International students

Is the University teaching affected by COVID-19? 

Flinders’ teaching continues, taking into account SA Health requirements for physical distancing.

Where Activity Restrictions are in place, Flinders will modify delivery modes so that teaching continues as smoothly as possible.

Workshops, seminars and tutorials may be offered in person where spacing allows. Check FLO topic sites or contact your topic coordinator for more information.

Lectures will remain online.

Are there any courses that can't be studied online?

Most of our courses have some online availability and students who are offshore can commence online while travel restrictions persist. Most courses will require students to come on campus for some part of the degree. Students commencing offshore will need access to a computer and reliable internet connection in order to study successfully.

Details of courses currently delivered with online availability are available here.

This list is correct at time of publication and may be subject to change.

If your preferred course is not in this list, please contact us for more information on availability.

Do I need an approved visa in order to study online offshore before I come to Australia?

The Australian Government is strongly encouraging students commencing their CRICOS studies online, who want to study in Australia or be afforded ESOS protections, to start their visa application process when enrolling or as soon as practically possible. This will ensure you have a valid student visa and will be able to travel to Australia when it becomes possible.

Students offshore who wish to apply for a 485 Post Study Work visa on completion of their studies should note that offshore study can only be counted towards the Australian Study Requirement for student visa holders. See the Department of Home Affairs’ Student and Temporary Graduate Visas page for more detail. 

Students who are onshore in Australia must ensure that they have a valid visa while they remain in Australia. 

Given the limited availability of English language tests, will you accept an English test older than 2 years?

We have made a temporary change to the English language proficiency requirements for the Semester One, 2022 intake. English test results that will be no more than three years old on the course commencement date will be accepted.

Additionally, Duolingo* is approved to validate English with the following scores:

*Note that Duolingo is not accepted for entry into the Bachelor of Nursing degrees.

Are there any other ways to meet my English language criteria?

The University will accept online/interview assessments from its approved English language providers as a basis for meeting direct English entry requirements. Students who do not meet direct entry requirements will be able to commence studies with the University's English language providers online and should contact them directly to understand study requirements, options and fees.

If I had to defer my start date and I was eligible for the Go Beyond scholarship, will I be able to claim this for my new start date?

Yes, the Go Beyond Scholarship will be available for deferring applicants.

I have a current visa and have accepted my package however I cannot get to Australia. What are pathway providers doing?

Students in academic or English language packages should contact their pathway course provider directly to understand online study requirements, options and fees.

When will the borders open so I can come to Australia?

We do not know how long the current travel restrictions will remain in place.

The best source of information is the Department of Home Affairs’ COVID-19 and the border web page, which provides information on travel restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as information for current visa holders. These will be updated as the situation changes.

South Australia’s International Student Arrival Plan (ISAP)

South Australia is the first state to receive approval from the Federal Government to implement an International Student Arrival Plan (ISAP). The planning for the safe return of international students to Adelaide is currently underway and Flinders International provides regular updates to its international students offshore via their university email accounts.

It is important that international students offshore must hold a valid passport and a valid student visa (subclass 500) to be considered for the ISAP. For more information visit StudyAdelaide’s ISAP FAQ page https://studyadelaide.com/return

Should I stay in Australia or return home?

If you feel you want to return home, we will support you and work with you to minimise the disruption to your studies. Please contact the International Student Services (ISS) team via AskFlinders@flinders.edu.au, Jabber Guest App or 8201 2717 to discuss your options. The ISS team will work with your College to find the best study plan for you. Continuation of studies will be based on the availability of fully online topic options in your course. While we will do our best, we may not be able to provide a full-time load for all offshore students.

Please note that while border restrictions remain in place, returning to Australia is likely to be difficult and you may not be able to complete your course from offshore.

If you stay in Australia, you must maintain a full-time enrolment load so that you continue to meet your student visa conditions.

I want to return home and suspend my studies

Requests to withdraw must be made by submitting an AskFlinders request. If you withdraw from your studies before census date these will not appear on your transcript and any tuition fees will be credited back to your student account to go towards future semesters’ fees.

If you suspend your studies you must depart Australia. If you remain in Australia with no study you will be in breach of your student visa conditions and your COE will be cancelled. You will then be required find an alternative course of study or leave the country.

You must provide the Flinders International Compliance team with evidence that you have left Australia. The compliance team will suspend your COE and adjust the expected completion date for your course.

For more detail on critical enrolment dates and what these mean for enrolment changes please go to the University’s critical enrolment dates page.

Changes to your enrolment

Please contact the International Student Services (ISS) team via AskFlinders@flinders.edu.au, Jabber Guest App or 8201 2717 to discuss any other changes to your enrolment

There is information for current visa holders on the Department of Home Affairs website. This page is updated frequently with new information. Please check the links regularly for new updates and media releases.

The University is working according to the normal compliance requirements of the Department of Home Affairs when considering the impact of COVID-19 for students in Australia. Any withdrawal, suspension or deferral of studies will affect your COE status and may have implications for your student visa. Please contact the International Compliance team by making an AskFlinders request if you have specific enquiries about your visa.

