The Department of Home Affairs is implementing a range of visa changes to support International students as announced by Minister Tudge on 20 July. Providers are encouraged to pass on this information to international students.
The department is pleased to advise that the ability to apply for nil-fee student visa will be available from midnight 5 August 2020.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will waive the visa application fee to allow you to lodge a further student visa application to complete your study. This will be available to students who held a student visa on or after 1st February 2020 and who couldn’t complete their course within their original visa validity due to the impacts of COVID-19. This includes students who:
- deferred their study as they were unable to enter Australia due to travel restrictions
- were forced to reduce to a part-time study load
- were unable to complete their work-based training or placements.
This measure is not intended for students who are applying for a new student visa due to ordinary reasons (including if you have failed a course or a unit of study, deferred for personal reasons or voluntarily reduced your study load.)
How do students apply?
To apply for an approval from CDU – please submit an application online:
Apply online: Application for Form 1545 and attach the complete Form1545 along with the supporting documents (if applicable)
Please be aware that the Form 1545 COVID-19 Impacted Students can only be granted to you by CDU Compliance Coordinator – CDU Global if you have met the criteria set by the Department of Home Affairs.
Failure to provide a completed form 1545 will result in the application being invalid.
Can students apply for a nil-VAC student visa from overseas?
Students can be in or outside Australia when they apply.
Can students who have already applied for a Student visa apply for a refund?
Refunds will not be available for Students who have already applied for a Student visa. Only new applications will be eligible for a visa fee-waiver.
More details on the visa changes can be found on the Department’s website: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/student-visa