The Australian Government operates an overseas student program (OSP) that allows people who are not Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents to study in Australia. Anyone who is not an Australian resident may apply to study in Australia under the OSP. If you want to study under this program, you must obtain a student visa before you can commence a course of study in Australia.

The different student visa subclasses:

570 - Independent English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (although where a student is undertaking ELICOS as a prerequisite to another course the student must apply under the subclass relevant to the principal course)

571 - Schools - primary, secondary, and approved secondary exchange programs

572 - Vocational education and training sector - meaning Certificate I, II, III, and IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma

573 - Higher education sector - covering bachelor degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma

574 - Masters and doctorate sector

575 - Non-award foundation studies/other

576 - Aus AID or Defence sponsored sector

Students must provide evidence that they have sufficient funds to fund accommodation, pay for airfares, course tuition fees, and overseas student health cover (OSHC) and all general expenses during the stay in Australia. The assessment factors will review the student's financial resources in this regard.