Information for Overseas Students

There are a number of options for students that are not Australian or New Zealand residents for attending the Academy’s courses including: student, tourist and working holiday visas.

New Zealand residents do not require a visa.

Overseas Students Not on Student Visas

Those overseas students resident in Australia not on student visas are subject to the same academic and financial conditions as Australian and New Zealand students.

Overseas Students on Student Visas

Education for overseas students on Student Visas is regulated by both Commonwealth and State legislation to ensure quality service and to ensure that students receive the services they have paid for.  To ensure this, Satyananda Yoga Academy complies with the requirements of the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students.

You are advised that personal information provided to Satyananda Yoga Academy may be made available to Commonwealth and State agencies and the Fund Manager of the ESOS Assurance Fund, pursuant to obligations under the ESOS Act 2000 and the National Code.

Satyananda Yoga Academy Code of Practice

We will:

• Adopt policies and management practices that maintain high professional standards in the delivery of educational and training services, and which safeguard the educational interests and welfare of overseas students.
• Maintain a learning environment that is conducive to the success of overseas students.
• Provide teaching staff who have the qualifications and experience for the delivery and assessment of CRICOS registered courses.
• Inform staff dealing with overseas students of their responsibilities under the National Code, the ESOS Act 2000, and relevant State legislation, as part of their induction or in-house training.
• Ensure that the marketing of our services for overseas students is done with integrity and accuracy.

Attendance by Overseas Students on Student Visas

Please note that once you have enrolled in a module, you will not be allowed to defer commencement of, or suspend your studies except on the grounds of illness, evidenced by a doctor’s certificate or other exceptional circumstances beyond your control. If you defer or suspend your studies for any other reason, we must notify the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) that you are in breach of your visa conditions.

Your overall attendance in a module must not fall below 80%. You must provide evidence (eg medical certificate) if you are unable to attend due to illness or other exceptional circumstances beyond your control. Attendance will be monitored daily.

If you fail to attend classes for 5 consecutive days or you are inconsistent in your attendance, you will be required to attend a counselling session with the Academy’s International Student Coordinator. This will be recorded on your file. Failure to achieve 80% attendance overall will be notified to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).

Overseas Student Health Cover

If you are an international student studying in Australia, it is a condition of your student visa that you have private health insurance for the duration of your stay, as you are not covered by Australia’s national health system, Medicare.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) fees need to be paid at the time of enrolment. The cost of the OSHC differs depending on the duration of your course.

OSHC is provided by Medibank Private. Please visit their website at www.medibank.com.au for more information.  Their overseas student policy covers doctor’s visits, hospital treatment (there may be a small gap fee to pay in hospital), pathology services and X-rays. Please check with the Academy before applying if you are unsure.

English Language Proficiency

If your prior education has not been in English, please contact us to determine whether your level of English language proficiency is adequate. If you are applying for a student visa and you are from an Assessment Level 3 or 4 country, you will need to provide the results of an IELTS examination prior to enrolment.

IELTS tests the complete range of English language skills that will commonly be encountered by students when studying or training in the medium of English. For further details on how to take this test, visit http://www.ielts.org/  or email ielts@idp.com

Personal Support

The International Student Coordinator is your contact person at the Academy for any difficulties you may encounter. As well as helping you with your student visa and enrolment, the International Student Coordinator is available to assist you with any personal or academic issues you may encounter.

Educational Arrangements for Dependents

If you are bringing school-age dependents with you to Australia, you will be required to pay full fees if they are enrolled in either a government or non government school.

Visas

Before arriving in Australia, you will need to apply to the Australian Government for a Visa. Full information about Australian visas including application forms is available from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) www.immi.gov.au. Please consult this website well before your intended visit.  The Academy can offer some assistance with visas.

New Zealanders do not require a visa when entering Australia.  Other foreigners require a visa to enter Australia.

There are a number of visa options for overseas students. The three most common visas available are:

Tourist Visa

Tourist Visas may be used for study for up to three months.  Tourist Visas are available for three or six month periods, depending on the circumstances.

Tourist Visas do not permit you to work while in Australia.  In some instances an extension of a Tourist Visa is available. However once you arrive in Australia, you cannot apply for any other type of visa.

Students travelling on Tourist Visas may complete the Diploma by attending the Residential Learning Period and then returning home to complete the home study via the distance option.

Working Holiday Visa

Working Holiday Visas allow a stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia.  They are available to people between the ages of 18 and 30 (without dependant children) from certain countries (see list of countries below) to holiday in Australia and to supplement their travel funds through incidental employment.

On this visa, you are allowed to do any kind of work of a temporary or casual nature, but work for more than six months with any one employer is not permitted.  Working Holiday Visa holders are permitted to study or train for up to four months and to leave and re-enter Australia for as long as the visa is valid.

This type of visa would enable you to complete the Diploma by the distance option and would allow you a longer period of residence at the ashram.

• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
• Italy
• Japan
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Republic of Cyprus
• Republic of Ireland
• Republic of Korea
• Sweden
• Taiwan
• United Kingdom

Student Visa

Student Visas allow you to reside in Australia for the duration of your course. Student Visas are available for applicants accepted into the Diploma course.

Once your deposit is paid and your medical insurance is finalised, we send an electronic confirmation of enrolment (ECoE) to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, so that when you contact your nearest Australian embassy or consulate, they will have your details.  As the whole process can take a few weeks, please apply with plenty of time to ensure your visa will be available in time.  We will liaise with you through this process.

As you need to have 20 contact hours per week, the most feasible option is the full residential option. You can choose either Mangrove or Rocklyn residential ashram.

Working in Australia on a Student Visa

If you wish to undertake voluntary departmental karma yoga at the ashram as part of your residential stay and in order to be eligible for the karma yoga participation rates, you will need to apply for permission to work. Application is made to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and a fee is payable.

You apply for this once you are in Australia and it covers you to work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and unlimited time during semester breaks. Very limited paid work opportunities exist in the areas surrounding Mangrove and Rocklyn Ashrams.

The issuing of a visa or work permit is at the discretion of the Federal Government. You will also need to obtain a Tax File Number (TFN) from the Australian Taxation office.

Obligations for Students on Student Visas

As an international student on a Students Visa, you must inform us of your address in Australia or elsewhere during term and semester breaks and any change to your contact details.

You must maintain an overall attendance of 80%; otherwise you will breach your visa conditions.

We need to inform the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) if you change, defer or suspend your studies or if you breach your visa conditions by failing to attend or make satisfactory academic progress.

Protection of Student Fees

The Academy operates under financial management practices that ensure adequate funds are available to meet refunds. To protect fees paid by international students, the Academy contributes to the Educational Services for Overseas Students Assurance Fund.