Fashion schools in Melbourne

Hi !

I am moving to Melbourne in november to live with my boyfriend, and I was debating whether to apply for a working holiday visa or a student visa. The working holiday visa seems to be an easier option, but I really want to go back to school. I'd like to study fashion, and so far I've found two schools in Melbourne: RMIT and Melbourne School of Fashion. Does anyone have any information about these schools and on the fashion industry in general in Melbourne.
Another issue is funding my studies. To obtain a student visa,it is required to have sufficient funds in your bank account to pay for tuition in full, but I can only access my student financial aid once I get a letter of attendence from the school. Does anyone have advice about going about financing your education in Australia ?

Thank you for any advice or info you can share,

May

Hi Maylisa,

I don't know anything about the fashion schools, so can't help you there, but I can help a bit with your other questions.

If I remember correctly, it is not the school that requests sufficient funding, it is immigration. The school will accept you and send you a document called a Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE). You need this document to then apply for your visa. If this document will be enough to free up your financial aid, then you should be able to have that available before you apply for your student visa.

I don't think the sufficient funding has to be in a bank account in your name. You parents, for example, might be able to let you use their bank statement. The government here basically wants to know for sure that you have or have access to enough funding to cover your costs here.

As for the Working Holiday or Student visa decision, if you are on a Working Holiday visa you can only take a course that lasts no more than 4 months. And, you are not considered a resident for tax purposes, so you will have to hand over 29 cents on every dollar you make here if you get a job. You also can't work for more than 6 months with one employer.

If you get a student visa, you can apply for permission to work (costs $60) and then can work for the entire time you are here at the same employer if you want. You are limited in the number of hours you can work per week while classes are in session, though - only 20 per week. On that visa, the first $6000 is tax free and then you pay tax at different rates, depending on the level of income, but less than 29%!

However, on a student visa, you can only keep your visa as long as you maintain full time studies and you must complete your studies in the amount of time the school says it should take you to finish doing it full time. They will usually give you a couple months extra on your visa at the end of your studies, but when that time is up you will have to leave the country. You can re-enter on a working holiday visa at that time if you wish, or as a tourist.

I'm currently going my masters here and teaching part time for the university. My job JUST covers my living expenses if I'm careful, but certainly not more than that. You will need to have the finances to cover your expenses before you come and consider any money from a job as pocket money or to save for some sightseeing or something. You can't rely on it for money for school and expenses. Melbourne is not a terribly cheap city. Rent is high and gorceries have been getting more and more expensive with on-going droughts. Fuel costs more than Canada.

Hope that helps.

Ruth