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With its vast territory, Australia is the 6th largest country in the world. This country is also unique because of its status as a continent. If you are an adventurous person and want to travel around this country freely, you need a private vehicle which means that having a driver’s license is a must.
Driver’s license regulations in Australia for temporary residents such as international students can vary depending on the state. You can use your foreign driver’s license if you only stay for a couple of months but you may need to translate your driving license into English if the driver’s license is not in English.
If you stay in Australia for more than three months (except in Victoria where they extend it to six months), you should consider registering for a local driver’s license. Not having a local driver’s license may get you into some problems because you should follow Australian conditions even though you are still a temporary resident.
Therefore, international students need to know how to get a driving license in Australia for international students. Here is how you earn one.
Complete the Driver’s License Creating Requirements
To create a driver’s license in Australia as an international student, you are required to submit documents for a 100-point check. The purpose of that check is to verify your identification to prevent any transaction fraud.
The documents themselves are categorized into primary documents and secondary documents. Each of the primary documents is worth 70 points, while secondary documents are worth 40, 35, or 25 points. You have to combine those documents to complete the 100-point check.
Primary Documents:
- Birth Card
- Birth Certificate
- Expired passport (expired in previous two years and not canceled)
- Current Passport
- Citizenship Certificate
- Similar documents to a passport
Secondary Documents (40-point):
- A Boat Licence
- Australian Driving Licence
- Student Identity Card
- Public Employee Identification Card
Secondary Document: (35-point):
- Document from your employer within the last two years
- Land Titles Office record
Secondary Documents (25-point):
- Foreign Driving Licence
- Medicare Card
- Utility bill
- Rent agreement
- Educational Record
Take Driving Education
Driving can be different between one country and another. Road conditions and rules, vehicle characteristics, and drivers’ behaviors are some factors that require you to adapt when driving in a foreign country. For that reason, taking driving education in Australia is important although not necessary to create a driver’s license there.
Nevertheless, taking a driving education will make the process of how to get a driving license in Australia for international students more convenient. It is because your chosen driving educator will assist you with the documentation and the logistics for your application, not just teach you how to drive.
Written Knowledge Test
The first test you must do to get your Australian driver’s license is the Driver Knowledge Test or DKT. It is a computer-based test consisting of 45 questions that you have to pass. The questions are about road rules and road safety in Australia.
If you are not fluent enough in English, the DKT is also available in nine other languages namely Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Korean, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese. You can also take practice before taking the real test to be more confident.
Take the Practical Driver Test
This step, which is called Practical Driving Assessment or PDA is to show your actual capability of driving a car. You should be totally confident in your driving skills and knowledge, specifically in Australia, before doing this test. Plus, it would be more helpful if you had taken a driving lesson.
During the PDA, you will be driving with an examiner beside you. There, you have to finish the given five sections of tasks properly. When you are done, the examiner will conclude whether you can get your license or not based on your performance.
Full Driver Test
Before getting your full driver’s license in Australia, you must hold some practice driving licenses for six months. However, if you have been driving with your license for at least six years in your home country, you can get the full license right after you have passed the PDA.
In addition, you are required to pay the fees to get a driver’s license in Australia. There are various amount of fees based on the state. Here is the detail:
- New South Wales – $232
- Victoria – $213
- South Australia – $254
- Western Australia – $133
- Tasmania – $250
- Queensland – $251
- Northern Territory – $102
- Australian Capital Territory – $232
In conclusion, that you are looking for how to get a driving license in Australia for international students shows that you are a student about to study and move to that country.