Australia welcomes international students to its universities with open arms, however, there are also chances of student visa rejections. Applying for an Australian visa doesn’t mean you will necessarily be granted one. No matter how carefully you compile the visa application you may miss something important or misinterpret what was asked of you. In some cases, the refusal may even be a mistake. Unfortunately, a denied visa will set back your travel plans since you won’t be able to travel to Australia. 

Some of the reasons for Australian Student visa rejections are:

• Invalid Passport: Your passport must have been issued during the last ten years and must be valid for at least six months after you return from Australia. In cases where passports don’t meet these criteria, the Immigration Office won’t issue visas.
   
• Incomplete Application Form: If you submit an incomplete application form, your visa request will most likely be denied.
   
• Character Requirement Failure: Failure to meet the Australia visa character stipulation will result in visa rejection. In case your visa is denied on character grounds, you might not be given another visa.
   
• Missing Documents: If you are missing a document that is required for the Australia visa application, then your visa request will be denied.
   
• False Information: When applying for an Australian visa, you have to answer all the questions honestly and provide all accurate information. If you are found to have provided false information, your visa request may be denied.
   
• Failure to Answer Additional Requests: After you submit a visa application, the Immigration Office may ask you to provide additional documents or information. If you fail to answer these requests, you won’t receive a visa.
   
• Lack of Financial Means: If you can’t provide proof that you can support your trip in Australia, you won’t be granted a visa. It’s important to the Immigration Office to know that you are capable of financially supporting yourself.
   
• Lack of Health Insurance: In cases where health insurance is mandatory for specific visas (student visas), applicants must provide evidence they have purchased the required insurance. Lack of health insurance will result in visa refusal.
   
• Failed Intention to return: In cases where the case officer believes that the intention to return to home country is missing and student will potentially use student visa to secure other visa, the outcome of student visa application may be negative.
   
• Not Satisfying the GTE condition: According to the Department of Home Affairs, all applicants that apply for a student visa must demonstrate that they are coming to Australia temporarily for educational purposes.  The Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement is a requirement for all student visas and it is also the most common reason why the Department refuses student visas.  To satisfy the GTE criteria, your individual circumstances must show that you genuinely intend on staying in Australia temporarily.  

During the assessment of the GTE requirement, the following factors will be considered:  

• Your personal circumstances in your home country;  
• Your potential circumstances in Australia;  
• Your past immigration history;  
• The value of the program for your future career, as well as;  
• Any other factor that may be relevant to your intention to temporarily stay in Australia.  

In case your visa application for Australia is denied (while being onshore) you can submit a refusal appeal:

• Apply at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).