Australia tightens student visa rules, enrollment confirmation made mandatory: How will it affect Indian applicants?

 Starting January 1, 2025, Australia will require all onshore student visa applicants to submit a Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) letter.

A Confirmation of Enrolment is an official document that confirms a student’s enrollment in an Australian varsity along with other admission details.

In 2024, as many as 122,202 Indian students were reportedly enrolled in various Australian universities out of 500,000 international students. This is a significant decrease from the 2023 figure of 126,487. With the new regulation in place, Indian students may find it tougher to fulfil their dream of studying in Australia.

What was the earlier rule in Australia?

Earlier, students were required to submit only a Letter of Offer while applying for a student visa. Under the new rule, students would now have to submit a Confirmation of Enrollment.

How will CoE impact Australia student visa applications?

Student visa applications lodged within Australia without a CoE will be considered invalid. The new rules would impact only those applications which have been submitted on or after January 1, 2025. Applications submitted before this date using a Letter of Offer will not be affected.

“Not providing a CoE at the time of application will make an application invalid. Visa decision makers cannot assess an invalid application. An associated Bridging visa cannot be granted where the substantive visa application is not valid," states the Home Ministry's latest notice.

How is Letter of Offer different from Confirmation of Enrollment?

A Letter of Offer is an official document issued by an Australian university having details such as the course in which the student has been offered an admission. This letter outlines the terms of acceptance, including course details and tuition fees.

Meanwhile, a CoE is a letter issued by the university after a student has accepted their offer of admission and paid their tuition fee deposit.

"Providing a CoE at time of visa application demonstrates a stronger commitment by the student to study at that institution. This will increase certainty for Australia’s international education sector," read Australia Department of Home Affair's notice.