Australian Student Guardian Visa - Subclass 590

Australia is welcoming more and more students under the age of 18 into the country each year. Of course, you can not expect a teenager to come to a new country and look after themselves. Here is where the Student Guardian Visa comes in, the student guardian will help care for the student during their stay in Australia.

There are strict guidelines to who can obtain a student visa and what they can and can't do during their stay in Australia.

The student guardian must be related to the student, must be over 21 years of age and of sound character and must, of course, meet health and financial requirements of any visa holder.

A student guardian must be related to the student in one of the following ways:

* Parent

* Brother or Sister

* Step Parent

* Step Brother o Step Sister

* Grandparent

* Aunt or Uncle

* Niece or Nephew

* Step Grandparent

* Step Grandchild

* Step Aunt or Step Uncle

* Step Niece or Step Nephew

The student guardian must arrange all accommodation, food, clothes and provide general welfare to the student during their stay in Australia. Student Guardians are not permitted to bring any family members into Australia and can only bring their dependent children if they are under the age of 6 years old.

Once you are in Australia there are rules you must abide by. You will not be allowed to work whilst in Australia, you can not study for more than three months, you can not apply for any other Australian Visa unless you require an extension, you must have approved overseas visitors health cover.

Obtaining a visa anywhere may seem like a lengthy and complicated process, however it is well worth it. As long as you abide by the above rules you should have a great and happy stay in Australia.

Student Guardian Australia Requirements

Student guardians must meet the:

  • General requirements for a student visa.
    See: General requirements

Exception: student guardians must arrange for overseas visitor health cover (OVHC), not overseas student health cover (OSHC).
See: Cover for People from Overseas

  • Financial requirements related to the nominating student.
    See: Financial requirements

In addition:

  • A person who has a dependent child under 6 years of age is only able to be granted a student guardian visa if:
  • the child under 6 would be subject to assessment level 1 or 2 for a Schools Sector visa
    See: Subclasses and Assessment Levels; and
  • there are compassionate and compelling reasons for granting the visa
  • A student guardian may only include a child in their visa application in very limited circumstances. To be granted a student guardian visa as a family member, the child must be:
  • under 6 years of age; and
  • hold a passport that would make them subject to assessment level 1 or 2 for a Schools Sector visa.

There must also be compassionate and compelling reasons for granting the visa. Other family members cannot be granted a student guardian visa.

  • If you intend to be the student guardian of more than one student while in Australia, you must notify the department (when you apply) which student you would like your visa linked to.

Who can be a student guardian?

A student guardian must:

  • be a relative of the applicant
  • be over 21 years of age and of good character, and
  • meet health and financial requirements.

Your student guardian must be related to you (the student visa applicant) in one or more of the following ways:

  • spouse
  • child
  • adopted child
  • parent
  • brother or sister
  • step-child
  • step-parent
  • step-brother or step-sister
  • grandparent
  • grandchild
  • aunt or uncle
  • niece or nephew
  • step-grandparent
  • stepgrandchild
  • step-aunt or step-uncle
  • step-niece or step-nephew

Student Guardian Visa Conditions

The following list describes the conditions that will generally be attached to your Student Guardian visa.

  • You must not work.
  • You must not study for more than three months.
  • You must maintain your approved overseas visitor health cover.
  • You cannot apply for any other Australian visa while in Australia except for:
  • an extension of your Student Guardian visa, or
  • to engage Australia's obligations under the 1951 UN convention relating to the status of refugees.
  • You must continue to meet the requirements for a Student Guardian visa.
  • You must live with the student who has nominated you and, if the student is under 18 years of age, provide appropriate accommodation, welfare and general support.
  • You must not leave Australia without either:
  • taking the nominating student with you, or
  • notifying the department before your departure that you have made appropriate arrangements for the student’s accommodation, welfare and general support in your absence and (if the student is under 18 years of age) obtaining written approval for the changed arrangements from the student’s education provider.

You can find more information here