Australia's 4 Phase Plan (Road Map) for International Students

Australia’s Plans for Border Reopening

The Australian Government has laid out a comprehensive plan to unlock Australia for international travelers, which will particularly come in handy for aspirants planning their further studies in Australia. 

You will find the details of the plan in the video above. 

Briefly, the plan has 4 phases, each of which are determined by the percentage of the Australian population that is vaccinated, be it with a singular or both doses. 

The first phase spanned from March 2021 till June 2021 and focused on a mass vaccination drive, which provided ample opportunities for all Australian citizens, with more priority given to the sick and elderly citizens. In this phase, Australia reduced offshore commercial arrivals, which included tourists, business visitors, and students, by 50%. This change has come in the lie of the Delta variant. 

Moving ahead, from July 2021, Australia will be commensurate with more vaccination capabilities, helping its citizens move freely. The Government aspires to cover 50% of its population with at least one dose of the vaccine before commencing the third phase. In the second phase, vaccinated individuals will be able to travel within Australia, while offshore vaccinated individuals too will be welcomed in higher ratios. 

Travel Requirement for Indian Students aiming to Study in Australia

Those traveling to Australia from India, during the second phase will be needed to quarantine for 5 days, along with producing a negative PCR test. For travelers from countries with a higher Covid risk, Australia has mandated a hotel quarantine, while those from low to medium risk countries may opt for home-based quarantine facilities. 

In the third phase of its reopening process, the Australian Government aims to reach the ambitious goal of 70% vaccination by the onset of August. From this phase onwards, the vaccinated population will not be held back from the domestic movement. Similarly, vaccinated travelers as well can expect more relaxation and higher acceptance ratios. However, there will still remain a 3 days home quarantine for those, who have been fully vaccinated, as long as they can produce a negative PCR test result. For those from high-risk countries, there will remain a hotel quarantine mandatory policy. In the fourth and final phase of the procedure, Australia shall be 100% vaccinated by January 2022. At which point, the country will be open for all international arrivals while the virus would be reduced to an endemic within its borders. 

Throughout all 4 phases, the pandemic has not been curbed with lockdowns. The Government plans on using the lockdowns as the last resort. 

Students aspiring to continue their studies in Australia would be able to renter the country from the third phase, which is starting in August. The Australian convoy recognizes Covishield as a vaccine as of 20th May 2021. Trials are happening on Covaxin, which is possibly getting approved within 2 weeks. 

Those with both doses of the Covishield vaccine can plan their travels across Australia. 

Shall you need any assistance with admissions in top universities across Australia and New Zealand, which could give your career an edge, you could opt for Overseas Meridean’s career counseling sessions to explore your options. Reach out to us in the comments below or shoot a mail at application02@meridean.org.  You could also call us on our toll-free helpline: 1800 123 0000 11. 

Happy to help you reach for the skies.