Do I need to apply for a new student visa prior to the expiry of my current student visa expiry is if I am studying offshore?

Yes, It is important to have as you will need a valid student visa to be able to travel to Australia when possible once borders reopen. Your student visa also offers you important ESOS protections. For more information, see the ESOS Act and National Code 2018.

To check your visa expiry date and visa conditions, please check VEVO.

My visa is due to expire. Can I get a fee waiver for a new visa application?

Students who held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020 and who couldn’t complete their course within their original visa validity due to the impacts of COVID-19 may be eligible to apply for a new student visa and have the visa application charge waived. Eligibility requirements apply, as outlined on the Department of Home Affairs website.:

• student deferred study as they were unable to enter Australia
• student was forced to reduce to a part-time study load (the underload must be authorised by International Compliance)
• student was unable to complete WIL or placement.

Applications must be submitted to Home Affairs with the completed form 1545. Applicants are advised to include evidence of the impact of COVID-19 on their studies with their visa application.

The application fee waiver is only available to students whose extension is required as a result of the impact of COVID-19. It is NOT available to students who:

• need new visas for other reasons (eg if you failed topics or you deferred study or reduced your study load for reasons not related to COVID-19)
• have already submitted applications for new visas (ie application charges already paid will not be refunded).

If you think you are eligible for the visa application charge waiver, submit a request through Ask Flinders to request a new COE to extend your studies and attach documentary evidence of how COVID-19 prevented you from completing your studies by your expected completion date. If you have already provided evidence you do not need to provide it again, just advise us in the Ask Flinders request what it is and where it was submitted.

Will online study affect my visa if I am still onshore?

Taking the online options that Flinders has implemented will not affect your student visa. Onshore students should enrol in face-to-face topics where possible, to ensure compliance with the ESOS Act and National Code .

Will online study affect my eligibility for a Post Study Work visa?

If you are in Australia, undertaking online study if a face to face availability is not available will not affect your eligibility for a Post Study Work (PSW) visa.

If you choose to leave Australia and maintain enrolment through online study, it is likely this will not contribute to the Australian study requirement for the PSW visa. Please carefully consider your plans if you wish to leave Australia during your studies as travel restrictions continue to remain enforced and not all topics may not be available for online study.

If you are studying online, you have a student visa and you have not yet travelled to Australia due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, your online study will count towards the Australian Study Requirement for existing and new student visa holders. Details on this and other flexibility measures is available on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Standard eligibility requirements for the Post Study Work visa are outlined on the Department of Home Affairs website.

If I am not able to enrol in a full-time load of online topics will it affect my visa?

If you are offshore we recognise that your circumstances may not permit full time study so offshore students may enrol in a part-time load. This will not affect your visa.

If you are onshore you are expected to enrol in a full-time study load. Any reduction of study load must be approved by Flinders international before you withdraw from any topics.

If the government health advice changes and Flinders is unable to continue face-to-face teaching, and if the University is unable to deliver your study plan in a fully online mode, you may need to maintain part-time enrolment until face-to-face teaching can resume. If the reduction in study load is required because a full-time online load is unavailable, the part-time load will not affect your COE or your student visa. Please seek written College confirmation of reduced study load and forward it to the Compliance team for approval by submitting an Ask Flinders request.

If I leave Australia, will I be able to return?

The best source of information is the Department of Home Affairs’ COVID and the Border website, which provides information on travel restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as information for current visa holders. These will be updated as the situation changes.

Some students may meet the criteria for individual travel exemptions which are detailed on the Home Affairs website.

The University is working closely with all placement and WIL partners to ensure placements continue in-line with rapidly changing Australian Government directives and guidelines. This includes the strengthening of compliance statements that assures partners that all students are fit, healthy and able to undertake placements. The University is continuing to ensure partners are providing appropriate levels of health and safety for students during placements.

If a placement is available and a student chooses not to take it, the University cannot guarantee when the placement can be rescheduled. As such, this may impact on progression in the students’ course of study and potentially completion dates.

If you are unsure about any aspect of your placement please contact your College WIL contact:

• College of Business, Government and Law: cbgl.placements@flinders.edu.au
• College of Education, Psychology and Social Work: cepsw.placements@flinders.edu.au
• College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences: chass.placements@flinders.edu.au
• College of Medicine and Public Health: cmph.placements@flinders.edu.au
• College of Nursing and Health Sciences: cnhs.placements@flinders.edu.au
• College of Science and Engineering: cse.placements@flinders.edu.au

I’m having trouble with the online delivery

If you are having problems accessing your learning materials, please check the FLO Student Support page in the first instance. If you still need assistance, email the FLO student helpdesk on flo.student@flinders.edu.au or contact the Topic Coordinator.

How can I access support from off-campus?

The Student Learning Support Service offers a number of support services online, including the academic writing support service Studiosity, the Learning Lounge and various resources and guides.

