Australia will start tightening its study visa regulations from March 23.

Australia is the third country after the UK and Canada to tighten immigration laws pertaining to study visas. Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) and Genuine Student (GS) requirements for student visas will be replaced as of March 23. Announced on December 11, 2023, this modification will only be applicable to visa applications submitted after March 23, 2024.

The GTE statement is an essential component of the visa application process that proves the applicant’s desire to study briefly in Australia before going back home.

The IELTS score of 6.0 will now need to be increased to 6.5 in order to qualify for a Temporary Graduate visa, according the amended regulations. It will rise from IELTS (or equivalent) 5.5 to 6.0 for a student visa.

A TGV’s test validity window is reduced from three years to one year. The official announcement for the Temporary Graduate visa (TGV) indicated that candidates must now show proof that they passed an English language exam within a year of the date of the visa application.

In addition, the GTE requirement will be replaced with a new real student exam that the Australian government has mandated for all overseas students. Applications from high-risk students will also be examined more closely.

Furthermore, in order to qualify for a student visa, overseas students will now need to have a higher quantity of funds. Applicants must now provide proof of $24,505 in savings.

“The GS requirement centers on evaluating the student’s sincere desire to study in Australia, taking into account various aspects such as the applicant’s background, documentation of course advancement, immigration background, adherence to visa requirements, and other pertinent information,” the official announcement read.

In 2022, there were 1,00,009 Indian students enrolled in Australian universities, according to official data. 33,629 Indian students traveled to Australia in 2020, 8,950 in 2021, and 73,808 in 2019 on student visas. Experts are concerned, meanwhile, that the revised regulations may have a detrimental impact on Indian students’ chances of having their visa applications accepted.