secretgardener

Austrlian High Commission in London say that I have to have school places paid for and certificates of enrolment for my 2 children BEFORE they will issue a 573 student visa.

Depmartment of Education and Training for Western Australia say that if you are coming in on a 573 student visa that you can only enrol your children in school AFTER you have got your visa, as the school need to confirm that you have the visa.

Anyone been in the same situation.... am ringing the High Commission back today to see how we can satisfy tem both!

Dorothy

Can you send the school you intend to enrol your children in a copy of the letter from DIAC stating that your visa will be issued once your children are enrolled in school? I'm sure they have faced this situation before.

jiffysquid

Hi secretgardener - was just wondering how you resolved the above as I will be in the same position in a few weeks. I am awaiting COE from QUT in Brisbane. I have emailed a state school to enquire about enrollment but to date have not had any response!

secretgardener

I spoke to the High Commission again and they said do a hard copy student visa application and include whatever you get from the schools, they will then look at the application and make a decision based on that.

I have spoken to 5 schools in the area we are going to and then followed up with emails. They have been very helpful and have sent through loads of info in under a week. It appears that they will send us confirmation of provisional enrolments when we decide which schools to send them to. I will then send on the paper work to the HC.

I am still waiting for COE from university, accepted place and provided payment details 3 weeks ago, but they have still not taken the money. Will give them till next Monday and will then call them again.

jiffysquid

Thanks for that - all very useful info! I have had some contact with Education Queensland and their responses have always been very quick. However the school I have picked are just being slow to respond I guess?!

Cheers!

secretgardener

finally got letters of confirmation from schools, sent of the visa application with all the paperwork in the post on Monday got confirmation of visas for this morning Saturday by post.

jiffysquid

Hey there- great news...sounds like you are really progressing - very exciting! Can I ask whether you had to enroll your kids for the earliest possible start date or specify this to immigration? We are planning to travel to Brisbane towards the end of June and my studies start in July. However I want my kids to basically have a summer holiday/break before they start school there. I know that that term 3 starts on the 14th July and I think term 4 starts early oct. I would like to start them for term 4 - giving them time to get over the jet lag and generally adjust (and also saving me school fees for term 3!!). However wasn't sure if they would need to be enrolled/paid for as soon as we are in the country..?

Thanks, Julia.

Dorothy

Quite honestly you are better to get them enrolled as soon as you can. Keeping them home from June to October doesn't give them the opportunity to get to know any of their classmates or to settle in properly. And chances are they will be skipped ahead a grade, so it's easier for them to come in 1/2 way through rather than 3/4.

secretgardener

we are going asap after June 26, son will have finished exams and new term wont start until Jul 21 I think, so they will get a break if only a short one.

My letters had them starting as soon as term started and we are in the country, which is what I read the regs as saying - also stipulates condition 8517 on visa ' visa holder must maintain adequate schooling arrangements for school-age dependants etc'