Top Reasons for Australian Student Visa Rejection | What is the Australian Student Visa Rejection Rate?

According to Australian Immigration Authorities, the Australian Student visa rejection rate has reached 50% in the year 2023. And, out of 900 visa submissions, approximately 3.8% i.e. 34 visas were only accepted. The higher visa rejection rate by the Australian Immigration authorities is due to various reasons, including the submission of fake documents, invalid passports, financial stability, etc. Therefore, students need to be aware of the reasons for the rejection before reapplying for an Australian student visa.

10 Reasons for Australian student visa Rejection

1. GTE Requirement (Genuine temporary entrant)

The GTE requirement is one major aspect of the student visa application process in Australia. The purpose of the Genuine temporary entrant is to ensure that individuals who apply for a student visa have a genuine intention to study in Australia and that their stay in the country is temporary, rather than a means to obtain a long-term residency or work rights. It will act as an integrity measure for the Australian government. You need to provide the documentary evidence and written personal statement to prove that you came to Australia for studies. 

When assessing an applicant's GTE, immigration officers consider various factors including:

• Individual's personal circumstances,
• Immigration history,
• Applicant's educational background,
• Previous study or employment history,
• Financial capacity,
• And, overall immigration compliance.

2. Invalid or missing documents

The documents submitted during the visa application process should be legit. If applicants fail to submit a few documents or submit fake documents then the visa application will be rejected. Some of the documents necessary to be submitted are:

• Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE)
• Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)
• Passport
• English language proficiency test certificate
• Financial documents
• Academic transcripts and qualifications
• Overseas Student health cover (OSHC)

3. Academic qualifications

Applicants need to meet the necessary academic qualifications in order to get a student visa. Every university expects certain academic requirements to be met based on the course students opt to study. If they fail to meet the specified academic needs then their student visa will be rejected. Furthermore, a declaration outlining future academic goals to keep up with Australian education must be supplied if a student has a weak academic background.

4. Failure to meet English requirements

International students should take up English language tests like IELTS, and TOEFL to prove their language proficiency. Make sure to check the Department of Home Affairs and institution to know about the English language requirements, The minimum band score in IELTS is 6.5 and TOEFL is 8. Failing to pass these tests may result in visa rejection.

5. Invalid passport

The Immigration Office of Australia will not issue the student visa if international students do not meet the following passport requirements. Those two requirements are,

• The applicant’s passport must have been issued within the last 10 years from the date of application of the student visa.
• The passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of the course in which you gained admission to the Australian University.

6. Financial Stability

The DIBP (Department of Immigration and Border Protection) ensures that all the visa applicants have enough financial funds to pay for the tuition fees and other expenses in Australia. To validate whether students can afford their tuition fees and other expenses, it is necessary to provide proof of bank statements. Or, if a student gets financial support from relatives, submitting proof documents related to those is essential.

7. Overseas Student health cover (OSHC)

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a type of health insurance that international students must have to cover medical and hospital care while studying in Australia. The Australian Department of Home Affairs requires international students to maintain OSHC for the entire study duration in Australia.

It helps to cover the cost of medical treatments, prescription medications, and hospitalization expenses. It is one of the conditions that must be met to be granted a student visa. Failing to have OSHC or letting it expire may lead to visa cancellation.

8. Reasons and Intention for Choosing Australia

Students should clearly state why they have chosen Australia for their studies instead of their home country. They could explain the quality of education, and facilities in institutions in Australia as the deciding factors. Officers from the Australian embassy consider these statements to analyze the fact that students are coming to Australia solely to pursue their education and do not intend to work or launch a business.

9. Australian visa rejection history

It is necessary to include the past history of student visa rejections and the exact reasons for it when asked. Students should keep in mind to avoid mentioning the rejection of other types of visas like tourist visas, work permits, and immigration visas. Students are advised to discuss only the rejection of an Australian student visa and not any other country.

10.  Past criminal records

Students with past criminal records are strictly not allowed to get a student visa in Australia. Hence to be transparent about their background, students should mention it in their application even if they have been involved in minor criminal incidents.

How to re-apply after student visa Rejection

When the student visa gets rejected, applicants have the right to appeal to the AAT (Administrative appeals tribunal) within 28 days by giving a letter of reconsideration. A fee of 1,896 AUD (1,01,082 INR) is to be paid for the appeal before the deadline. The application processing time may vary based on the type of your visa and rejection reasons.

In order to process the visa, students should provide the below details:

• Reasons for not pursuing a course in the home country
• Previous qualifications
• Information on returning to home country after course completion
• Acceptance letter from the University you applied for
• Evidence and documents to support the case

What could be done if the Appeal to ATT fails?

Students have two options if their visa application is rejected even after the appeal to ATT.

• Applicants can send their applications to federal court when the ATT decision contains some sort of legal error.
• Students may submit a letter to the minister asking for his personal discretion to issue them a visa by providing strong justifications.

Conclusion

Students need to keep in mind that even the smallest mistakes or misinformation can lead to visa rejection. To decrease the student visa rejection rate, students should keep in mind the above reasons and provide all the documents properly to make their visa process smooth and easy.

FAQ

1. How can I avoid rejection of my Australian student visa?

To avoid the rejection of an Australian student visa, all the documents and legal proofs should be provided properly. Documents to prove that you are financially stable, academic qualifications, English proficiency, immigration history, etc have to be submitted.

2. How much students should have to prove that they are financially stable?

At present students should have at least 21,000 AUD in their bank account to manage their expenses and to prove they are financially stable.

3. Why Australia is not giving visas to Indian students?

Due to the submission of fake documents and increased drop of students, Australian universities have refused visa applications from the states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Jammu & Kashmir.

4. Can I appeal for an Australian student visa application refusal?

When the student visa gets rejected, applicants have the right to appeal to the AAT (Administrative appeals tribunal) within 28 days by giving a letter of reconsideration

5. What if the applicant refuses to accept AAT's decision of Australian visa rejection?

If the AAT has rejected the appeal, applicants can file a legal complaint to challenge the decision.

6. What is the student visa rejection rate in Australia?

Australia's Student visa rejection rate has reached 50% in the year 2023 and from a pool of 900 visa submissions, approximately 3.8% i.e. 34 visas were accepted.

7.  What are the reasons for Australian student visa application refusal?

There are various reasons for Australian student visa rejection. But the major reasons include

• Invalid passport
• Submitting forged or missing documents
• Past criminal records
• Not financially stable
• GTE Requirements