How to migrate to Australia from Malaysia: Everything you need to know
Here’s everything you need to know about moving to Australia from Malaysia including cost of living, how to get a job, and more.
Figuring out the Australia student visa application process can be a tricky step in your journey to studying down under. In this guide, we’ll be talking about how you can apply for the student visa, what sort of requirements are needed, how much you’ll have to pay for the student visa fee and more.
Additionally, we’ll share more about Wise and how you’ll be able to spend and save with an account, both before and after you land in Australia.
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When you think of student visas in Australia, the primary one that most people apply for is the Subclass 500 Student Visa¹, which is a temporary visa for up to 5 years, depending on the course length.
The visa can be applied for inside or outside of Australia, but you will be required to provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for an eligible course as stated on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) website², as well as other documents to support your application. You might be required to take English language tests and prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself while studying in Australia.
It can take a bit of time for the application to be processed. A quick check performed on Australia’s Visa Processing Times guide³ showed that 50% of recent applications submitted tend to be processed within 38 days, with 90% processed within 5 months for the higher education sector.
If you are offered an Australia student visa, you will be permitted to travel in and out of Australia as desired while participating in the eligible course of study.
You will also be able to work up to 48 hours every fortnight (2 weeks) in the academic year, with unlimited hours during the summer holidays. Students who are undertaking a master's degree by research or doctoral degree have no restrictions on the number of hours they are allowed to work.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s required for the Australia student visa application, including who can apply, how - and when the application should be submitted.
The age requirements for the Subclass 500 Student Visa are quite broad, children above the age of 6 are allowed to apply for this visa, although parental responsibility documents will need to be signed and submitted and welfare arrangements will need to be in place for students under 18 years of age.
A Confirmation of Enrolment has to be submitted with the visa application and it has to be from one of the eligible courses or institutions registered on CRICOS. The applicant must also be covered by the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)⁴ by an approved Australian health insurance provider, for the entire proposed duration of the visa.
English language requirements must be met and the applicant must provide proof of having enough money for their travel costs, daily expenses and tuition. Inside the application form, there is also a set of questions to determine if the applicant is a Genuine Student⁵, and applicants will be required to give details on their current situation, why they wish to study the chosen course in Australia and more.
🤓 Check out our handy guide on Australian visa for Malaysians for more on restrictions, requirements, on other visa types to enter Australia |
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If you’re currently in Malaysia, you’ll be able to apply online. The first step of the process is to gather the necessary documents and start the application on the Australian government’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA)’s ImmiAccount website⁶.
The documents required do vary, but as a general rule of thumb, you will require at least the following documents when applying for a student visa to study in Australia:
If you’re in Australia, you will not be able to apply for a student visa in Australia if you’re a holder of a Visitor, Temporary Graduate or Maritime Crew visa. You will be required to apply from outside of Australia.
If you’re under 18, you must have appropriate welfare arrangements in place, along with consent from a parent or guardian to travel to and reside in Australia as a student under 18 years of age. A completed and signed consent form or statutory declaration must also be submitted from each parent or legal guardian along with identity documents of the persons who completed the form and the birth certificate of the applicant.
Applying for an Australian student visa is quite straightforward. You’ll have to create an account on the DHA’s ImmiAccount website, attach the documents required and pay the visa application fee which starts from 1,600 AUD.
After application, biometric information might need to be submitted, along with health examination results.
You will be able to start the application process once you obtain your CoE, and the Australian government recommends applying “well in advance of course commencement”.
The Australia student visa processing time does vary, and it can take anywhere from around 3 weeks to 5 months.
Once you’ve managed to secure your visa and you’re getting ready to head to Australia, it might be a wise move to set up a Wise account to easily pay for expenses. Large sums like school fees, rental and other expenses can be paid for using Wise to maximise savings with the mid-market rate and low, transparent fees starting from just 0.33%⁷ on conversions from MYR to AUD.
If you’re looking for a convenient, hassle-free payment method in Australia, the Wise card is a fantastic option that provides some free ATM withdrawals of up to 1,000 MYR, convenient currency conversion and even has the ability to freeze your card if anything goes wrong. The travel card is linked to your account so you can expect great rates and low fees. Simply register, order your card and receive it within 5 working days.
Moving to Australia for studies is a big decision with lots of logistical matters to attend to before settling down. Consider using Wise to make that transition a little more seamless and convenient.
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Here’s everything you need to know about moving to Australia from Malaysia including cost of living, how to get a job, and more.
Malaysians can move to Australia and work there legally by obtaining the correct visas and permits. Read more about how to work in Malaysia.