International students

Will semester 2, 2020 commence and if so, in what form?

The University has made on-campus teaching available from Monday 25 May. For students who are onshore in Australia it means that you can commence your studies on-campus from the beginning of semester 2.

Please note there are some domestic border requirements that apply which may hinder your ability to travel to Adelaide, please check with the relevant authorities regarding these: https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au or phone 1800 253 787.

Students who are not in Australia can commence via online/remote learning and transition to on-campus delivery once international travel restrictions have been lifted.

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

All courses that have a semester two start date are available for commencing students either on-campus or via online/remote learning for those students who are not in Australia.

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

International students who are not currently in Australia do not need an approved visa to commence their studies. Students will need to have an approved visa prior to transitioning to on-campus studies but visa applications should only be submitted once the current travel restrictions have been lifted. Students who are onshore in Australia and commencing studies in S2, 2020 will be issued a CoE and should apply for an international student visa to ensure that they are not unlawfully remaining in Australia without a valid visa.

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

A review of admission requirements was undertaken and the validity of IELTs tests was extended from 2 years to 3 years.

Additionally, Doulingo was approved to validate English with the following scores:

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 from S1, or potentially S2 and I was eligible for the Go Beyond scholarship, will I be able to claim this in 2021?

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?

All FISC academic programs are available online for international students who are either in Australia or outside of Australia. Students who are not in Australia can commence FISC packaged programs without requiring an approved visa. Applicants who are located outside of Australia will be able to enrol in their Flinders program via online/remote learning and would be required to have an approved international student visa prior to transitioning to on-campus studies.

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 on iss@flinders.edu.au 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 consideration of each student’s course and study plan and the availability of fully online options. While we will do our best, we may not be able to provide a full time load for all offshore students.

If you stay in Australia, you must maintain enrolment so that you continue to meet your student visa conditions.

If your government, sponsoring body or home institution (for exchange and study abroad students) has directed you to return home we urge you to comply with this advice.

Please contact the International Student Services (ISS) team on iss@flinders.edu.au or 8201 2717 for advice on the availability of online options.  

Please be aware that we do not know when the travel restrictions may be lifted so you may need to prepare for online offshore study for the rest of the year.

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 (28 August for most topics but intensive and non-semester topics have individual census dates) 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 by census date (28 August). 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 by 28 August (eg boarding passes, stamped passport). 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 in semester 2, 2020

Please contact the International Student Services (ISS) team on iss@flinders.edu.au or 8201 2717 to discuss any changes to your enrolment for semester 2, 2020.

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.

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 charge 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. You do need to maintain enrolment so that you are compliant with your student visa conditions.

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 on a student visa, either onshore or offshore, you are expected to enrol in a full-time load of study. 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 and your student visa. Please seek written College confirmation of reduced study load and forward it to internationalcompliance@flinders.edu.au  for approval.

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

The best source of information is the Department of Home Affairs 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.

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.

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 8201 2118 during business hours to book an appointment. After hours call 1300 512 409 for crisis assistance.

The Online Hub brings together a range of useful resources and links to support and assistance for all students.

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?

SA Health advises the following four key points to limit the spread of infection:

• Stay home and avoid contact with others if you are sick.
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
• Wipe down frequently touched surfaces.

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.

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 a new scholarship program, cash payments and the waiver of the Student Services and Amenities Fee for this semester. 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.

Information about the Student Services and Amenities Fee waiver can be found on the main Coronavirus information for students page.

South Australian Government support

The South Australian Government has announced that it will match funding provided by Flinders to alleviate student hardship as a result of COVID-19. The University and the Government are finalising the terms and conditions of the support package. Once it is finalised, the University will update this page and will also inform international students via email and in the International section of Ping!.

Federal Government support

International students who have been in Australia for more than 12 months who find themselves in financial hardship are able to access their Australian superannuation. Further information is available on the Australian Taxation Office website. Application information is on the ATO website. Applications can be submitted through the myGov website from Monday 20 April.

I am still in China 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

You should also refer to the FAQ that your College distributed on or after 6 March.

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.