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Current students
Student visas
While you're studying at the University, you need to be aware of your student visa requirements. Variations to your enrolment may affect your visa.
Potential delays in visa processing
Some international students may be experiencing delays in visa processing. Student visas are processed and assessed by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the University is unable to assist with processing times or outcomes. For more information we recommend that you check the guide to processing times on the DHA's website. Please check your email, as we will contact you with advice and options if you don't have your visa outcome in time.
All students at the University, including international students, need to understand their responsibilities and follow the Student Charter. This is a condition of your enrolment at the University.
As an international student, you also have to meet your visa conditions.
Enrolment
Generally, international students should secure a visa before enrolling at the University. International students enrolled at the University are not permitted to remain enrolled unless they have a valid visa with study rights for the full duration of a course. Students should have their visa and arrive in time to commence classes from the start of semester.
Visa delays
If you experience delays receiving your visa, you generally have until the last day to add a unit (the end of Week 2) to receive your visa and arrive to commence in-person classes. If you anticipate a delay or don’t receive your visa until after this date, there are a number of options available to you:
For fully enrolled students
If you’ve already enrolled and you intend to keep studying, you can request to suspend your studies until the next available semester.
To support your suspension request, upload evidence of your visa application lodgment and a Student Declaration Form to explain the reason for the delay.
Once your request is processed your existing eCoE will be cancelled and a new eCoE will be issued. You’ll need to resubmit your new eCoE to the DHA via your IMMI VEVO portal.
For students who have not yet enrolled
You can request to defer the start date of your current course offer to the next available semester.
Once your request is processed, and if approved, your existing eCoE will be cancelled and you will receive a new offer letter. When you are ready, you can accept your new offer to receive an updated eCoE.
For fully enrolled students considering withdrawal
You can discontinue your course to end your current enrolment and remove you from any units of study you are enrolled in. Depending on the timing of your decision to discontinue, there may be financial and academic penalties. Please take the time to familiarise yourself with this information before proceeding with this option.
You will need to immediately withdraw your visa application as your eCoE will be cancelled. If you don't the DHA will continue to process your application, but you will be ineligible to receive a student visa as you have discontinued. A negative visa outcome would have to be declared for any subsequent visa application.
Refunds
If you suspend or defer your studies before the official semester start date, you may transfer 100% of your tuition fee deposit to a future intake. If you suspend or defer your studies after the semester start date and wish to withdraw your funds, a 50% withdrawal fee will be applied unless you can provide evidence that your visa outcome was delayed and you have withdrawn your visa application.
If you decide to discontinue your studies entirely before the census date, you will be eligible for a 100% refund due to the special circumstances surrounding delays with visa processing by the DHA (make sure you state visa delays in your request to discontinue your course). You may transfer 100% of your tuition fee deposit to a future intake.
Please note that if you defer or suspend to the next available intake and then later decide to withdraw, the standard refund policy may apply to you. For questions related to the refund policy please contact international.fees@sydney.edu.au
Additional information
If your visa has not been issued by the census date and you have not suspended, deferred or discontinued your course, we will need to suspend your enrolment. This is in line with Clause 71(6) of the University’s Coursework Policy 2021 and applies even if you have been approved by your faculty to arrive late, study remotely or onshore.
We highly recommend that you do not apply for a tourist visa to travel to Australia in the first instance if your intended purpose for travel is to study. The Department of Home Affairs have stated that this is not a viable pathway for students and could be seen as evidence of bypassing the offshore visa processing and viewed negatively in a genuine student assessment. For more information we recommend that you check the guide to processing times on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Please note, if you hold a bridging visa or a visa with study rights other than a student visa, you must provide a copy of that visa to the University by emailing studentvisa.update@sydney.edu.au to prevent any changes to your enrolment.
Student visa conditions
There are strict conditions attached to Australian student visas. Find out more information about student visa conditions on the Department of Home Affairs website. If you don’t comply with these conditions, you may not be able to stay in the country.
You can find more information on:
- maintaining satisfactory academic progress during your studies
- working while on your visa
- Overseas Student Health Cover.
You need to update your local address in Australia within seven days of arrival or within seven days of changing your address.
Please note if you have the following Conditions attached to your student visa, you must not change the course of study, thesis or research topic without approval from the Minister of the Department of Home Affairs:
- 8203 – Limited study change
- 8204 – Study limitations
You can check your Student Visa status and Conditions via Check visa conditions online (VEVO).
