UWA Announces Mandatory Return to In-Person Classes

Following the University of Sydney’s announcement that classes will return in person in 2023, UWA has also confirmed it will fully resume face-to-face teaching in 2023. All departments are fully prepared to welcome international students back to campus.

The Australian Government has recently issued updated guidance to universities regarding the reinstatement of strict compliance with the ESOS Act (Education Services for Overseas Students Act) from 30 June 2023.The Act provides direction on how universities must support international students and sets out conditions for student visa holders.

UWA has all international student support services in place to help students settle into life in Perth and make the most of their time at the university.

Semester 1, 2023

While many students returned to campus in 2022, UWA encourages international students who have not yet returned to do so in 2023.

– Students currently in Australia must enrol in on-campus classes.

– Students currently overseas may still access some online classes in Semester 1, 2023.

For students whose travel to Australia in early 2023 is affected by COVID-19, UWA will work with them individually to find a suitable solution.

Semester 2, 2023

Under Australian Government requirements, all international students must return to campus for in-person classes in Semester 2, 2023 and comply with the full-time study requirements of their student visa.

UWA advises international students still overseas to begin planning their return to Perth. Failure to return by June 2023 may affect their student visa.

Reminder: many student visas are expiring on 15 March — check your visa expiry date now! If you need to renew your student visa or apply for a graduate work visa, contact the consultant listed at the end of this article.

Bond University Adds Occupational Therapy Bridging Course — No Background Required

As one of Australia’s most renowned private universities,Bond University has ranked No. 1 in Australia for student satisfaction with educational experience for 17 consecutive years.Their newly launched Master of Occupational Therapy can be paired with a six-month bridging course, requires no prior background in the field, and can be completed in just 2.5 years.Furthermore, Bond University’s Master of Occupational Therapy is also a programme recognised by the relevant skills assessment authority — graduates can proceed directly to their occupational therapy skills assessment!

Let’s take a closer look at the career prospects for occupational therapists and the migration pathways available after graduation.

Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists are among the most in-demand professionals in Australia’s job market. They work to assist individuals whose ability to function has been limited by illness, injury, or disability.

Occupational therapists typically work directly with clients, designing treatment programmes to build skills and improve functional capacity.

They work across a diverse range of settings, including hospitals, private clinics, aged care facilities, workplaces, and schools.

According to SEEK, Australia’s largest job search platform, the average annual salary for an occupational therapist ranges from AUD $80,000 to AUD $95,000 — a solid high-income career.

Migration Pathways After Graduation

Occupational therapists are currently on Australia’s medium and long-term strategic skills list, making them eligible to apply for employer-sponsored migration, skilled independent points-based migration, state-nominated visas, training visas, graduate work visas, and regional employer sponsorship and regional family sponsorship.Virtually every skilled migration visa category is on the table!

Bond University’s Master of Occupational Therapy is still accepting applications for May and September 2023 intakes. Interested students, reach out now!

South Australia’s Super-University Merger Moves Ahead!

The long-debated Australian super-university plan has finally been revived! Proposed by South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, after a decade of failed attempts, negotiations between the two institutions are now progressing smoothly. The plan is to merge the University of Adelaide — a member of the Group of Eight — with the employment-focused University of South Australia by 2026, creating a new Adelaide University brand.The new university is expected to have a total enrolment of 60,000 students.

Senior industry insiders told The Australian that the major points of disagreement that had previously stalled negotiations have largely been resolved. University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Hoj and University of South Australia Vice-Chancellor Professor David Lloyd issued a joint statement to The Australian welcoming the merger plan.

Notably absent from the plan, however, is Flinders University — only two of South Australia’s three universities are involved in the merger.Mr Malinauskas noted that Flinders University, which would be the most economically advantageous for South Australia to include, will not be part of the plan.

The University of Adelaide was founded in 1874, making it South Australia’s oldest university and the state’s only Go8 member. The University of South Australia was established in 1991 but absorbed numerous former colleges of education, arts, mining, and energy — its history extends back to the late 19th century.

The University of Adelaide has a total enrolment of 23,905 students and the University of South Australia has 37,000 students. Together, the merged institution in 2026 will have 61,000 students, with further plans already in place to attract even more.

The merged super-university is expected to make South Australia a magnet for domestic and international students, establish the state as a global research leader, and significantly boost the South Australian economy.

Notable alumni of the University of Adelaide include Australia’s first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard, astronaut Andy Thomas, X-ray pioneer William Bragg, and pharmacologist Howard Florey, who helped discover penicillin.

Education Minister Sue Close stated that the new university will be established under new South Australian parliamentary legislation, with bipartisan support. She said: “It will be a leading university delivering four outcomes: modern and comprehensive education, impact, research excellence, and equity of opportunity.”

