Australian Government Introduces New Visa Rules for Students

Going to Australia for your studies? Wait!!! 

The Australian government has made some new changes with regard to student visas.  If you are applying for a student visa in the year 2025, then you must be familiar with the new immigration requirements of the government.

What is a Letter of Offer? 

A letter of offer is the official acceptance letter released by the University that includes students-related information like admission, tuition fees, start date, and the criteria for the student visa.

Earlier, it qualifies as an important document for visa application. But, after the introduction of new rules, it has lost its value. Now, students have to provide Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE).

What is a Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE)?

When a student has paid the tuition fees and accepts an admission offer from the university, the student receives a document in exchange that confirms his admission to the university. This document is called Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE).

What is the Key Difference Between the Letter of Offer & CoE?

A letter of Offer does not confirm that the student has taken admission to that particular university but rather provides the information that the student has applied for admission to that particular university. Here the university does not confirm their admission to the university. It mentions only a few details about the student’s admission.

Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), as the name suggests, confirms that the university has accepted the admission of the student. It mentions in detail the student, program, fee, and, duration. 

Reasons for Replacing Offer Letter with CoE

The government of Australia is alarmed over the increased cases of bogus applications filed by students to get Australian student visas. Students do not enroll themselves in any university but file applications in order to get an Australian visa. The government has to come up with a new regulation so that unwanted applicants can be stopped and only genuine students get the visa.

Exceptions to the Rules

These changes are not applicable to all students. There are certain categories of students, such as foreign affairs, defence, and secondary exchange, are exempted from this rule. They can continue to file their visa using offer letters released by the universities.

Key Notes

• Students living in Australia who want to apply for a student visa after 1 January 2025 must have their Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) with them, or else they must leave the country.
• Students living in Australia who had applied for a student visa before 1 January 2025 need not submit their Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE).
• If you want to lodge your visa from India, then you must carry your Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE). The letters of Offer are of no use for visa filing.