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If you want to come to Australia to study or extend your student visa, you need to comply with some requirements to obtain a Student visa.
One of those requirements is the Genuine Temporary Entrant, also known as GTE.
What is GTE?
The Genuine Temporary Entrant or GTE is a letter in which you demonstrate that you have a genuine intention to Study in Australia, meaning staying in the country temporarily with the sole purpose of studying.
However, the GTE is not intended to discriminate against students that want to apply to permanent residency after finishing their studies.
It is just a requirement to show that you are coming to the country to gain quality education and not with other hidden purposes. Furthermore, with this statement, you are proving that you have enough money to pay for your studies here.
What information should you include in the GTE statement?
You should include a personal statement in English to comply with the GTE requirement, however, if you are not comfortable writing it in English yet you can write it in your language and attach a certified translated copy.
If you are not sure about what information to include in your GTE statement we give you a list of tips that you need to take into consideration.
Your personal information
To write your GTE letter you should start by introducing yourself and talk about who you are. Include your full name and last names, your day of birth, your nationality and the country where you are currently living.
If your current place of residency is not the same as the country where you were born, specify how long you have been living there. Also do not forget to mention what course you chose to study, the university you want to attend and the city where you are planning to live in.
Your circumstances in Australia
If you already have some history in Australia you should mention it.
Mention if you have been here before and under which circumstances you were or if you have any family here.
Your academic experience
Moreover, you need to mention the education providers where you were enrolled, the duration of your studies, certifications that you obtained and the year when you finished your last studies.
Your working experiences
If you have previous work experience or if you are currently working, you should mention it as well.
Include the name of the company or companies where you worked or are currently working, your role and the dates.
Your circumstances in your home country
What does your current situation in your home country look like?
For example, you can include where do you live exactly. How is life there, if you are still living with your parents or if by yourself, and how you maintain yourself.
This is an important part as you will demonstrate how close you are with your family and all the ties that you have in your home country.
Your migration and international travel history
Have you travelled before? Where have you been?
Was it just for pleasure, work or did you live there for an extended period?
This is important as they will make sure you went back to your home country after finishing your trips.
If you do not have any travel experience it is not a problem.
Your long-term objectives and how these studies will help you achieve them
Your long-term objectives should be linked to what you want to achieve with the course you chose.
For example, you can mention in your GTE letter that it is a big requirement in your home country to be fluent in English when applying for jobs or that you want to innovate in your home country with everything you are going to learn in Australia.
Why did you choose this university and not others?
You probably chose the course for a reason. Maybe the city, the course itself, the professors or the subjects.
Make sure you explain the reasons in your GTE letter.
Why did you choose Australia and not another country?
Explain the benefits you see by studying in Australia rather than in your home country or any other country.
It is better to do it rationally, for example, the academic subjects, the education provider and the quality of education in Australia rather than the weather or the landscapes.
How are you paying for your stay in Australia?
Mentioning that you want to get a job in Australia to support yourself is not the best idea.
Better explain the economic situation of your family and yourself to prove your economic solvency.
Reasons to go back to your home country
Finally, you need to mention all the reasons why you want to go back to your home country after finishing your studies.
Do not make it look forced. Be genuine and think about all the possibilities you have after coming back home.
GTE letter example
We provide you with an example of a GTE letter but remember to be genuine and link your writing to your own life and experiences.
Genuine Temporary Entrant Statement
My name is Mariana Villegas, I’m 24 years old and I am currently living in Peru, which is my home country. I would like to study in Australia temporarily so I can complete my master’s studies in Finance and acquire more specialised knowledge.
I would love to complete my higher studies at the University of Canberra as they offer a bachelor’s in commerce, which includes finances but in a broader way.
My love for finance started in high school and after that, I never stopped learning. As academic accomplishments, I have completed an online Finance course at Harvard University, and I have completed a certificate in Strategic Management at the University of London.
Also, I have a lot of work experience. Since I completed my undergraduate studies in May 2019, I enrolled in a summer job as a finance assistant in “Telefónica”. After that, they hired me full-time and next May I am completing a year working for them.
Also, I work independently performing audits which demonstrates I am a highly employable person in my home country. Attached to this letter I send a print of my income which demonstrates I get paid $14000 a year, plus my freelance job that gives me around $9600 annually.
Right now, my dream is to become a University professor in “Universidad del Pacífico” in my home country and I am sure studying in Australia, specifically in the University of Canberra, will help me achieve this goal as I am looking forward to complimenting my knowledge with tools that will let me solve complex financial issues.
You should include evidence in your application
We recommend you to provide supporting documents. They will work as an evidence of everything you are saying in your written statement.
Without this support, your GTE will not be weighted heavily.
You should provide supporting documents of the following for your GTE:
- Previous studies or gaps in previous studies if you had any.
- Current employment.
- Evidence of financial, family or social ties, you need to show incentives to go back home.
- Your economic situation in your home country
- Employment in s third country
Remember that the Australian government needs to make sure that the student visa program is accessed as intended.
That is why they consider a lot of things to give you a student visa. They just make sure you do not have other motives to enter the country other than receiving a quality education.
You must provide enough information, so they do not doubt delivering your student visa through a smooth process.
