(college and universities)
Within a week of Australia downgrading India's student visa assessment level, many Australian education providers have cancelled or withdrawn CoEs and offer letters of Indian students, specifically from the northern Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Listen to this conversation for more information.
Following the recent student visa changes, countries like India, Pakistan and Nepal are now in the high-risk category as their assessment level has been changed from Level 2 to Level 3.
These changes have already started affecting many students from India who say they are now unable to get admission in various Australian institutes.
Iqbal Singh*, a recent graduate from a Punjab-based institute wants to come to Australia as an international student.
Mr Singh claimed that he has ‘high-grade’ requisite qualifications, an English level score of 6.5 in IELTS (overall) and evidence of ‘financial backing’ from his parents.
But despite meeting these requirements, his offer letter issued for an advanced diploma by the University of Technology, Sydney has now been cancelled.
Mr Singh told SBS Punjabi that he is ‘devastated’ after UTS informed him about this outcome.
“I am surprised to see that they are denying me entry despite the fact that I meet all their requirements. What else do they want?” he asked.
“UTS just said there is an increase in visa refusals from a number of high-risk regions in India, and hence they took this decision to withdraw or cancel any offers or CoEs from the university.”
Mr Singh said he wants University to apply this decision on a ‘case-by-case’ basis and not ‘force a random blanket policy’ for all Indian students.
SBS Punjabi also has access to the information circulars distributed by UTS and UTS Insearch**, which clearly mentions that ‘until further notice, UTS and UTS Insearch will not be issuing any offers or joint eCoEs for students from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
The statement that is addressed to UTS’s education partners reads:
We will be withdrawing all packaged offers for future intakes for students from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
“We will be cancelling all CoEs for students from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab and encourage you to work with the students to withdraw their visa applications in the interim to avoid a negative outcome.”
Sydney-based migration agent Harjinder Chauhan told SBS Punjabi that not only UTS but many other educational providers have taken a similar decision to ‘avoid’ Indian students.
“I know at least three education providers who have taken this decision,” he said.
“I’m not really surprised by this though since they don’t want any risky or non-genuine students. They’re just following the lead of the Department of Home Affairs which has clearly indicated that there is a risk involved in terms of visa approvals.” sbs Punjabi
Comments