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Key Points
- Starting 1 January 2025, onshore student visa applicants will be required to provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) when submitting their student visa applications, unless exempt.
- The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that as of 23 December 2024, there were 532,378 student visa holders in Australia.
- A Melbourne-based international student shared her frustration, noting that while obtaining a CoE from her university is not challenging, the constant stream of new changes feels overwhelming.
“I still have one last unit to finish, but my student visa expires at the end of this month. That means I must reapply for a new visa and submit all the paperwork, including the CoE. It’s a daunting task with all the changes,” she said.
Disha Joshina, 21, is an international student in Melbourne. Credit: Supplied by Disha Joshina
“While securing a CoE from my university isn’t difficult, I’m just frustrated with the constant new changes being announced.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that as of 23 December 2024, there were 532,378 student visa holders in Australia.
Mandatory requirement for onshore students
“A letter of offer issued by the education provider will no longer be accepted as evidence of intended course of study,” the spokesperson said.
Onshore Australian student visa applicants are now required to include a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) at the time of application. Credit: teekid/Getty Images
The latest change will only impact applications lodged on or after 1 January, 2025.
An associated bridging visa cannot be granted where the substantive visa application is not valid.
The Department of Home Affairs is tightening prerequisites for student visa applications. Credit: JAMES ROSS/AAPIMAGE
“Providing a CoE at the time of visa application demonstrates a stronger commitment by the student to study at that institution. This will increase certainty for Australia’s international education sector,” it says.
However, there is no change to the alternative forms of evidence of the intended course of study for Foreign Affairs, Defence, or secondary exchange students.
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.
The Department of Home Affairs
“The Department of Home Affairs grants any student visa in line with, amongst other things, the enrolment timeframes detailed in the CoE with an appropriate additional period to allow for a person to depart Australia or seek a further visa,” the spokesperson added.
What is a ‘Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)’?
Migration agent Neha Singh explained that, in the past, onshore students were allowed to extend or apply for student visas with a ‘Letter of Offer’ from education providers.
[Disclaimer: This content is for general information purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisers.]
