From time to time, schools may be asked to enrol a student that is not an Australia Citizen. Depending on the visa type, the student may or may not attract government recurrent funding.
It is important that schools obtain a copy of the student’s most recent visa as schools must provide this information when completing the Non-Government Schools Census.
Request documents as evidence of residency status
If a student is not an Australian citizen and the school is considering the enrolment of a student on a visa, the school must check the nature, conditions and currency of the visa before deciding whether enrolment is appropriate and if government recurrent funding is available. This would include obtaining:
- A recent VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) check. Visa holders can access the Department of Home Affairs website to check their status.
- Passport, or Immi Card.
- Visa Grant Letter and Notice from the Department of Home Affairs.
To determine whether the student is eligible for enrolment into the school, the school must first:
- Verify the visa type. There are numerous visa types from bridging, visitor and permanent residency visas. Check with CSNSW if you are unsure whether the visa type can be enrolled and/or subject to recurrent funding.
- Verify the visa conditions. Where the student is prohibited from engaging in studies as a condition of their visa, the student is not eligible for enrolment.
Non-government schools census reporting for students on a visa
All non-government schools are required to complete an annual census which occurs on the first Friday of August each year. The census provides the Australian Government with information about schools and students in Australia. The annual census collects de-identified information about:
- the numbers of students and staff
- students on a visa
- students with disability
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
The census contributes to the calculation of the annual entitlement in respect of schools receiving Recurrent Funding pursuant to the Australian Education Act 2013 (the Act) and Australian Education Regulation 2013 (the Regulation).
The type of visa held will determine how the student will be reported in the Census. Therefore, it will be necessary to verify the visa type.
Full details are set out in the SchoolsHub webpage including information on how to report students on visas and how to report overseas students.
Will the student receive recurrent funding?
In most cases students with a visa subclass other than a visitor visa or an Overseas student will be eligible for recurrent funding. Check with CSNSW if you are unsure.
Students on visas
Students on visas are students who are not Australian citizens. This includes permanent residents and New Zealand citizens.
Overseas students
Overseas students are students who are on a visa that permits them to travel to Australia for the purpose of undertaking education. Overseas student visa subclasses include visa subclasses 500, 571, 572, 573, 574 and 575.
Non-government schools cannot enrol overseas students travelling on one of these visas unless the school is registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
Overseas students are not eligible for government recurrent funding.
Visitor Visa
If a student holds a Visitor Visa, schools may charge pro-rata full fees as the student cannot enrol for a period longer than three calendar months. Your enrolment policy should outline how fees are charged.
Dependents of overseas student
These students are generally not eligible for recurrent funding. There are some exceptions under section 6 of the Regulations, such as dependants of overseas students who are receiving a full sponsorship or a scholarship from an Australian higher education institution or the Australian Government.
Bridging Visa
Students on a bridging visa may be eligible for recurrent funding but must provide evidence of applying for a visa that is eligible for funding.