Australia Student Visa : Requirements, Processing Time, Fees 2025

Latest Updates for Student Visa Australia 2025

Check out the latest announcements, changes and improvements in student visa Australia in this section:

What is Australia Student Visa?

A Student Visa Australia is an official document issued to those who, after scrutiny, qualify as genuine students to study, live, and work in Australia. The student visa in Australia is also known as the Subclass 500 visa. This visa is applicable for both undergraduate and postgraduate applicants. The student visa for Australia is processed only when applicants have their Confirmation of Enrollment in hand (or offer letters), whether applying from within Australia or outside. The processing times vary based on the level of the course for which the student is applying for a visa. The fee for a Subclass 500 visa is the same for all applicants, regardless of the level of the course they are applying for. Check out the details about the student visa Australia below. 

Australia Student Visa Fees 2025

The cost of an Australian Student Visa (subclass 500) and a graduate student visa fee are given below for reference for prospective applicants:

Note: All online applications and services are charged in Australian dollars. The cost of a student visa in Australia is subject to change and may fluctuate without prior notice. Thus, check the official website before applying. 

Acceptable credit cards for Australian student visa fees for Indian students are Mastercard, Visa, and American Express. When paying by credit card in Australian dollars, applicants may incur banking and currency conversion fees and might need to take the risk associated with currency fluctuations.

Programs Eligible for Student Visa Australia (SubClass 500)

Initially, there were various types of Australian student visas and different subclasses when applying for programs beyond the traditional ones. Now that the majority of the programs fall under the Subclass 500 for student visa Australia, apart from the postgraduate visa (Subclass 485). The following is a list of the various sectors/ categories combined that fall under Subclass 500. Students applying for and admitted to either of the following student visas in Australia are eligible to apply.

1. Independent ELICOS Sector

Students can travel to Australia and pursue a short-term English language course. Referred to as ELICOS or the English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students, the courses lead to a certificate I, II, III, or IV. These courses usually vary in length. For this, the student visa applicable in Australia is Subclass 500. 

2. Vocational Education and Training Sector

Vocational Education and Training Sector: Students enrolled in a registered Vocational Education and Training (VET) course by a TAFE or private institution can apply for this visa subclass. That essentially covers students enrolled in either of the following courses:

• Certificates I, II, III and IV (except ELICOS)
• VET Diploma
• VET Advanced Diploma
• Vocational Graduate Certificate
• Vocational Graduate Diploma

3. Higher Education Sector

The higher Education Sector refers to Students enrolled in a registered full-time higher education course at a University/ college, or institute. The following courses are covered under student visa Australia - Subclass 500 include:

• Courses at the undergraduate level at a University (Bachelor/Associate Degree)
• Courses for a postgraduate level at a university (master’s degree by coursework, like MBA, MS, etc.)
• Postgraduate courses that offer a higher education diploma or an advanced diploma, like PGDBM, etc.

Essentially, these are courses that extend beyond a year. However, they can also be of a shorter duration.

4. Post Graduate Research Sector

This sector refers to students enrolled for postgraduate courses in Australia like:

• Master’s degree in research
• Doctoral Degree

Students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs or Trade or the Department of Defence also fall under one unified category. 

Essentially, these are courses that extend beyond a year. However, they can also be of a shorter duration.

Students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs or Trade, or the Department of Defence, also fall under a unified category. 

Australian Student Visa Validity

Usually, the student visa validity in Australia for international students is 5 years. However, as per the new guidelines effective from July 1, 2016, the visa validity will be for the duration of the course the student is enrolled in.

Also Read:

• What should be your next step if your visa gets rejected
• Reasons for the Rejection of Australia Student Visa

Australia Student Visa Requirements 2025

Like in any visa, Australia study visa requirements are listed below for students applying for a visa and key pointers that they must keep at the back of their mind while applying:

1. Full-Time Study

Students enrolled in a full-time study course are only eligible to apply for a Student Visa Australia under the Subclass 500 for undergraduate or postgraduate study. Part-time and distance learning courses are not eligible for this student visa subclass in Australia.

