What changed recently
- Student visa (subclass 500) application fee raised to a minimum of AUD 2,500 from 1 July 2026 - a steep rise from earlier years; verify the exact current fee before paying. Source: https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/your-guide-to-visas/student-visa-subclass-500
- Applicants already in Australia (onshore) now need a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) at the time the Student visa application is lodged - previously not always required at lodgment. Source: https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/your-guide-to-visas/student-visa-subclass-500
- Holders of a Visitor visa, Temporary Graduate visa, or Maritime Crew visa can no longer apply for a Student visa while onshore in Australia ('visa hopping' restriction). Source: https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/your-guide-to-visas/student-visa-subclass-500
- 'Concurrent CoEs' are no longer issued - a student moving from a higher-education course to a vocational (VET) course must meet all Student visa requirements again rather than holding two simultaneous enrolments. Source: https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/visa-application-process
Watch out for
- Budget for a visa fee around AUD 2,500 (from 1 July 2026) - confirm the exact figure close to application time, as this fee has risen in each of the last few years.
- The AUD 29,710 financial-capacity figure is a visa-eligibility minimum covering course, travel and living costs together - actual living costs in most Australian cities run higher; use the Study Australia cost-of-living calculator for a realistic budget.
The basics
- Bachelor's
- 3 years (bachelor's, most fields); 4 years for some degrees
- Master's / PhD
- 1-2 years (master's); PhD typically 3-4 years
- Intakes
- Semester 1 (February/March) — main · Semester 2 (July)
- Exams — bachelor's
- No standardised national test; institution-specific requirements
- Exams — master's
- Varies by programme; GMAT/GRE for some business/technical courses
- Work while studying
- Up to 48 hours per fortnight during study terms/semesters; no fortnightly cap is stated for scheduled course breaks (Study Australia).
- Work after graduating
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485): Post-Vocational Education stream up to 18 months; Post-Higher Education stream usually 2-3 years depending on qualification (5 years for Hong Kong/BNO passport holders in both streams); a Second Post-Higher Education Work stream of 1-2 years exists depending on where the applicant studied regionally (Study Australia).
Your timeline from India
for the main intake- Before applying for the visaReceive a Letter of Offer and pay deposit to get a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), required at the time the Student visa (subclass 500) application is lodged
- Before lodgingArrange proof of financial capacity (at least AUD 29,710 for a single applicant, per Study Australia) and English test results
- ApplicationLodge the Student visa (subclass 500) online with CoE, financial evidence, English evidence, health insurance (OSHC), and answer genuine-student questions; pay the visa fee (from AUD 2,500 per application from 1 July 2026)
- After a decisionArrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the visa period and plan arrival before the course start date
The student visa
- Visa
- Student visa (subclass 500) ↗
- Fee
- AUD 2,500 · about ₹1.7 lakh
Student visa fees are from AUD 2,500 per application from 1 July 2026, unless the applicant is exempt (studyaustralia.gov.au). This has risen sharply in recent years; confirm the exact current fee before applying. - Money to show
- Proof of financial capacity of at least AUD 29,710 (or equivalent) to cover course costs, travel and living expenses, per Study Australia's visa guide.
- Processing
- Not verified from an accessible official page this pass; check the current processing-time tool before booking travel.
Steps
- Get a Letter of Offer and pay the required deposit to receive a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) - now required at lodgment even for onshore applications
- Arrange English test results and financial evidence
- Answer the genuine-student questions on the application (course rationale, study history, benefit from the course)
- Arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
- Lodge the visa application online and pay the fee
Where to apply, funding, official help
Top universities in Australia
by ARWU 2025 world rank#38The University of MelbourneParkville, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaAdmission guide#65The University of QueenslandSt Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaAdmission guide#72University of SydneyCamperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia · UG fees ~₹33.1 lakh/yrAdmission guide#76Monash UniversityClayton, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaAdmission guide#80The University of New South WalesKensington, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaAdmission guide101–150The Australian National UniversityCanberra, Australian Capital Territory, AustraliaAdmission guide101–150The University of Western AustraliaPerth, Western Australia, AustraliaAdmission guide151–200Adelaide University (formerly The University of Adelaide, merged with University of South Australia)Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAdmission guide201–300Curtin UniversityBentley, Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaAdmission guide201–300Swinburne University of TechnologyHawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaAdmission guide201–300University of Technology SydneyUltimo, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaAdmission guide201–300Deakin UniversityMelbourne, Victoria, Australia201–300Macquarie UniversitySydney, New South Wales, Australia301–400RMIT UniversityMelbourne, Victoria, AustraliaAdmission guide301–400University of WollongongWollongong, New South Wales, AustraliaAdmission guide301–400Western Sydney UniversitySydney, New South Wales, AustraliaAdmission guide301–400Griffith UniversityBrisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia401–500Flinders UniversityAdelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAdmission guide401–500Adelaide University (formerly University of South Australia, merged with The University of Adelaide)Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAdmission guide501–600Murdoch UniversityPerth, Western Australia, AustraliaAdmission guide
This guide was built from: studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/your-guide-to-visas/student-visa-subclass-500 · studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/visa-application-process · studyaustralia.gov.au/en/work-in-australia/work-rights-and-responsibilities/your-work-rights-explained · studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/your-guide-to-visas/temporary-graduate-visa-subclass-485 · studyaustralia.gov.au/en/life-in-australia/living-and-education-costs · studyaustralia.gov.au/en/work-in-australia/work-after-graduating · studyaustralia.gov.au/ · studyaustralia.gov.au/en — checked 2026-09-28.