COVID-19: Important Updates for International Students in and aspiring to study in Australia

Information may not be reliable

Each and every human on this earth is aware of this dangerous virus which is known as COVID-19 or Coronavirus, which has not only caused different kinds of destruction but also killed many people in the world. This virus has affected all the sectors of the economy of each and every country. International Education Industry is not to be missed either. 

We will take you through the measures taken by Australian Government students through this article to help you figure out on how to study in Australia during these COVID times.  

Australia has introduced health and safety measures and travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the novel Corona virus. The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted thousands of Australia’s international students, and our institutions and regulators have moved swiftly to respond to the initial travel restrictions. 

Wherever possible, educational institutions are offering courses online, and offering a wide range of support to affected students, including semester and staffing changes and a scale-up of digital course alternatives. 

A few important points for the international students: 

• The Australian Government has announced that international students who have been studying in Australia for more than 12 months can access their Australian superannuation if they are in financial hardship.
• Chinese students will not be penalized for any delay, inconsistency or online courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control period.
• We know that international students may have questions regarding recent announcements on work rights during COVID-19. Insider Guides are hosting a webinar for students to hear directly from the Fair Work Ombudsman on this topic.

To assist international students who have been impacted by the recent travel bans many Australian universities have delayed their semester start dates. To discuss your possible study options or deferring your studies to start at a later date we recommend you contact your university or school as soon as possible. You can visit their websites for latest updates on the scholarships for international students in Australia as well. 

As far as it is considered, the scholarships available for the students till now have been as follows: 

Scholarships can be awarded based on field of study, courses or the nationality of the student. Most of the Australian Universities offer scholarships to international students based on their academic credentials and there is no separate application to be sent. In some cases, students may have to apply separately to the university after receiving the offer letter. Some of the popular scholarships are- 

• International Merit Scholarships
• Future Leader Scholarship
• India Scholarship
• International Excellence Scholarships
• Australia Award Scholarships
• Global Citizen Scholarship

Well, it’s a tedious task to find out which university is providing what scholarships. We have made it easier for you! Here’s the previous list of universities in Australia to look for scholarships for the academic year 2020.  

• The University of Queensland (CRICOS Code 00025B)
• Monash University (CRICOS Code 00008C)
• The University of Adelaide (CRICOS Code 00123M)
• The University of Newcastle (CRICOS Code 00109J)
• Queensland University of Technology (CRICOS Code 00213J)
• Curtin University (CRICOS Code 00301J)
• Macquarie University (CRICOS Code 00002J)
• RMIT University (CRICOS Code 00122A)
• Deakin University (CRICOS Code 00113B)
• University of South Australia (CRICOS Code 00121B)
• University of Tasmania (CRICOS Code 00586B)
• Griffith University (CRICOS Code 00233E)
• Swinburne University of Technology (CRICOS Code 00111D)
• La Trobe University (CRICOS Code 03312D)

Quality assurance framework system is set up by the Australian education system to ensure the Australian education standard is maintained. Thus assuring that the decision of studying in Australia is definitely the right one, it’s just that the Corona is a little hiccup in this process of fulfilling your dream. 

You can check out for free overseas education counseling online to understand the real-time situation in Australia and the measure and the alternatives to be taken for international students. 

So, go ahead. 

All the Best!