Genuine Student 2024: Master the New Requirement Now

Look, if you are applying for a student visa, the rules changed on 23 March 2024. The old Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement is gone. Replaced by something called the Genuine Student requirement.

Same goal. Different approach. Here is what you need to know.

What Is the Genuine Student Requirement?

The Department wants to know one thing: are you genuinely coming to Australia to study?

Not to work. Not to stay permanently from day one. To study.

That does not mean you cannot work while studying or apply for permanent residency later. The Genuine Student requirement actually acknowledges that post-study pathways exist, including skilled migration. But your primary reason for the visa must be education.

The Four Questions You Will Answer

In the online application, you will respond to four targeted questions. Each answer has a 150-word limit. Make them count.

Question one: Your current circumstances. Family ties, community connections, employment, economic situation. What does your life look like right now?

Question two: Why this course, why this provider, why Australia? You need to show you understand what you are signing up for. Not just "I want to study in Australia." Why this specific course? Why this specific institution?

Question three: How the course benefits you. What will you do with this qualification? How does it fit your career plans?

Question four: Anything else relevant. This is your chance to address anything that might look unusual or explain gaps in your history.

If you have held a student visa before, or you are applying from within Australia on a different visa, there is an additional question about your study history.

Generic Answers Will Get You Refused

Here is what catches people out. They write generic statements without evidence.

"I want to study in Australia because it has a good education system."

That tells the Department nothing. Everyone says that. It does not demonstrate you are a genuine student.

You need specifics. You need evidence. If you say you researched the course, show what you researched. If you say it will help your career, explain exactly how.

Evidence That Supports Your Application

Previous Study

• Academic transcripts from all institutions attended

• Certificates of completion or attainment

• Details of education providers and duration of study

Previous Study in Australia

• Complete study history with all providers

• Reasons for any course or provider changes

• Course progress information and results

• Explanation of any study gaps over two months

Current Employment

• Employer name and address

• Period of employment

• Position held and responsibilities

• Contact person who can verify your employment

Home Country Circumstances

• Family and community ties that will bring you home

• Reasons for not studying at home if similar courses exist

• Economic circumstances including tax returns and bank statements

• Potential job offers after completing the course

How the Department Assesses Your Application

They look at the whole picture:

• Your circumstances and ties to home

• Your immigration history across all countries

• Your compliance with previous visa conditions

• Whether the course makes sense for your education level and career

• How much genuine research you have done into the course and living costs

If you have visa refusals or cancellations in your history, they will consider that. If you have gaps in your study or unexplained course changes, they will ask why.

What Should You Do Now?

Do not treat the Genuine Student questions as a formality. They are the core of your application.

Write specific, evidence-backed answers. Explain your reasoning. Show you understand what you are committing to and why it makes sense for your future.

If you are unsure whether your answers are strong enough, or if you have a complicated study history, book a consultation. We review student visa applications before lodgement and identify the weak points before the Department does.