Mistakes are meant to be made, and they are a major part of life. Some mistakes are portals of discovery, while others become roadblocks and hindrances to your progress and personal development.
Similarly, international students encounter some common mistakes and need to be corrected, especially when they embark on their exciting journey on a student visa to Australia. No doubt, studying abroad may be an exciting adventure for many international students, but it is very important to be careful of some potential pitfalls as well.
So, are you considering Australia as your educational destination? Hold on!
Before you pack your bags and head Under Down, it is crucial to understand some important things that you need to know before studying in Australia.
In this blog post, we are going to cover details on the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia that can lead to the cancellation of their student visas and even deportation.
Before we delve in, let’s have a look at why Australia is the first choice of international students for their undergraduate, graduate, master’s or PhD studies.
Why Choose Australia to Study?
Australia is known for its diverse landscape, vibrant cities, and world’s renowned education system. This is the reason why international students across the globe are attracted and wish to study there. Many Australian top-notch educational institutions or universities offer a wide range of courses and study programs that may fit the student’s interests and academic pursuits.
Apart from high-quality overseas education in Australia, the Australian Government also manages healthcare for international students who come on student visas. They have a strong financial plan for them in terms of job opportunities and more. So, if you are drawn to research, medicine, engineering, arts, nursing, computer science, or any other field, Australian universities have everything to offer you.
Understand the Top 10 Mistakes International Students Should Avoid in Australia
In order to provide you with assistance, we have rounded up some common mistakes along with valuable tips that will help you avoid them in Australia.
Let’s get started with the first one!
Working Beyond Allowed Hours
The first mistake among the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia is working beyond the allowed hours. As you know, Australian student visas come up with working-hour restrictions. At the moment, as per the news reforms from July 1, 2023 international students are allowed to work up to 24 hours per week or 48 hours per fortnight during their study sessions. On the other hand, they can work for unlimited hours during their official school holidays in Australia.
Note: Though there are a couple of exceptions at the moment. One of them is if you are doing a Master of research, you are exempt from this working limitation. Additionally, students who were already working in the aged care sector as of November 9, 2023, can continue working limited hours until December 31, 2023.
All of the students are obliged to adhere to the work limitations that are specified on their student visas. In case of any failure or if they do not follow them, that can lead to possible student visa cancellation or deportation. So, it’s important to strictly follow your visa work limitations.
Unauthorized Employment
Many international students need to be made aware of the potential risks of their mistakes during their studies in Australia. So, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia. The second mistake that can have serious consequences for your student career and visa status in Australia is engaging in illegal jobs or unauthorized employment.
When it comes to illegal jobs in Australia, it mostly involves off-the-books or cash-in-hand jobs. Every person who is working in Australia is obliged to follow certain laws, and one of them is tax regulations. Working on such types jobs could lead to legal issues.
Note: Of course, there are some protections available for international students who get exploited at work by local employees. If you are in that sort of situation, we strongly recommend you contact Fair Work Australia for assistance. But if you are doing illegal and cash-handling jobs, that can definitely put you in lots of trouble, so it’s best to refrain yourself from such activities.
Overstaying the Visa Length
When you are in Australia on a study visa, it is essential to understand the terms and conditions of your visa, especially its duration. Because it can affect your ability to return to Australia in the future. If you are planning to extend your stay in Australia after your study program, then please make sure that you look for other visa options in Australia as well. Because once you have finished your studies, you are required to leave the country before your student visa expiration date. If you want to stay in Australia after your studies as well, it is important to look for other visas.
Not Attending Classes & Neglecting Course Progress
When you are studying in Australia, it is crucial to attend your classes regularly. Each Australian university has its own attendance requirements that you must meet during your studies. Generally, it is expected to maintain an 80% attendance rate in your course. Apart from attendance, your course progress also plays an important role in determining whether you are passing your exams, completing all the assignments, and fulfillment of all the subject units. Any failure to meet the standards of course progress can also lead to issues regarding your student visa.
So it is very important to pay attention to your studies and maintain your course progress. In any case, if you face any difficulty in your studies, please seek out some help from the university or institution in which you are enrolled. No doubt, they have support services that are available for international students who are struggling with their studies. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Not Updating the Address
If you are an international student in Australia, you may have the chance to move from one place to another more than once. If you are relocating your accommodation, remember to notify your educational institution within 7 days of moving. It is one of the most important requirements that you inform your academic providers within that frame. Any negligence can be one of the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia. It may also lead to many visa-related issues.
