Family members of AAS students
You can bring your partner and children with you to Australia while you study as an Australia Awards scholar. However, your scholarship will only cover your own costs. Your family members won't receive any financial support unless you have a disability and they are your carer.
This means it's important to consider:
- additional expenses for accommodation, food, clothing, etc.
- the effect on you and your studies if your family is unhappy in Australia
- potential language and communication issues
- cultural adjustment to Australia
- your children's schooling and re-adjustment to a different education system
- disruption to your family member’s careers and their work opportunities in Australia.
If you can, it’s a good idea to come to Australia on your own for at least the first six months so you can settle into your studies and look for permanent accommodation.
If your family is coming to Australia
If your family is coming to Australia, there are a few things you need to do before they arrive – this depends on whether they’re coming with you for the duration of your course, or just for a short-term visit.
You can include family members when you lodge your visa application. For student visas, family members can be:
- your partner
- your dependent child (or your partner’s dependent child) who is unmarried and under 18 years of age (if they’ve turned 18 already or they’re married, they’ll need to apply for their own visa).
Before your family can join you in Australia, there are a few things you and your family need to do.
1. Apply for family entry
The first thing you need to do is complete our Family Entry Application form.
You’ll need to wait until this is approved before you move onto the next step (applying for visas, etc.). You should receive a response in two working days.
2. Arrange visas for each family member
You’ll need to apply for a student dependent visa through ImmiAccount (under Subsequent entry) and organise a mandatory medical check for each family member joining you in Australia. Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for all the details.
You’ll also need to request a No Objection Letter (NOL) from the Australia Awards office in your country and include it in your application. A NOL indicates that DFAT has no objection to you bringing your family into Australia.
3. Organise health cover
As an AAS student, you’ll be covered by Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), and you can extend your OSHC to cover your family members.
To organise health cover, you need to:
- Contact the OSHC representative on campus (if you're already enrolled), or a Student Finance Officer at oshc@monash.edu for a quote.
- Upgrade your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) to family cover for the duration of your student visa before applying for family entry.
Schooling and childcare
As an AAS student, your children can attend government schools – the Department of Education has information about schools in Victoria and the application process. You can also take a look at our childcare website for information on childcare options.
If your family is planning to visit Australia on a short-term tourist/visitor's visa, they don't need approval from Australia Awards or the University.
Your relative or family:
- must apply for an appropriate visitor's visa to enter Australia
- may need to visit an Australian Embassy or High Commission to complete their application or get further information.
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