The Counselling and Disability services have also moved to using phone and Skype for consultations. Call (08) 8201 2118 during business hours to book an appointment. After hours call 1300 512 409 for crisis assistance.

Log in to Compass for support available to you both on campus and off campus.

Will my transcript show that some topics were taken online?

No. Flinders transcripts do not show whether topics were taken online or on campus.

Can I still come to campus for tutorials and to use the library and other facilities?

Please refer to the information under Campus in the FAQ on the main Coronavirus information for students page for up-to-date information about the availability of campus services.

SA Health has a comprehensive web page of COVID-19 health information.

What do I do if I feel sick?

The graphic at this SA Health page provides advice on how to seek assistance depending on your circumstances.

The Flinders Health Service remains open. Call 8201 2118 during business hours to book an appointment. After hours call 1300 512 409 for crisis assistance.

If your OSHC is provided by Medibank you can call their 24 hour Student Health and Support line on 1800 887 283.

Bupa provides a 24 hour Student Advice Line on 1300 884 235

If your OSCH is provided by Allianz you can speak to a doctor by phone or video call using the Doctors on Demand service. This will be covered by your policy at no extra cost.

What can I do to protect myself from infection?

The SA Health website has the best information on how to stop the spread of COVID-19.

What does my Overseas Student Health Care (OSHC) cover if I contract COVID-19?

We have received the following as general advice and add the caution that your insurer will review each claim in line with the policy wording.

OSHC is closely aligned to the Medicare system which is used by Australian citizens and residents. This coverage is in place for health concerns including COVID-19.

If a student visits a doctor (often called a GP - general practitioner - in Australia) for medical treatment, then this would be covered as part of the policy. OSHC would cover 100% of the Medical Benefit Scheme Fee. This means you may have to pay a fee, which is often called 'the gap' but it is a reduced fee as OSHC pay part of the cost. When making an appointment you can ask if a gap payment is required.

Similarly, if a you were to visit a Hospital's Emergency Department with a suspected (or subsequently confirmed) case of COVID-19 then coverage would likely be confirmed for this treatment as it was sought under an emergency situation which is 100% of the Medical Benefits Scheme Fee.

Policy-specific information for other insurers can be found on your insurer’s website or by phoning your insurer for further information.

Flinders’ preferred OSHC provider is Medibank. Medibank have provided a Coronavirus update on their webpage

nib, Bupa and Allianz have provided specific COVID-19 information on their webpages.

What do I do if I need to self-isolate? How can I access support?

SA Health has detailed information on how to self-isolate.

If you need to self-isolate and you cannot do this in your current accommodation, contact the International Student Services team on iss@flinders.edu.au or 8201 2717.

The ISS team has extended its services through tele-consults, webinars, FLO and Zoom for students unable to attend on campus and this will continue into the foreseeable future.

Can International students get the COVID-19 Vaccine and is it free?

I am in financial difficulty due to the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 – what help is available?

University support

The University has provided a $12.5M additional package of support for students, including the Matthew Flinders scholarship program and cash payments, and continues to offer tuition fee instalment and extension plans to eligible students. The aim is to reduce your financial stress, so that you can continue to focus on your studies.

The new Matthew Flinders Scholarships provide grants valued up to $2,000 to support the continuation of your studies. Nearly 1300 international students were successful in the first Matthew Flinders Scholarship round. That round has now closed, however keep an eye out on Ping! for details of any subsequent rounds that may be announced.

The University and FUSA assisted more than 2000 international students with the COVID-19 Emergency Support Payments. Applications for this grant are now closed.

South Australian Government support

The South Australian Government has extended the International Students Support Package (ISSP) until the end of 2021. Applications closed on 27 August 2021.

I am offshore and unable to get to Adelaide. What should I do?

Please continue to liaise with your College regarding your study plan and options:

• College of Business, Government and Law: Courseadvice.bgl@flinders.edu.au
• College of Education, Psychology and Social Work: Courseadvice.epsw@flinders.edu.au
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Courseadvice.hass@flinders.edu.au
• College of Medicine and Public Health: Courseadvice.mph@flinders.edu.au
• College of Nursing and Health Sciences: Courseadvice.nhs@flinders.edu.au
• College of Science and Engineering: Courseadvice.se@flinders.edu.au

Stay up to date with the Department of Home Affairs COVID-19 and the border web page which will have the most accurate information. 

It is important that you update your Embassy or Consulate with your current location by providing your current contact details as soon as possible (i.e. name, address, telephone number, email address). Please encourage immediate family members or carers who are with you in Australia to update their details with their Embassy or Consulate too.

Should you have any concerns about your welfare (e.g. problems with finding/maintaining accommodation, food or essential medications), you are encouraged to discuss this with your Embassy or Consulate and understand what support they can provide.

If you are considering returning to your home country but are worried that there are limited or no flights available from Australia, please let your Embassy or Consulate know. The governments of several countries may organise chartered flights to assist citizens to return to their home country.

View contact details for countries with representation in Australia.