Australia Student Visa : Requirements, Processing Time, Fees 2025

International students willing to study in Australia would require a student visa. A student visa Australia varies based on its subclass and number. There are different Australian student visas which vary based on the level of course opted. For UG students there is subclass 500 Australia study visa and subclass 485 is for PG students. The eligibility and student visa Australia cost also vary for both visas. Check out in detail in the following article.

Student Visa Australia: The guidelines for an Australian student visa have changed multiple times over the years for those going to study in Australia. As per the new visa guidelines implemented by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, the Australian Government, all students planning to study in Australia need to apply for a Visa under Subclass 500. There are two types of student visas in Australia, both have been discussed in the article below. 

What is Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) for Student Visa Australia?

Earlier, the visas were categorised under Immigration Risk, wherein students applying from certain countries were categorised under the Assessment Level Framework. The new guidelines have a new combined country and immigration risk framework instead of the old Assessment Level Framework, and paper applications have been permanently discontinued. The New SSVF categorises the students' based on both the student visa Australia:

1. Nationality

Note, that the passport determines a student’s nationality. Irrespective of where the students are applying for the visa, the nationality on the passport would be considered. For instance, an Indian Student staying in the USA and applying for a visa from the USA would be considered under the risk levels as specified for India by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) when applying for student visa Australia.

2. Education Provider’s risk of default

Some of the Universities in Australia have been marked as riskier than others. Here for student visa Australia, apart from applicant's academic documentation their nationality and education provider is considered more.  

The table below indicates the classification of student visa Australia under the SSVF rule:

DIBP has a tool for identifying students under the Streamlined/ Regular process. The tool accordingly populates the list of documents students are required to furnish. Students are advised to have all the documents ready, as DIBP reserves the right to ask for either or all of the documents at the time of the application.

Australia Student Visa Fees 2025

The cost of an Australian Student Visa (subclass 500) and a graduate student visa fee are different. The following table throws light on the Australia student visa cost for reference for prospective applicants:

Note: All online applications and services are charged in Australian dollars. The student visa Australia cost is dynamic and may change without prior intimation. 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 different types of Australian student visas and different subclasses when applying for programs apart from 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 visa Australia are eligible to apply.

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, student visa Australia applicable is Subclass 500. 

Vocational Education and Training Sector

Vocational Education and Training Sector Students enrolled in a registered Vocational Education and Training Course (VET) by a TAFE or private institute 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

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 advanced diploma like PGDBM, etc.

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

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 one unified category. 

Australian Student Visa Validity

Usually, the student visa validity in Australia for international students is 5 years but as per the new guidelines in effect from July 1, 2016, the validity of the visa would be by 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 Study 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:

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 admissions and Subclass 485 for a postgraduate study - full-time. Part-time and distance learning courses do not qualify under any of these student visa subclasses in Australia.

Genuine Student Requirement (GS)

Getting an Australian Student Visa requires the student to be able to prove that he/she is a 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
• Value of your chosen course to your future
• Your immigration history
• Any other relevant matters

Note: The GTE requirement was valid for student visa applications filed by 22 March 2024. The new GS (Genuine Student) will be valid for applications filed on or after 23 March 2024.

Health Checkup and Insurance

To receive a student visa for Australia, you must prove that you are healthy. 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 make an appointment with the one closest to you for the same. eMedical Facilities are available in India, and often, the records are updated immediately. You would be provided with a HAP ID, which you must provide when filling out 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 apply for a health checkup before or after starting the 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 settled, so make sure that it covers the duration of your course.
• The average cost of OSHC is AUS$ 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 week to three weeks to be sent to the Home Affairs Department of Australia.

Good Character

Students must provide proof of good character, which necessarily suggests that they do not have any criminal case against them and/ or that they have never been deported from Australia before. Often, a simple declaration of the same is accepted on the form.

Documents Required for Student Visa Australia

The tool available on DIBP’s 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 only online, students must have scanned copies of all the documents listed before starting their online application. Also, please remember that the list of Regular Evidentiary Documents is in addition to the documents required for the SSVF processing.

• Valid Passport - Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond 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 you will be attending. 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
• English Language Test Scores
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Evidence of Financial Capacity (show savings worth AUD 24,505 while applying for 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. Also, you can travel to Australia a maximum of 90 days prior to 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 fill out the visa application form corresponding to the visa subclass under which they can 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 again log in to your ImmiAccount.  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

The 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, later on, your family members will not be eligible for the grant of dependent visas to join you in Australia. The student's partner gets a Dependent Visa and a valid work permit for the same duration as the primary applicant. This is applicable only for the Master's degree application.

What is the minimum IELTS band required for an Australian Student Visa?

There are a lot of queries that come in from students asking about the minimum IELTS band requirement for an Australian Student Visa. However, let us clear this confusion once and for all. Study abroad aspirants are informed that their IELTS Score does not impact their Australia Student Visa as your IELTS Score is a university requirement. Australia visa's top band in IELTS for undergraduate admissions should be 6.0 and no band less than 5.5, whereas for postgraduate courses the top band required is 6.5 to 7.0 for getting a student visa.  

So for admission to an Australian University, candidates usually require an overall band score of 6.5 with no component band score below 6 for postgraduate programs and an overall band score of 6.5 with no component band score below 6, for undergraduate programs and some programs like law, laboratory, nursing, etc. have higher IELTS band requirement. Candidates should note that the IELTS Band score is only indicative, the real value could change depending on your university of choice. But your IELTS score in no way affects your Australian Student Visa. 

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 2025 and you reach Australia by December 2024, 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 usually applicable in the case of compulsory internships or integrated courses.
• Also, students in the Postgraduate Research Sector can work unlimited hours when the research work or doctoral thesis begins. Also, if the student has enrolled in any preliminary courses, the student is eligible to work as per 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, which is a positive sign for international applicants despite caps, increases in living costs and stringent visa policies over these two years in Australia.

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 international students’ education. 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

This was all about student visa Australia. Also, read about student visas for study abroad and student visas 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 request a callback.