by an IELTS overall band score of atleast 6.0, except those enrolling for a Diploma course (VET) in which case 5.5 is acceptable. Please note that TOEFL score is not acceptable and IELTS is compulsory even if the student has studied in English medium institutions throughout his/her academic career.

(iv) Potential to breach visa conditions

This is an assessment of an individual's current circumstances done by the visa officer by reviewing for example, the situation in your home country - your personal and financial commitments that may prompt you to return to your home country.

(v) Other Relevant Matters

These include:

• Immigration links with Australia

• Usefulness of course for career development

• Satisfactory completion of year 12 / relevant undergraduate degree or equivalent.

• Strong links have to be established between past academic/work background and study goals.

• Guardianship arrangements (if applicant is under 18 at the time of PVA application)