2. Genuine Student Requirement (GS)

Obtaining an Australian Student Visa requires the student to demonstrate that they are a genuine student through the Genuine Student Requirement. Essentially, that means that you should be able to convince them that you only intend to travel to Australia for studies and would return to your home country at the end of the course or after a few years of experience. Your Visa Applications are accordingly assessed on various factors, namely;

• Your circumstances in your home country include your economic circumstances.
• Potential circumstances/opportunities for you in Australia
• The value of your chosen course to your future
• Your immigration history
• Any other relevant matters

3. Health Checkup and Insurance

To receive a student visa for Australia, you must demonstrate that you are in good health. You can do so by providing a certificate of good health. The health checkup and certificate can only be provided by the empanelled doctors. You can schedule an appointment with the one closest to you for this purpose. eMedical Facilities are available in India, and often, the records are updated immediately. You will be provided with a HAP ID, which you must include when completing the form. Also, Indian students need to provide a Chest X-ray that proves that they do not suffer from Tuberculosis since India is considered a high-risk country.

You can schedule a health checkup before or after submitting your visa application. However, getting it beforehand would ensure quicker processing. Apart from a health checkup, you also need Health Insurance or an OSHC (Overseas Students Health Cover).

• At the time of the visa application, you should have an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of your visa.
• Depending on the duration of your health coverage, your visa tenure will be determined, so ensure that it covers the duration of your course.
• The average cost of OSHC is AUD 591 for 12 months for a single student.
• The length of time it takes for immigration to process a student visa after a medical test in Australia depends on the availability of the medical reports.
• The report may take one to three weeks to be sent to the Australian Home Affairs Department.

4. Good Character

Students must provide proof of good character, which implies that they have no criminal record and have never been deported from Australia before. Often, a simple declaration of the same is accepted on the form.

5. Minimum IELTS Score for Student Visa Australia

The minimum IELTS requirements for a student visa Australia have increased over the past year. For admission to an Australian University, candidates usually require an overall band score of:

• The minimum IELTS score (or equivalent) has increased from 5.5 to 6.0 (from March 2024).

• Students pursuing an ELICOS course before their main course will need to submit a minimum IELTS score (or equivalent) of 5.0 band. The requirement has increased from 4.5 to 5.0.

• For students undertaking any foundation or pathway programs at an Australian university with recognised English language training, they must submit a minimum (or equivalent) IELTS score of 5.5. 

6. Living Expenses for Studying in Australia

When applying for student visa Australia, applicants will also have to show a minimum AUD 29,710 as part of living expenses in Australia. This amount demonstrates that the applicant has enough financial capability to study and live in Australia. The applicants can prove that they have this amount when fulfilling Australia student visa requirements through their bank account savings, educational loan, any type of scholarship received, sponsorships, or lastly, evidence of parents' or spouse's income and assets, 

Fulfilling all the above-mentioned requirements is essential to obtain a Subclass 500 student visa in Australia for study purposes.

Documents Required for Student Visa Australia

The tool available on the official website allows students to ascertain the required documents. We provide you with all the required documents under Streamlines and Regular Evidentiary documents. Remember, since the application is online only, students must have scanned copies of all the listed documents before starting their online application. Additionally, please note that the list of Regular Evidentiary Documents is in addition to the documents required for SSVF processing.

• Valid Passport - Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the duration of your stay in Australia.
• Non-immigrant Visa Application
• Application fee payment receipt
• Confirmation of Enrolment Form (COE) - To obtain a visa to study in Australia, you must be fully enrolled in an Australian institution and receive a “Confirmation of Enrolment (COE)”. The Australian institution issues these forms for you to attend. The forms are usually issued after the tuition fees have been received.
• An acceptance letter from your host university will include the proposed study plan.
• Overseas health insurance receipt (OSHC)
• Recent Digital photographs
• Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended
• ELP Test Scores of either TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Evidence of Financial Capacity (show savings worth AUD 29,710 while applying for a visa)

For the complete list, check out the List of Documents Required for Student Visa Australia

How and When to Apply for an Australian Student Visa?