Maintaining the Insurance
As an international student in Australia, you need to maintain your insurance, which is known as Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). You should maintain this OSHC until the completion of your study programs or degrees in Australia. If your insurance is finished earlier than your student visa expiration date, you may have to reapply for an extension of this insurance cover. Studying in any foreign country comes with a price tag. So, it is very crucial to make an overall budget for insurance. You must be aware of all kinds of expenses.
Breaking the Local Laws
Compliance with Australian Local laws is very important for all the internationals who are here in Australia, regardless of their visa type. Whether they are coming on a student visa, Visit visa, skilled migration visa, partner visa, or any other category, all the basic rules apply to everyone. It is essential that you follow the rules and regulations. So, don’t engage in any criminal activities that may include selling drugs, getting caught doing theft, any fraudulent behaviors, terrorist activities or participation in any illegal protests. You should avoid all these troubles because participating in such awful activities will be a shortcut to getting your study visa canceled.
Academic Misconduct
Academic conduct is one of the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia. But first, you need to understand what academic misconduct is. It is obviously related to your academic performance. If your academic work gets caught up in plagiarism, like copying content from other people’s work, copying from the internet, or cheating in your exams. In short, finding any falsification of information can lead your educational institute or university to cancel your enrollment at the department, which may also result in study visa cancellation and, ultimately, deportation from Australia.
Every educational institute evaluates these kinds of activities on a case-by-case basis. However, if you are one of those who is a regular offender, that means you are getting caught right away in cheating, plagiarism, and so on. It can pose lots of issues for you. It is strongly advisable to avoid such activities at all costs.
Before moving on to the 9 most common mistakes, keep in mind that it is the most critical point as it is the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia.
Provision of Fake Documents
Provision of any kind of fake documents or bogus documents, while you are applying for a student visa or are already in Australia, is one of the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia. In the recent past, those international students who got caught using these fake documents were sent back to their home country. Even if you have managed to get an Australian study visa on the basis of fraudulent and bogus documents, there are fair chances of your student visa being canceled or even deported. So try to keep it real, and don’t ever provide fake documents.
Not following visa conditions
Last but not least, one of the top 10 mistakes that need to be avoided is not following the other conditions of your student visa in Australia. As an international student, you need to be mindful of all kinds of Australian visa conditions. There are plenty of visa requirements that you need to fulfill. For instance, you should not start the work before starting your course of work. So, it is essential that if you are coming to Australia on a study visa, you should start working after the commencement of your study program.
Note: Although during the COVID-19 pandemic period, there were some temporary changes to the rules regarding this, the Australian Department of Home Affairs allowed international students to work before the start of their course studies. But these regulations have been reversed now.
Above mentioned are the top 10 mistakes international students should avoid in Australia. This may sound scary. What will happen if your student visa gets canceled or even if you have to face deportation from Australia?
Don’t worry; we don’t want this to happen to you.
Here are some valuable tips that will help you in avoiding these mistakes in Australia.
Tips to Avoid Mistakes International Students Make in Australia
When applying for an Australian Study Visa or already studying in Australia, be prepared and careful and follow the given instructions.
- Don’t work beyond the allowed hours.
- Avoid unauthorized employment and overstaying the visa length.
- Attend your classes and focus on course progress.
- Update the new address of your accommodation.
- Maintain the insurance and make a budget plan.
- Don’t break the local laws while studying in Australia.
- Try to avoid academic misconduct while taking your course.
- Provide accurate and true documents.
- Follow the complete terms and conditions of your visa.
How Does StudyWise Help You?
No doubt, international students make many mistakes during their stay in Australia that they need to avoid strictly. But they face a number of challenges in terms of expenses, finding a job, culture shock, visa extension-related issues, financial crises, communication, and more.
If you are one of those who are scared to live in Australia due to these challenges, contact our professional consultants and educational counselors at StudyWise. They will provide you with professional assistance and support you in any way they can. Make a pro call or visit our website to get more detailed information.
Best of luck!