The following information provides further detail on the planned Knight Review changes to the student visa program.
Frequently asked questions
The GTE requirement explicitly addresses whether the individual circumstances of an applicant indicate that their intention is for a temporary stay in Australia. Student visa applicants must be both a GTE and a genuine student to be granted a visa.
What is a genuine student?
A genuine student is a student who intends to obtain a successful educational outcome and has the language, educational and material background to have a reasonable chance of achieving this educational outcome. Factors that are considered under the existing requirement to be a genuine applicant for entry and study as a student include: English language proficiency; financial capacity; prerequisite schooling; age requirements; and intention to comply with visa conditions. There are no changes planned to the genuine student requirement.
Why has the GTE requirement been introduced?
The GTE requirement was introduced on 5 November 2011 and will help improve the integrity of the student visa program. A number of the proposed changes arising from the Strategic Review of the Student Visa Program would relax visa requirements for international students. These other changes can only be made possible through the introduction of the GTE requirement.
Will this make it harder to get a student visa?
The GTE requirement will not make it more difficult for genuine student visa applicants to obtain a visa. It will, however, provide a useful way to help identify those applicants who are using the student visa program for motives other than gaining a quality education.
What is genuineness?
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (the department) has been assessing the genuineness of visa applicants for many years. For example, the department currently successfully