AMC Deck Watchkeeper

The eligibility requirements for the 2nd Mates course are the following:

• 36 months of sea service on vessels over 24 metres length as Deck Cadet / Deck Rating or
• At least 24 months sea service on vessels > 500 GRT out of which atleast 6 months has to be with Australian TRB & assignment books as Deck Cadets / Trainee Deck Officers

Please click here for AMSA Eligibility Requirements

It is advisable but not mandatory to have applied and received your AMSA eligibility before your travel to Australia. You have to fill the AMSA 419 form online (do a Google search to get the link) and then take a printout of the same.

Documents that you will need to scan and email to AMSA, Australia to apply for Eligibility are as given below:

• AMSA 419 Form printout – Black & White printout is acceptable.
• 1 Photograph
  Passport 1st page and address page
• CDC
• Company Sea Service Letter (click to view sample format) on the company letterhead
• Bridge Watchkeeping certificate of 6 months
• STCW basic courses – PST + PSSR + FPFF + EFA
• Payment to be done online using your credit / debit card. Once the online form is filled up, the amount to be paid will appear on the online form as it is a smart PDF form.

• Passport – 1st and last page
• CDC – First page and 36 months of sea service stamp pages
• 6 months of Bridge Watch-keeping Certificate
• STCW basic courses – PST + PSSR + FPFF + EFA
• Australia TRB & Assignment Book for Deck Cadets (if following the 24 months route to Deck Watchkeeper)

Seats are allotted on a first come first served basis. Hence, it is always advisable to apply early.

AMC will issue you with a Conditional Offer Letter in about 3 weeks time. The conditions that you will need to fulfill would be the following:

• IELTS Academic English Test – Average 5.5 band with no score less than 5 (You can book this test by visiting the website www.ieltsidpindia.com The fee for the test is 13,200 Rs/-). Alternatively, you can also sit for the Pearson PTE test. The website is www.pearsonpte.com The advantage of the Pearson PTE test is that exams are held almost 3 times in a week and the results come out in 3 – 5 working days. Hence, you have the option of appearing for the test multiple times incase you do not clear the exam in the first attempt. The score required in Pearson PTE will be a minimum overall score of 42 with no sectional score below 36.
• Payment of 50% of the course tuition fees. Details of the tuition fee will be mentioned on the conditional offer letter.

Tuition Fees:

Tuition Fees for the course is Au$ 25,000.

There is normally a 4% increase in tuition fees every year to take into account inflationary costs. You can apply for educational loan for paying your tuition fees & living expenses.

Successful course completion will lead to the award of a Advanced Diploma in Nautical Science from the University of Tasmania along with a CoC from AMSA, Australia.

Please visit the link for details of the Advanced Diploma in Nautical Science / 2nd Mates Course

Educational Loan:

If you wish to apply for an educational loan, the bank will ask for the following documents:

• College Admission Letter – This will be issued to you by the college once you have submitted all the documents. The tuition fees structure will be mentioned in the college admission letter.
• Living Expenses: You need to submit details of living expenses as required by the visa authorities. Please take a printout of the page on opening the link:
  https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/global/live-in-australia/living-costs

STCW Courses & Tanker Courses:

AMSA does not accept the STCW advanced courses and Tanker Courses from India. Hence, the following courses will have to be redone in Australia.

• Advanced Fire Fighting (AFF)
• Medical First Aid (MFA)
• Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat (PSC&RB)
• Tanker Safety Courses (Oil, Chemical and Gas)

Total Cost:

Expected total cost of your academic tuition fees, food & accommodation, flight ticket and visa charges on a conservative living estimate will be about Au$ 35,000 (approx. 20 Lakhs INR at 1 Au$ = 57 INR). Living expenses on a conservative estimate has been taken at Au$ 700 per month (approx. 40,000 INR at 1 Au$ = 57 INR).

Australian student visa:

The visa processing time is 3 – 4 weeks normally. The length of the visa that you will get is for about 13 – 14 months. The funds that you need to show for the Australian visa will be Au$ 49,000 (approx. 28 Lakhs INR if 1 AU$ = 57 INR) If your wife is to accompany you, then you need to show an additional Au$ 10,000 for her travel and living expenses.

Both student and spouse will apply for visa together.

The visa fees is Au$ 575 (approx. 33,000 INR at 1 Au$ = 57 INR) per person.

• You are allowed to work in Australia after your course starting date.
• During vacation time, you can work unlimited hours whilst during term time you can work upto 40 hours every 2 weeks.
• The minimum wage rate in Australia is Au$ 20 per hour i.e. about 1,140 INR (at 1 Au$ =57 INR).
• Your spouse can work 40 hours every fortnight during her stay in Australia.

A student working 20 hours per week part-time at the minimum pay rate of Au$ 20 per hour will earn Au$ 1,600 per month. If he works for 10 months out of his 12 – 13 months of stay in Australia, he can recover Au$ 16,000 (approx. 9 Lakhs INR at 1 Au$ = 57 INR). If the applicants spouse is also accompanying him to Australia and she works part-time, she can earn Au$ 16,000 over a 10 month period of work. This helps the student / couple to recover their travel and living expenses and some part of their academic tuition fees as well in Australia.

The visa process is totally online now i.e. you do not need to travel to the visa office for submission of documents. The visa application form has to be filled online, all supporting documents have to be scanned and uploaded online whilst the visa fees has to be paid with a credit card or international debit card. We will assist you with the full visa application process.