The Australian Student Visa process takes a maximum of 124 days before the commencement of your course. Additionally, you can travel to Australia for a maximum of 90 days before the start of your course under the new SSVF Guidelines. The Australian Student Visa process from India is completely online. Here are the steps you need to follow

1. To start an online application, you must create and log into your ImmiAccount.
2. Applicants should complete the visa application form corresponding to the visa subclass for which they are eligible to apply. (Education agents and Registered Migration Agents (RMAs) based in India registered to access the student online lodgement facility can lodge student eVisa applications on the student's behalf.)
3. To track your application, you must log in to your ImmiAccount again.  You can use your account to attach documents, update passport details, change email and address details, and check the progress of your application.
4. A Transaction Reference Number (TRN) is a unique number assigned to each online application. You will need this to track and manage your application, identify when to communicate with the visa centre and check your visa entitlements.

Dependents on Australian Student Visa

Dependents also apply under Subclass 500 and pay the additional fee required. You must declare all family members on your visa application at the time of submission, even if they do not plan to travel with you to Australia. If you do not do this, your family members will not be eligible for dependent visas to join you in Australia later on. The student's partner gets a Dependent Visa and a valid work permit for the same duration as the primary applicant. This applies only to applications for the Master's degree.

Part-Time Work Options under Student Visa Subclass 500

The part-time work options for students going to Australia have remained unchanged. Under Visa Subclass 500, students are eligible to work for up to 40 hours in a fortnight while the course is in Session and for unlimited hours when the course is not in session (during breaks). The only proviso is that the student cannot start working until the course commences.

A few things to remember:

• Students cannot work until the session begins. For instance, if your course starts in January 2026 and you reach Australia by December 2025, you cannot take up employment until then.
• If casework is a normal part of the curriculum of the course you are enrolled in, then this limit does not apply. This is typically applicable in cases of compulsory internships or integrated courses.
• Additionally, students in the Postgraduate Research Sector can work unlimited hours once the research work or doctoral thesis commences. Additionally, if the student has enrolled in any preliminary courses, they are eligible to work according to the 40 hours per fortnight rule mentioned above.
• Students completing the Australian study requirement can apply for a Post-study Work Permit under the Graduate Stream. However, students enrolled in an ELICOS cannot apply for a PSW in Australia or a Post Higher Education Work Visa in Australia.

Australian Study Visa Processing Time 2025

The processing time for Australian student visas has increased slightly compared to previous years. The new timeline varies for each of the student visa applications; hence, the Australia student visa processing time may take from 7 working days to 85 days at the most. Since a lot of students are returning, this is the proposed visa processing timeline guide given in the table below for each of the subclass visas:

The Australian student visa success rate in 2024 was between 85.1% and 86.7% overall. This percentage has increased from 56% in 2022, a positive sign for international applicants, despite caps, rising living costs, and stringent visa policies in Australia over the past two years.

Scholarships for Studying In Australia

If you wish to study in Australia, various scholarships are available to fund your education. However, there are different conditions for securing a scholarship, which one can check in detail and then apply for the one you are eligible for. The fellowships are provided to support the education of international students. Check out the list of popular scholarships for studying in Australia:

• Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship
• CCSE Graduate Scholarship
• Global Study Awards
• Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award
• Australia Awards Scholarship

This was all about the student visa for Australia. Additionally, explore student visas for studying abroad and those for prominent international study destinations. In case planning to apply to universities in Australia, applicants can seek guidance from experts by signing up for free at Shiksha Abroad Counselling and requesting a callback.