Important visa information
Student visa conditions
All Student visas are granted subject to conditions intended to govern the stay in Australia of students and their families. Failure to comply with a condition of your visa may result in cancellation of the visa and removal of you and your family from Australia.
Student Visa Condition 8202
Condition 8202 is attached to the visas of all primary Student Visa holders. It imposes obligations on the visa holder to: maintain enrolment in a full-time course, attend classes, and achieve a satisfactory academic result. Where you fail to comply with the attendance or academic requirements of condition 8202, Edith Cowan University is legally obliged to notify you and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). A non-compliance notice is generated by ECU and sent to you and DIAC. This action initiates an automatic visa cancellation process. After the notice has been sent to you, you are required to report to the DIAC office named in the notice within 28 days of the date of the notice. If you do not do so your visa will be cancelled by operation of law. The cancellation may be revoked in some circumstances. Where you do report to DIAC, the automatic cancellation process is stopped and a decision made whether or not to cancel the visa. If the breach is substantiated, migration law requires that the visa must be cancelled.
Every student visa holder has the condition 8202 attached to their visa. Condition 8202 requires the main holder to: maintain enrolment in a full-time course, attend classes and achieve a satisfactory academic result.
If you do not follow this condition, Edith Cowan University will be required to report you to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). The University will create a “non-compliance” notice and a copy will be sent to you and DIAC. When the notice is sent, an automatic visa cancellation process begins. Once you receive the notice, you should immediately report to a DIAC office. If you do nothing after you receive the notice, your visa will be cancelled by the operation of law after 28 days.
By taking your letter to DIAC, you will stop the automatic cancellation process, and a DIAC officer will decide whether or not to cancel your visa. There are some instances when the decision to cancel the visa is revoked, but this depends on your personal circumstances. If the breach is substantiated, Migration Law requires that the visa must be cancelled.
Current address
You are required to keep Edith Cowan University informed of your current residential address. You must notify ECU of your intended/current address in Australia within seven days of arriving in Australia and/or within seven days of any change to address. Failure to do this is also a breach of your Student Visa.
Full-time enrolment
Generally speaking, all Student Visa holders must be enrolled full time. However, approval for a reduced study load can be granted if you are at risk of not meeting satisfactory course progress requirements or where compassionate or compelling circumstances apply.
Edith Cowan University is required by law to notify DIAC of any change to your enrolment, for example, if you decide to withdraw your enrolment, do not commence your course or finish the course early.
For further information and contact details, visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website.
You must comply with your visa conditions in order to retain your Student Visa. You will be reported and you visa may be cancelled for:
- Not meeting course requirements regarding enrolment, attendance and satisfactory academic progress.
- Failing to provide ECU with your address/change of address details within seven days of arrival or address change.
- Studying less than a full-time load (except when completing units in your final semester of your course).
- Withdrawing or deferring your studies.
- Not maintaining your overseas health cover.
It is important that you maintain satisfactory academic progress. Examples of unsatisfactory academic progress are when you are suspended or excluded, and in these instances ECU is legally obliged to notify DIAC. This may result in the cancellation of your visa and exclusion from Australia for 3 years. If you feel that you are having difficulties with your studies we strongly advise you to contact Student Central immediately and staff will be able to advise you on your options or direct you to appropriate support services.