COVID-19 Updates on Overseas Studies/Travel
Last updated on: 22 April 2021 The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has seen many countries closed their borders and tighten travel restrictions. To mitigate the risk of Covid-19 transmission and to protect both students and staff, most schools worldwide have stopped face-to-face classes. Classes were conducted online and some schools have taken a hybrid approach for classes that are required to be taught on campus, e.g. classes that require the use of laboratory facilities. Since the discovery of Covid-19 vaccines, schools are pushing for fully or increase in face-to-face classes in the third quarter of 2021. We will be posting updates on our website when they are any changes in both government and school’s policies so please continue visiting our website or make an enquiry on our contact form below to stay updated. The updates would include country border re-openings or closure, school’s mode of classes (online, hybrid or face-to-face), quarantine processes on arrival at the airport and vaccine rollout implementation in Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. Our sources are from government agencies, trusted news agencies and newsletters from schools. Australia Australia has been relatively successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 with a relatively low transmission within the country. Australia closed its borders to all non-citizens and non-residents in March 2020 and has been permitting only limited international arrivals, mainly its citizens returning from abroad. Border Re-Opening There are no indication of Australia reopening their borders to international students at this moment. The Commissioner of the Australian Border Force and decision makers may grant international students if you are: a student completing year 11 and 12, with endorsement from the federal Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) and; support from the relevant Australian State or Territory government health authority and education department. Further information regarding this process can be found at the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website. a student in your final two years of study of a medical, dental, nursing or allied health profession university degree, where you have evidence of a confirmed placement in an Australian hospital or medical practice which begins within the next two months. You must hold a visa and an exemption to Australia’s travel restrictions before you travel. You can request an exemption online and must provide appropriate evidence to support your claims. Requests may be finalised without further consideration if insufficient evidence is provided. All documents need to be officially translated into English. According to an article by Reuters, on 18 April 2021, Australia’s Prime Minister, Scott Morrison said that Australia is no hurry to reopen its international borders and risk the country’s nearly coronavirus-free lifestyle. According to an article by BBC, on 18 April 2021, Australia’s Department of Health Secretary, Brendan Murphy predicts that Australia is unlikely to fully open its borders in 2021 even if most of its population gets vaccinated this year as planned, says a senior health official. Since there are limited international flights to Australia, our take is that Australia will prioritise Australians that are stranded abroad. There are still more than 30,000 stranded Australians attempting to make their way home, which has […]
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