The University of Adelaide’s areas of strength include:

Business

Food & Wine

Defence & Security

Health & Medicine

Engineering & Technology

Life Sciences

Mining & Energy

Environmental Sciences

2023 Go8 Postgraduate Application Deadlines

As 2023 gets under way and universities gradually resume in-person teaching, we’ve been receiving many enquiries from students about 2023 applications.Here’s a summary of the 2023 application deadlines for Go8 postgraduate programmes — plan ahead and don’t miss them!

University of Melbourne

2023 Semester 1 deadline: 31 October 2022

2023 Semester 2 deadline: 30 April 2022

Master of Finance applications run in 2 rounds (commencing July):

Round 1 deadline: 28 February 2023

Round 2 deadline: 30 April 2023

University of New South Wales (UNSW)

2023 Semester 1 deadline: 30 November 2022

2023 Semester 2 deadline: 31 March 2023

2023 Semester 3 deadline: 31 July 2023

University of Sydney

2023 Semester 1 deadline: 20 February 2023

2023 Semester 2 deadline: 31 July 2023

Australian National University (ANU)

2023 Semester 1 deadline: 15 December 2022

2023 Semester 2 deadline: 15 May 2023

University of Queensland (UQ)

2023 Semester 1 deadline: 30 November 2022

2023 Semester 2 deadline: 31 May 2023

The remaining three Go8 universities have not yet released specific international student application deadlines. Follow the Newstars platform for the latest updates!

University of Tasmania: Online Study Capped at 4 Weeks in Semester 1, 2023

The University of Tasmania has announced that all international students must return to campus by the end of Week 4 of Semester 1, 2023 (the Friday of Week 4 falls on 17 March), to attend face-to-face classes. Students who require online study due to COVID-19 impacts must submit a simple Expression of Interest (EOI) application.

International students applying for online study must meet the following criteria:

1. The student is enrolled in an eligible programme — see details at

https://www.utas.edu.au/study/online/international-online-studies 

2. The student has received a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) at least 30 days before the semester start, or is already enrolled

3. The student’s travel to Australia or visa has been restricted due to COVID-19 impacts, for example:for example:

– Unable to leave their home country due to lockdowns

– Flights are limited or airfares are prohibitively expensive

– Visa processing has been delayed by COVID-19 (beyond the standard average processing time of 29 days)

Obligations for Online Study Students

Students approved via EOI must enrol in Semester 1, 2023 units and actively participate in all coursework and activities.

Students approved via EOI must arrive at the UTas campus by the end of Week 4 of Semester 1.

Students approved via EOI must provide flight details to UTas.

Application website

https://www.utas.edu.au/study/online/international-online-studies

China Announces New Entry Requirements: Negative PCR Test Within 48 Hours of Departure

Attention students planning to return to China from Australia!

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Australia has announced updated entry requirements: all travellers to China must complete a PCR test within 48 hours prior to departure and provide a negative result. Airlines operating flights to China will verify passengers’ negative test certificates before boarding, and Chinese Customs will conduct random checks upon arrival.

Effective 12:01 a.m. on 17 January 2023.

So what do students need to prepare under this new policy?

Before Departure

All travellers entering China from Australia must take a PCR test within 48 hours before boarding. Only those with a negative result may board. Those who test positive must wait until they return a negative result before travelling to China.

Passengers should have their negative test certificate ready before boarding and carry it with them for inspection.

Customs Declaration

After obtaining a negative result, complete the Health Declaration Form for Entry/Exit of the People’s Republic of China via the WeChat mini-programme “Customs Passenger Fingertip Service”, the Customs Mobile App, or the web portal (https://htdecl.chinaport.gov.cn).

Boarding Verification and In-Flight Health Measures

Airlines will check passengers’ 48-hour negative PCR certificate at boarding. Passengers unable to present a valid certificate will not be permitted to board.

The Chinese Embassy recommends wearing a mask throughout the flight and taking personal health precautions.

Arrival Quarantine
Upon arrival, passengers must complete customs clearance procedures using their health declaration QR code. Customs will conduct random checks of 48-hour negative PCR certificates. Travellers with normal declarations and no quarantine anomalies will be permitted to enter. Those with abnormal health declarations or fever symptoms will undergo further testing by Customs. Those who test positive must isolate at home or in designated accommodation, or seek medical attention as directed.

Local Health Measures

After entering China, all travellers must strictly comply with local COVID-19 prevention and control requirements.

Note: the PCR test certificate must include the following information:

The name of the person tested (must match the travel document used for the flight to China), ideally with date of birth and travel document number.

Test information: the test time or report issue time (at least one must fall within 48 hours of boarding); the testing method (must be PCR — antigen tests are not accepted); the result (must be negative — “inconclusive” or “grey zone” results are not accepted); and the name and contact details of the testing institution.

The certificate must be in English and will be checked by the airline operating the China-bound flight.

The certificate must be a paper report. If the testing institution issues an electronic report, please print it out and bring it with you.

2023