How to Apply for Australian Student Visa: Applications, Process, Fees & Other Details
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International students who get admission to Australian universities have to apply for a student visa. How to apply for an Australian student visa? This article will discuss in detail about how international students can submit their student visa applications to study in Australia. Check out the article for all the major details.
International students who get their confirmation of enrolment or COE to study in Australia can apply for an Australian student visa. The Department of Home Affairs - Australia invites study visa applications from students based on their educational qualifications, fitness and health insurance and language proficiency scores. There is also a GTE requirement as proposed by the Australian government which includes considering the applicant's country conditions, and his/her value to Australia based on the choice of course of study and past immigration history. The application process for a student visa in Australia is easy and is described below.
- Who Needs a Student Visa in Australia?
- How to Apply for Student Visa in Australia? Step-by-Step Guide
- Top Courses to Apply for Student Visa in Australia
Who Needs a Student Visa in Australia?
International students applying for admission to Australian universities must apply for a student visa. An Australian student visa applies to international students applying for either short-term or long-term courses of study in Australia. Usually, courses offered in Australia that last for over six months require a student visa to attend. Thus, international students applying for full-time UG and PG courses offered under CRICOS have to have a student visa in hand.
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Moreover, students who obtain their CoE can apply for a student visa in Australia. There is only one way of submitting a student visa application in Australia—that is, online. Students can apply when they receive their CoE from the Australian university. The following methods have been discussed in detail for students applying for a visa in Australia.
How to Apply for Student Visa in Australia? Step-by-Step Guide
There are two ways for international students to apply for a student visa in Australia which happens online (by the applicants on their own). The online Australia student visa process step by step for application submission has been given in detail below:
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Step 1: You must check with the Australian Embassy to see if you can apply for a student visa before obtaining official confirmation of your enrolment and paying tuition fees. Determine the appropriate type of student visa in Australia before applying.
Step 2: Check the country assessment level. The visa assessment levels depend on where your passport was issued and your visa subclass. For India, the Assessment Level is 3, and therefore, you can apply online through a migration agent. This is part of an ongoing trial of electronic lodgment of student visa applications (eVisa) for Assessment Levels (AL) 2-4 (medium to very high immigration risk) applicants.
Step 3: Log in to the eVisa system and lodge your application. The Australian High Commission requires that you lodge your application at least 8 weeks before the orientation date at your institution.
(Note: If you apply online outside Australia, you must also be outside Australia before the visa can be granted.)
Step 4: You will be required to attach documents regarding the following, along with your online application:
- Your current passport (valid for at least six months)
- Academic documents - including educational certificates, diplomas or degrees (as applicable) and English test results
- Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE)
- Travel document details
- Current or previous Australian visa details
- Name and residential address details;
- Postal and/or email address details; and
- Declarations by you as to your
- health
- character
- an understanding and acceptance of the visa conditions being applied for.
Note: Students must hold a valid passport before being granted a visa. It is strongly recommended that the passport be valid for at least six months.
Step 5: After completing your payment details, you should apply. Once the bank accepts payment and the Department has accepted your application, a 'Transaction Reference Number' (TRN) will be generated for it. You can use the TRN to inquire about the status of your application.
Step 6: Download and print the Health forms provided in case you must undergo a health check.;
You can:
- Optionally, view and print the receipt for submitting this visa application
- Optionally, view and print a copy of your visa application
Australian Student Visa Fees 2025
The Australian student visas are of two types - one is for undergraduate studies and the other is for postgraduate admissions. Here is the Australian student visa fees for international applicants:
- Subclass (500) Visa: The Australian Student Visa Subclass (500) is for undergraduates. Australia student visa fee for Subclass (500) is AUD 1,600.
- Subclass (485) Visa: This Australian Student Visa Subclass (485) is for those applying for postgraduate admissions. The Australian student visa fee for Suclass (485) is AUD 1,945.
The Australian student visa fee for both visas varies from one another. Also, the Australian student visa processing times also vary. Thus, applicants must apply for the student visa in Australia as soon as they get their CoE.
Australian Student Visa Documents Required
You should place your documents in the following order when lodging your application (from top down) via ImmiAccount:
- The original passport should be secured in a separate envelope. We recommend that clients submit their original passport with their application, as this reduces delays associated with further document requests.
- Application form 157A followed by form 956 (if applicable)
- English Language Test Scores
- Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) from the education provider.
- Academic documents - including educational certificates, diplomas or degrees (as applicable) and English test results
- Identity documents including marriage certificates, birth certificates, custody documents (if applicable) and copy of passport.
- Financial documents—including evidence of health cover, funds, and source of income. Please separate each sponsor's financial documents and place each affidavit of support with that sponsor's funds.
- Genuine Student Requirement is also essential part of the Australian student visa application process.
*Please note that no original documents other than the passport are to be submitted. Check out the full list of documents required for Australian student visa before applying.
Top Courses to Apply for Student Visa in Australia
Generally, Indian students apply for a visa in the hopes of pursuing an education in one of the following programmes:
- Bachelor degree
- Associate degree
- Graduate certificate
- Graduate Diploma
- Masters by coursework
- Higher Education Diploma
- Higher Education advanced diploma
(Note: Anyone seeking education in Australia for more than 3 months has to apply for a student visa.)
With the introduction of the e-visa system through the approved education agents, the issuance of Australian student visas has become easy today. In India, thirteen education agents process student visas electronically and provide a student's supporting documents as electronic attachments.
Read: Why study in Australia?
Interested in studying in Australia? Get in touch with our team of counsellors by signing up for free at Shiksha Study Abroad Counselling. Get all your queries resolved by contacting the counsellors, or you can also write to us in the comments below.
Yes, you can go to Australia with a 6-band equivalent in PTE — but it depends on what you're applying for (student visa, work visa, or permanent residency) and what “6 bands” refers to.
If "6 Bands" is referred to as IELTS bandscore equivalent, then an overall IELTS score of 6.0 is roughly equal to a? PTE Academic score of about 50–58.
This allows you to go on a Australian Subclass-500 student visa which require a minimum PTE score 50. However, this score may not be suitable for admissions to many top Australian universities as they require a minimum PTE score of 65.
No, the University of Notre Dame doesn’t have any admission interviews. The university strictly only checks the application forms filled by its applicants. However, it is suggested that applicants have a strong SOP, LOR, and grades before applying to the university.
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Student Visa Application
Admission Essay Writing
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The minimum PTE scores required to get admitted to the Australian universities range from 50 to 58. Note that these scores do not confirm admission to a university and the decision lies solely on the university admissions team.