Can I Study on a Prospective Marriage Visa?

Can a Subclass 300 holder enrol in a course in Australia?

A Subclass 300 holder can enrol in a course in Australia, because the visa does not restrict study during the visa period. The holder can attend English classes, vocational training or university, full time or part time. The main purpose of the visa is still to marry the sponsor within the visa period, and study should not get in the way of that. Our page on the Subclass 300 visa explains the rights and obligations attached to the visa.

Will a prospective marriage visa holder pay international student fees?

A prospective marriage visa holder will often be treated as an international student for fee purposes, because domestic fee status and government study loans are generally linked to citizenship or permanent residence. Each institution applies its own rules, so the holder should ask the institution directly before accepting an offer. Fee status may change once the holder becomes a permanent resident at the Subclass 801 stage. Our article on the permanent partner visa explains when permanent residence is granted.

Does the holder need a student visa to study?

A Subclass 300 holder does not need a student visa to study, and applying for a student visa would usually be a mistake. The Subclass 300 leads to the Subclass 820/801 after marriage, and changing to a student visa could interrupt that path. A holder who wants to study simply enrols while holding the Subclass 300. Our article on the partner visa two-stage process explains how the fiancé visa connects to the partner visa.

Can I keep studying after we marry and apply for the Subclass 820?

Study can usually continue after the couple marries and applies for the Subclass 820, because the Subclass 300 remains in effect until it ends and a bridging visa linked to the Subclass 820 application then usually comes into effect. The holder should read the bridging visa grant notice to confirm any conditions. Our articles on the partner visa bridging visa and partner visa conditions explain what usually applies during processing.

Does study count as evidence for the partner visa?

Study does not count as relationship evidence in itself, but it can form part of the picture of the couple's shared life, such as how the sponsor supports the applicant through a course or how study fits the couple's plans. What matters is the evidence of the relationship across its financial, household, social and commitment aspects. Our guide to partner visa relationship evidence explains what the Department looks for.

How does My Migration Lawyers help fiancé visa holders who want to study?

My Migration Lawyers helps fiancé visa holders who want to study by mapping the course dates against the visa period and the planned wedding, so the Subclass 820/801 application is lodged on time and the holder is not tempted onto a student visa that could disrupt the partner path. The firm then prepares the Subclass 820 application once the marriage takes place. Couples can speak with our partner visa lawyers about the timing, and read about the Subclass 820 visa that follows the wedding.