Australia Announces Changes To Onshore Student Visa Applications From January 1

Now submitting the Letters of Offers while applying for a student visa in Australia is not required, instead, the applicants need to submit Confirmation of Enrolment. This new policy will be effective from January 1, 2025.

Study in Australia: The Department of Home Affairs Australia announced that from January 1, 2025, international students applying for a student visa will no longer need to submit Letters of Offer as they will not be accepted. Instead, the foreign students need to provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).

"The change will only impact applications lodged on or after 1 January 2025. Visa applications lodged before that date using only a Letter of Offer from an education provider are not affected," says the government statement.

The applications without the CoE will not be considered valid and the visa decision makers will not be able to evaluate an invalid application.

"Not providing a CoE at the time of application will make an application invalid. Visa decision makers cannot assess an invalid application. An associated Bridging visa cannot be granted where the substantive visa application is not valid," added the statement.

The government said that the new rule will increase Australia's international education sector's certainty as providing a COE with application shows a stronger student commitment to study in Australia.

Policy Towards Other Evidence Remains Unchanged

Regarding the other alternative forms of evidence of intended course of study for Defence or secondary exchange students and Foreign Affairs, the government said there is no change.

"Visa holders in Australia are responsible for ensuring they maintain a lawful status. If you are intending to study and not able to obtain a CoE before your current visa expires, you will need to either depart Australia or Explore other visa options. However, there are now restrictions to applying for a Student visa while in Australia when holding certain visas," added the government statement.

Recently, the Australian government has also replaced the MD 107 with MD 111 which is expected to slow the foreign student's visa process. It will divide the visa processing into two categories - "high priority" and "standard priority". Though the university sector is happy about replacing 107 but they are not pleased with MD 111 as well.

Read more:

• Australia’s Ministerial Direction 111 Replaces 107; Implements International Student Cap
• Australia Ministerial Direction 111: University Sector's Experts Not Pleased