Visa Introduction
The 500 visa for primary and secondary schools is a visa issued to students currently studying in primary, junior or senior high schools in China who apply to continue their primary, junior or senior high school studies in Australia.
Suitable for
Students currently studying in primary, junior high, or high schools in China; aged 6 years and above, no older than 18 years old when applying for admission to 10th grade, no older than 19 years old when applying for admission to 11th grade, and no older than 20 years old when applying for admission to 12th grade.
Requirements for applicants:
1. You must complete at least 16 months of high school in Australia, so you must apply by the third semester of Grade 11 at the latest. However, schools generally do not allow students to skip into Grade 11. Australian high schools do not allow skipping. For example, if a student has already graduated from junior high school when arriving in Australia, they cannot start Grade 11. Australian high schools do allow for reverse enrollment. For example, if a student has just finished their second year of high school in China when arriving in Australia, they can re-enroll in their second year of high school in Australia. However, the reverse enrollment period cannot exceed one and a half years (calculated based on the time they started their main course).
2. English Language Requirements: Applicants under 16 years of age are automatically exempt from the IELTS requirement. Applicants 16 years of age or older may apply for an IELTS exemption. Details of English language requirements and exemptions are below.
3. Guardianship Arrangement: Applicants under the age of 18 must arrange for a guardian in Australia. This decision about who will serve as a guardian is typically made during the school application process. Parents can choose to have the school or education bureau arrange a guardian. If parents already have a designated guardian in Australia, they must submit an application in advance and have it reviewed. Eligible guardians must be at least 21 years old and can be siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, or stepparents who have permanent residency and a clear criminal record.
4. Visa length: Generally, high school courses end in December, so the visa is generally valid until March 15 of the following year.
5. Work Permission: Students aged 18 or above are allowed to work part-time after the start of their formal course, and are allowed to work up to 40 hours per two weeks during the course period. If you were under 18 when you initially obtained your student visa, you will need to apply for a work permit after you turn 18 to work.
Instructions for 485-PSW:
Apply for and obtain your first Australian student visa after November 5, 2011;
No career assessment is required, and there is no restriction on majors;
Applicants must have a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree;
Bachelor's and Master's students can obtain a 485 visa with a validity period of 2 years, and doctoral students can obtain a 485 visa with a validity period of up to 4 years.
IELTS requirements
IELTS requirements for secondary schools
Australian high schools generally require an IELTS score of 5 to 5.5 for students entering the main high school curriculum. Given the already busy academic schedules of Chinese middle and high school students, it's difficult to find time to take the IELTS. Therefore, most Australian high schools accept students transferring from the High School Preparation Program (HSP) to the main high school curriculum. For students who do not provide IELTS or other English language test scores, the preparatory course is generally assumed to be 20 weeks long. Upon admission, the number of weeks may be reduced or increased based on individual English proficiency.
Visa IELTS requirements
Students need to provide IELTS scores or take language courses according to the school's requirements.
Other language exam requirements
More and more private schools are including AEAS test scores in their admission requirements. In addition, some schools do not require students to take any English tests and directly arrange language courses for students. However, students still need to provide proof of a junior high school English score of 75% or above and proof of high school admission or enrollment.
