Australia has announced plans to tighten study visa regulations beginning March 23, 2024. The new Genuine Student (GS) requirement for student visas will replace the existing Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement.
This change, which follows in the footsteps of Canada and the United Kingdom, was announced on December 11, 2023 and will take effect for visa applications submitted after March 23, 2024.
The Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) statement, which is necessary for showing intent to study and return home, will be replaced by the GS requirement
Under the new rules, the required IELTS score for a Temporary Graduate visa will be increased from 6.0 to 6.5, and for a student visa from 5.5 to 6.0. Additionally, the validity window for the English language test will be reduced to one year.
A new genuine student test will now assess all international students applying for visas, with a focus on their intention to study in Australia. High-risk student applications will face increased scrutiny, while the savings requirement for student visa eligibility has been raised to around $24,500.
According to data shown in media reports, in 2022, Australia hosted 100,009 Indian students, a significant increase from previous years. Concerns arise among experts regarding the potential impact of these visa rule changes on Indian students’ acceptance rates.
