Australia Student Visa Fees in Indian Rupees 2026: Updated Subclass 500 & 485 Visa Fees

Planning to study in Australia? The Subclass 500 student visa fee has just gone up again with effect from 1 July 2026. Know in detail about Australia student visa fees. We will also break down the latest Australia student visa fees in Indian Rupees along with their related costs.

Australia's student visa fee has been on a near-uninterrupted climb since 2024, and the country now runs the most expensive student visa system among major English-speaking study destinations. For Indian students weighing an Australia study visa cost against options in the UK, Canada, or the US, the government fee is no longer a minor line item. Australia student visa fees are now a five-figure rupee amount before a single dollar of tuition, or OSHC is paid.

For Indian students and parents, the number that actually matters isn't the AUD figure quoted on Australian government pages. Rather, it's what that number becomes once converted into rupees and stacked against tuition, living costs, and a Rupee that moves daily against the Australian Dollar.

This article lays out the Australia student visa fee 2026 in INR for the Subclass 500 visa, the new ELICOS rate, and the Subclass 485 post-study visa cost. Along with dependent and partner charges, OSHC, health checks, and proof-of-funds requirements. These are using the latest figures from the Department of Home Affairs, so there's no guesswork left when budgeting for an Australian student visa in 2026.

Latest Update: Australia Visa Fees Increased Again From 1 July 2026

Effective 1 July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs raised the visa application charge (VAC) for most categories by roughly 25% in a single step, around eight times the usual annual CPI-linked rise. Australia Subclass 500 & 485 visa fee increase in 2026 was unexpected mid-year. Student and graduate visas were among the categories hit hardest:

This is the third consecutive increase to the Subclass 500 fee since mid-2024. The government has openly linked the higher charges to its Migration Strategy, using visa pricing as a lever to moderate international student numbers while generating additional revenue.

Australia Student Visa Fees in 2026 (Subclass 500)

The base application charge for the Subclass 500 student visa is AUD 2,500 for the primary applicant.

• The Australian student visa fees that are charged at the time of application submission via ImmiAccount are not returned even if the visa is refused.
• Each applicant, be it the primary applicant, partner, or child, is charged separately.
• ELICOS and other non-award course applicants now pay a separate, slightly lower AUD 2,050 charge instead of the standard AUD 2,500 rate.
• The Australian DHA typically reviews visa fees every 1 July, but 2026 also saw a mid-cycle revision for the Subclass 485 visa in March. So this figure should always be confirmed on the official site before payment.

Let us now understand the Australia student visa fee in Rupees for Indian applicants planning to apply soon.

Australia Student Visa Fees in Indian Rupees 2026

Here's what the (Subclass 500) fee, the new ELICOS rate, and related family charges look like in Indian Rupees on an Australian student visa:

Indicative exchange rate of ₹65.70 per AUD (as of July 2026). Exchange rates fluctuate daily. Always check the live AUD-INR rate before making the payment, since even a ₹1-2 swing per AUD can change the final INR amount by a few thousand rupees.

Separate ELICOS Visa Fee for Students: Latest in 2026

For the first time, the Department of Home Affairs has introduced a distinct, slightly lower visa application charge of AUD 2,050 (approximately ₹1.34 lakh). This is for applicants whose primary course is an English-language (ELICOS) or other non-award program, rather than a full degree or diploma. Previously, ELICOS applicants paid the same fee as higher-education and vocational (VET) students enrolling in a TAFE institution.

The change matters for short-course and pathway students in particular: on a shorter, lower-cost English course. The revised student visa fee in Australia already represented a disproportionately large share of the total program cost, and enrolments in this sector had been declining even before the split was introduced.

Other Australia Student Visa-Related Costs to Budget For

The visa application charge is just one line item in the total Australia study visa cost. It also includes proof of study costs in Australia. Indian students should plan for these additional costs before applying:

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Mandatory for the full length of the visa. Typically costs AUD 500 - AUD 700 per year for a single applicant, or roughly ₹32,800-₹45,920 per year. OHSC must be purchased from an approved provider before the visa is granted. OSHC premiums have also been rising, with providers flagging increases of around 4-5% in 2026, so it's worth comparing quotes across approved insurers rather than assuming last year's price.

Health Examination

A panel physician health check costs AUD 300 - AUD 500 (approximately ₹19,680-₹32,800), paid directly to the physician, not the Australian DHA.

Proof of Funds (Living Cost Requirement)

This isn't a fee, but it's the largest number in the entire application. Indian students must show they have access to these amounts to show:

• Sufficient bank balance to show cost of living in Australia, and
• Genuine Student Requirements (GS) for financial capacity check.

As per Australia study visa requirements, proof of living costs should be AUD 29,710 for the main applicant.

Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate Visa) Fees 2026

Most Indian students eventually apply for the Subclass 485 visa to work in Australia after graduation, and it has become the fastest-rising visa fee of the year. Up by 25% on 1 July 2026, its second increase in just four months:

• 1 July 2025: AUD 2,300 for the primary applicant.
• 1 March 2026: raised to AUD 4,600. A 100% jump, announced without warning.
• 1 July 2026: raised again to AUD 5,750. A further 25% increase, taking the cumulative rise to roughly 150% in under 18 months.

This is a significant jump from the earlier AUD 2,300 fee students budgeted for as recently as mid-2025, so it's worth planning for the post-study visa cost from the first year of study rather than treating it as a later expense.

How Can Indian Students Pay the Australia Student Visa Fee?

Payment happens online through the ImmiAccount portal at the time of Subclass 500 or Subclass 485 application submission. Here is how to pay for Australia student visa fee in India in 2026:

• Log on to ImmiAccount and sign up after getting a CoE from an Australian university.
• File your application for either Subclass 500 or 485.
• After completing the application, you will be redirected to the fee payment page.
• Based on your candidature, the visa fee for Australia student visa will appear.
• Accepted methods include international credit and debit cards; some banks add a foreign transaction markup on top of the AUD amount.
• Check the live rate on the day of payment rather than relying on an INR figure calculated weeks earlier. 

Get the application right the first time: With Australia student visa fees this high and fully non-refundable, a rushed or incomplete application that gets refused wastes a much larger sum than it did even a year ago.

Overall, Australia student visa fees have undergone multiple changes over the past 3-4 years. Currently, studying in Australia is expensive, and Australia charges the highest student visa fees compared to other popular study destinations. Plus, there is no fee waiver for Australia student visa fee for Indians. Yet, millions of Indians apply to study in Australia every year. Even if the student visa fees have risen, this will not bog down the international student community from studying in Australia.

Australia Student Visa Fees in Rupees 2026 FAQs