Study load
It is a requirement of your student visa that you are enrolled in a full-time study load, where the majority of your units are completed during the standard semesters.
During Teaching Period 1 you need to be enrolled in:
- a minimum of 24 credit points in units from January to June
- at least 18 credit points in Semester 1 session units, or units in sessions other than Intensive January, Intensive January - February or Intensive May - June.
During Teaching Period 2 you need to be enrolled in:
- a minimum of 24 credit points in units from July to December
- at least 18 credit points in Semester 2 session units, or units in sessions other than Intensive June - July or Intensive November - December.
The following are examples of a study load that meets these requirements:
- enrolling in 24 credit points during Semester 1
- enrolling in 18 credit points during Semester 1, and 6 credit points in Intensive May - June
- enrolling in 6 credit points in Intensive February - March, 6 credit points in Intensive March - April, 6 credit points in Intensive April - May and 6 credit points in Intensive May - June.
You need to have an active eCoE and visa that covers any period that you're studying in. This means you can’t select units held in an intensive session before the commencement date outlined on your offer letter. If you were approved for a suspension in your first semester of study, you can't select units held in an intensive session before the start date of the standard semester.
Any changes that you make to your enrolment, including suspending your studies or reducing your study load can impact on your student visa.
Online/distance learning
Your student visa places restrictions around how many online or distance units of study you can undertake. A maximum of one third of your total course can be done by distance and/or online learning. In other words, 67 percent or more of your studies needs to be completed in class via face-to-face learning.
If online or distance learning is offered, you must study at least one unit that is face-to-face in each study period. The only exception is if you are completing the last unit of your course that is only available online.
If you are a recipient of United States Federal Student Aid, you can't engage in any study that uses online learning e.g. a class taught via Zoom and remain eligible for federal student aid.
Extend your stay
If your student visa is going to expire soon, you'll need to request for an extension of your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) in order to apply for a new visa. An eCoE extension can only be issued if compassionate or compelling circumstances impacted your study. It's important to be aware of your visa's expiry date so that you can request the eCoE extension before your visa expires. To apply for eCoE, please submit the request via Sydney Student (go to 'My studies', then 'Course details').
For information on applying for a new visa, visit the Department of Home Affairs website. Please remember to check and contact your health insurance provider to extend your Overseas Student Health Cover.
Applying for a further student visa application (Subclass 500) due to COVID-19 – Form 1545
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) may consider waiving your visa application fee if you are extending your student visa. If you held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020 and need to lodge a further student visa application (Subclass 500) and your extension is a consequence of COVID-19 conditions, DHA may waive your visa application fee. Information regarding eligibility is available from the Department of Home Affairs website.
How to obtain Form 1545 from The University of Sydney:
- eCoE requests that are eligible for 1545 will receive one, however, if you require a 1545 form but have a valid eCoE for the duration of your course, you need to email student.compliance@sydney.edu.au and quote your SID.
- Be aware the University can only provide you with Form 1545 if your approved Suspension or Reduced Study Load application was due to the impacts of COVID-19, and your eCoE end date is within 3 months of your current visa expiry date.
Staying for graduation
If you want to stay in Australia to attend your graduation, you will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs about alternative visa options.
When you apply for your alternative visa, we recommend you provide your completion letter as supporting evidence. In the weeks after the release of your final results, your completion letter will be available for you to download in Sydney Student (go to 'My studies', then 'Assessments').
Postgraduate research thesis submission
If you have submitted your thesis but still hold a valid student visa, you can stay in Australia while your thesis is under examination, as you are still considered a student.
If your student visa is going to expire and you need to remain in Australia for your thesis marking, you will have to apply for a new student visa. Your application needs to include a letter from your HDRAC team saying that you are required to remain in Australia for thesis marking, with an expected timeframe (no more than six months).
Change of visa status
If your visa type or country of citizenship changed, please update your details as soon as possible in Sydney Student and provide supporting documentation (go to 'My details', then 'Address & residency'). Find out more about changing your visa status.
Help and support
If you have any questions about your student visa conditions, contact our compliance officers by sending an email to student.compliance@sydney.edu.au or visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
Last updated: 13 March 2025
