Visa Information

To apply for an international student visa you will need a valid passport, the electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) issued by Southern Cross University and any other documentation required by the Department of Home Affairs.

If you require additional assistance, please contact the Australian embassy or consulate in your country.

Make sure you are familiar with the conditions of your visa including financial requirements (sufficient funds to cover all your education and living expenses for the duration of your studies), health insurance (Overseas Student Health Cover) and your schooling obligations if you are bringing school-aged children with you.

The Department of Home Affairs provides additional information about the rules and conditions  on your visa. These are set by Australian law and cannot be changed or disregarded to suit personal circumstances. It is important that you understand these conditions, as the Department of Home Affairs can cancel a visa if conditions are not met. If you breach any condition of your visa, the University is obliged to report it to Department of Home Affairs.

Visit the Department of Home Affairs for a full list of mandatory and discretionary student visa conditions or contact directly on T: 131 881.

We want to help you keep your student visa so make sure you are aware of some of the mandatory visa conditions.  Our staff can provide assistance and support during your studies BUT are not migration agents. We do have legal obligations to provide information to Department of Home Affairs in some circumstances, such as if you withdraw from your course of study, and/ or seek to transfer to another education provider.

You must study with Southern Cross University for six (6) months. If you have come to study English or a foundation course as a package, you must complete this course and then study at Southern Cross University for 6 months.

If you need to change to another university before this because of exceptional circumstances, you will need to see an International Student Adviser and request a Release Letter. You also need to contact Department of Home Affairs, to provide details of your new offer of study and confirmation of enrolment and obtain permission from Department of Home Affairs before you transfer. If you fail to inform Southern Cross University of a transfer to another education provider, you may be reported for non-attendance and your visa may be cancelled.

As your student visa was granted under Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) (external pdf), there are implications for changing your course and we recommend you visit the Department of Home Affairs to find out what you need to consider before changing.

Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress as a condition of their student visa. Visit the academic policies and procedures page for more information relating to assessment and progression, exclusion, student query of grade, special consideration, leave of absence and withdrawal.

Students on an International Student Visa no longer need to keep DIBP informed of their home address in Australia. However, Southern Cross University students MUST maintain a current, correct residential address on their student file AT ALL TIMES. You must notify the University of an address within 7 days of arriving in Australia by completing the contact details in My Enrolment. If you move, Southern Cross University must be notified of the new address. This is a mandatory government requirement that applies for the duration of studies. This information is also used by the University staff to stay in contact with students.

International Students can work up to 40 hours per fortnight while their courses are in session, and unlimited hours during periods of vacation. A fortnight is defined as a fourteen-day period starting on a Monday. The course is in session during regular Sessions or Trimesters (including study week and examination periods). Session 3 is treated as compulsory study period if students are required to enrol in units to meet full time enrolment requirement set by the university.

Higher Degree by Research (HDR) student visa holders have unlimited work hours once study has commenced, allowing them to engage in employment related research.

Any dependent of the student visa holder can work unlimited hours if the student is studying a Master by course work, Master by research or Doctoral, or government sponsored students.

When an offer of admission is accepted, it will usually include OSHC that lasts for the duration of the student visa. A membership card is also provided. Some students will only have one year's coverage and when this expires, you must renew the cover yourself. If cover is not renewed your visa may be cancelled and if you have an accident or fall ill you and your family will be liable to cover the medical bills, which are often high in Australia.

The University has a commitment to seeking feedback from students, and acknowledges the right of students to complain if they are dissatisfied. The University has established a complaints framework to provide for the timely and fair resolution of complaints. The complaints framework will help you to decide how to proceed with your complaint or concern.