Australia Student Visa : Requirements, Processing Time, Fees 2025

Latest Updates for Student Visa Australia 2025-26

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 2025-26

Cost of Australian Student Visa subclass 500 is given below for reference:

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

Student visa validity in Australia is 5 years. But as per the new guidelines effective from July 1, 2016, the visa validity will be based on 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 to any of the public universities in Australia:

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. The student visa in Australia is valid for 6 years based on the duration of study.

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 get your student visa for Australia, you must prove your good health. You can do so by providing a certificate for the same. The health checkup and certificate can only be provided by the doctors in the panel. You can schedule an appointment. eMedical Facilities are available in India and so the records get updated immediately. You will be provided with 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 risky 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 OSHC (Overseas Students Health Cover).

• At the time of the visa application, you should have an 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 478 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 give proof of good character. There should be no criminal record against them and they should never have been deported from Australia before. 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. Evidence of Financial Capacity to Study and Live 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, 

Also, applicants will have to prove they have enough finances to support:

• Their travel costs (in and out of Australia)
• 12 months of living expenses, which is AUD 29,710.
• The designated tuition fees for you and your accompanying family members.
• And, school fees for school-going dependants if any.

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

7. Potential Sources of Funding

The potential sources of funding to apply for student visa Australia include:

1. Personal savings
2. FD
3. Education loans or scholarships
4. PPF
5. LIC
6. MUTUAL FUNDS
7. ITR for INR 12 LPA and above
8. Notarised sponsorship letters

Applicants should ensure that they have access to these funding sources, that is, they can withdraw from any of these sources at any given point in time. 

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 to Apply for an Australian Student Visa?

The Australian Student Visa process typically takes between 4-12 weeks 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. Applicants can apply for their student visa in Australia 8-10 weeks before their courses begin. As soon as they receive their CoE they can start their student visa application. 
2. To start an online application, you must create an ImmiAccount and log in to start your application.
3. 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.)
4. 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.
5. 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

Part-time work rules for students going to study in Australia have remained unchanged. Under Visa Subclass 500, students are eligible to work for up to 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in Session and for unlimited hours during university holidays.

A few things to remember:

• Students cannot work part time in Australia 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 part time work is a part of your curriculum then there is no limit on working hours. This is applicable for compulsory internships or integrated courses only.
• Students in the Postgraduate Research Sector can work without any cap once their research work or doctoral thesis commences. If enrolled in preliminary courses, they will be eligible to work for 48 hours per fortnight rule.
• Students who complete their degree can apply for a Post Study Work Permit under the Graduate Stream. ELICOS course applicants are not eligible for PSW or Post Higher Education Work Visa in Australia.

Australian Study Visa Processing Time 2025

Processing time for Australia student visas may increase or decrease depending on the load of applications. The timeline varies based on date of applications. Australia student visa processing time may take about 85 days. The current visa processing timeline guide given in the table below:

Australian student visa success rate in 2024 was between 85.1% and 86.7% overall. This percentage was 56% in 2022. There has been a significant increase which is a positive sign. Despite caps, rising living costs, student visa fee increase and stringent visa policies in Australia over the past two years the students are still applying to study in Australia.

In case planning to apply to universities in Australia, applicants can get guidance from experts. If you are all set to apply, get Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a callback. This counselling is absolutely free of charge, with no additional or hidden fees. So get expert advice at all levels of study and apply for admission and visa with Shiksha's expert team.