Studying in Australia is a long paper trail with a great life attached. The trick is knowing which papers matter when — and which visa conditions are strictly enforced (spoiler: the work-hours cap is). Here's the full sequence, from accepting your offer to acing your first semester without a compliance scratch.
Stage 1 — Before you apply for the visa
- Choose a CRICOS-registered course — only these support student visas. If migration is a long-term hope, weigh fields on the skilled occupation lists, but pick something you'll actually finish. (Full pathway logic in our study visa guide.)
- Accept your offer and pay the deposit → the provider issues your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) — the document your visa application is built on.
- Buy OSHC for your entire visa length (Overseas Student Health Cover) before applying — the visa can't be granted without it. Compare the five providers; prices vary meaningfully for identical minimum cover.
- Prepare the Genuine Student (GS) responses: honest, specific written answers on why this course, this provider, this country, and how it fits your plans. Generic essays are the top refusal trigger.
- Evidence of funds: Home Affairs sets a living-cost benchmark (on top of tuition and travel) — check the current figure on the official subclass 500 page and have statements ready.
- English test (IELTS/TOEFL/PTE) at the level your course and visa stream require, still valid at lodgement.
- Lodge the visa: AUD $2,500 from July 2026 for most students. Apply the moment you hold the CoE — processing spans weeks to months and peaks before semester starts.
Stage 2 — Pre-departure
- Book arrival accommodation for the first 2–4 weeks only (university housing, homestay or a hostel) — never sign an unseen 12-month lease from abroad; scams target exactly this.
- Documents folder (physical + cloud): passport, visa grant, CoE, OSHC certificate, academic transcripts, medication letters, some passport photos.
- Attend your university's pre-departure webinar and join the official new-students group chat — airport pickup services (often free) book out; arrange yours.
- Money for month one accessible from day one: an Australian account opened online pre-arrival, or a low-fee travel card.
- Biosecurity: the strict border food/plant rules apply to you too — see the declare-everything rule in our arrival checklist. When in doubt, declare.
Stage 3 — Arrival fortnight
- SIM card (passport as ID) — everything else needs the number.
- Bank account activation at a branch with your passport — within 6 weeks of arrival it's passport-only; later you'll need the painful 100 points of ID.
- Attend orientation (O-Week) — actually attend: enrolment confirmation, student ID card, campus systems, and the friendships that define year one all happen here.
- Tax File Number (free, online at the ATO) if you plan to work — without it you're taxed at the top rate.
- Update your address with your provider within 7 days of settling — condition 8533 requires it, and again every time you move.
- Transport concessions vary by state: Victoria sells international students the iUSEpass; Queensland, SA and WA give student discounts; NSW generally excludes international students from Opal concessions — budget accordingly.
- Know your OSHC: download your insurer's app, find "direct billing" GP clinics near campus (no upfront payment), and note OSHC covers ambulances — public Medicare does not cover you.
Stage 4 — The rules that keep your visa safe
Condition 8105 — the 48-hour rule: while your course is in session you may work at most 48 hours per fortnight — a fixed 14-day block starting Monday, not a rolling average — counted across all jobs combined. Unlimited hours apply during scheduled course breaks, and research masters/PhD students are uncapped once the course begins. Breaches are visa-cancellation territory and employers' payroll records make them visible. Track your own hours; never rely on the employer to.
- Stay enrolled full-time, maintain attendance and course progress — providers must report failures to Home Affairs (condition 8202).
- Keep OSHC current for your whole stay; renew before it lapses if your course extends.
- Work legally: demand payslips and superannuation (12% on top of wages); minimum casual rates exceed $30/hour in most industries. Cash-in-hand below minimum wage is exploitation — the Fair Work Ombudsman helps regardless of visa status, and reporting won't cancel your visa.
- Changing course or provider? Downgrading level or switching within six months of starting has visa implications — talk to your international student office first, always.
Stage 5 — Building toward what's next
- Use your university's free careers service from semester one, not semester last — internships and industry projects anchor Australian CVs.
- Join clubs and one professional association in your field; Australian graduate hiring runs on referees and networks.
- Eyeing staying on? Understand the Temporary Graduate (485) visa's rules early (eligible qualifications, English, under-35 age limit) — our study guide and PR pathways map the road.
- And budget reality-checks live in cost of living — Melbourne share rooms to Sydney studios.