International Students Returning

Great News!

As announced by the Australian Federal Government on 29th November 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can now travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption from 15th December 2021 onwards. The eligible visa holders include but are not limited to Subclass 500 – Student visa and Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa.

AIBT is excited to welcome back returning international students and looks forward to meeting our new international students in Australia. We would also love to address students’ concerns on their travels well ahead by holding the Online Livestream Pre-departure Webinar.

Watch our online webinar

On Monday 13th December 2021, we held an online webinar for overseas students. You can view the recording here!
  1. International Students Returning to Australia Guide
  • Who is allowed to return to Australia?
  • When are the state/territory borders re-opening?
  • What are the state/territory requirements for arriving travellers?
  • What are the AIBT requirements for students after their arriving in Australia?
  1. Other important information
  • OSHC arrangements
  • Reporting to AIBT campuses
  • Special Orientation Program
  • H.E.A.R.T Services (Student Support) and contacts
  1. Q & A session
  • Feel free to raise your questions and have them addressed in the webinar!

Downloads

Download the official Government factsheet
Download the students returning to Australia guide

We highly recommend that students who are planning their travel/return to Australia attend the webinar.

FAQ's

Latest information as of 7th December 2021

Yes! Australia’s international borders have reopened as of 15 December 2021 to fully vaccinated eligible visa holders, without needing to apply for a travel exemption. These eligible visa holders include but are not limited to subclass 500 – student visa and subclass 485 – temporary graduate visa.

You are eligible to enter Australia if you:

  • are fully vaccinated (2 doses) with a vaccine approved and recognised by Australia’s TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) OR mixed doses of any vaccines mentioned above
  • have proof of your vaccination status
  • hold a valid visa
  • have a negative COVID-19 PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken within 3 days of departure unless a medical exemption applies
  • complete an Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) at least 72 hours before departure

 

Please note that Travel restrictions are now in place for people who have been in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, or Malawi in the last 14 days. Any travellers who have been in these countries in the last 14 days EXCEPT Australian citizens, permanent residents or their immediate family members are not permitted to enter Australia.

As of 20 January 2021, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recognised the following COVID-19 vaccines for the purposes of inbound travel to Australia:

  • Comirnaty (Pfizer)
  • Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca)
  • Spikevax or Takeda (Moderna)
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (Janssen)
  • Nuvaxovid (Biocelect on behalf of Novavax)
  • Coronavac (Sinovac)
  • Covishield (AstraZeneca – Serum Institute of India)
  • BBIBP-CorV for people under 60 years of age on arrival in Australia (Sinopharm China)
  • Covaxin (Bharat Biotech)
  • Sputnik V (Gamaleya Research Institute)

 

Individuals vaccinated with mixed doses will be considered fully vaccinated if all vaccines received are approved or recognised by the TGA.

The TGA is continuing to evaluate other COVID-19 vaccines that may be recognised for the purposes of inbound travel to Australia.

Up to date information on vaccines recognised in Australia is available on the SmartTraveller website at: www.smartraveller.gov.au/COVID-19/COVID-19-vaccinations

  • Provide a vaccination certificate issued by a national or state/provincial-level authority or an accredited vaccination provider. This must:
    • Be written in English or another language but with a certified translation
    • Contain at a minimum:
      • The same name as shown in your passport
      • EITHER date of birth OR passport number
      • The vaccine brand name
      • The date of each dose OR the date on which a full course of immunisation was completed

 

Information on foreign vaccination certificates is available on the Australian Passport Office website at: https://www.passports.gov.au/guidance-foreign-vaccination-certificates

Travellers returning to Australia may only enter and travel between NSW, VIC and the ACT without quarantining. If you wish to travel on to another state or territory, you may not be allowed to enter or may be subject to a quarantine period.

Across Australia, states and territories have their own quarantine rules in place. Some require approval to travel across the border from NSW or even a second isolation period when you arrive.

 

NSW (Blacktown campus):

  • International travellers must go straight to your house or accommodation and isolate for 72 hours (3 days).
  • Get a COVID-19 PCR test within 24 hours of arrival, and do not leave your house or accommodation until you receive a negative result which usually comes within 24 hours but please allow up to 72 hours.
  • During this period, do not go outside or visit shops as heavy penalties apply.
  • Get another COVID-19 PCR test on day 6, and don’t visit high-risk places until you get a negative day 6 test result.

 For more details, please visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/travel-restrictions/international-travel-rules

 

TAS (Hobart campus)

  • Travellers who have been overseas (other than low-risk areas in New Zealand or approved Australian Antarctic Division travellers) or on a cruise shipin the 14 days prior to arriving in Tasmania must quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Tasmania. For more information on quarantine in Tasmania, please visit: https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travellers-and-visitors/quarantine-isolation-and-stay-at-home-directions
  • Overseas arrivals must be fully vaccinated and also have two COVID-19 tests while in quarantine – the first will occur within 48 hours of arrival, and the second will be on or soon after day 12 of quarantine.
  • Travellers who have spent time overseas (other than low-risk areas in New Zealand) or on a cruise shipin the 14 days prior to arriving in Tasmania require pre-approval from the Deputy State Controller to enter Tasmania.
  • The most effective way of seeking this pre-approval is to make a G2G PASSsubmission under ‘Category 8: Other persons, or classes of persons, approved by the Deputy State Controller’.

For more information regarding G2G PASS, please visit: https://www.g2gpass.com.au/ and https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travellers-and-visitors/g2g-pass.

For more FAQs, please visit: https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travellers-and-visitors/g2g-pass/g2g-pass-faqs

 

QLD (Brisbane campus)

As of 1 am, Monday, 13th December:

  • International arrivals must be fully vaccinated and return a negative covid test within 72 hours of departure
  • They will be required to get a test on arrival
  • They must go into home or hotel quarantine for 14 days

For more information on quarantine in Queensland, please visit: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/protect-yourself-others/quarantine

At AIBT, most schools are running online classes with a combination of e-learning and online consultations. We reopened our workshops and restaurants from 1st November 2021, and it has been estimated that face to face classes may resume early next year in 2022. Returning international students should contact their school directly about on-campus learning arrangements.

If you arrive in Australia earlier than your proposed start date, you must contact your OSHC provider and make sure your OSHC covers the entire duration of your student visa (start date & end date). For more information and arrangements, please visit the websites below if your OSHC is arranged by AIBT:

https://www.bupa.com.au/health-insurance/oshc/get-bupa/bupa-benefits

https://www.bupa.com.au/health-insurance/oshc/get-bupa/oshc-faqs

Remember, you need to be continuously covered by OSHC when you’re in Australia, or you may breach your visa conditions (8501-maintain adequate health insurance).

If you need to make any changes to the start or end dates of your OSHC, please get in touch with your provider, and they can help.

Under current Covid-19 circumstances, we have temporarily suspended this service.

Restrictions may change at short notice. All travellers should check requirements in the state or territory of arrival, including quarantine and testing requirements. For more information, visit: https://www.australia.gov.au/states