Student visa & permits in Australia
Student visa, residence permit, registration, fees, deadlines and document guidance for studying in Australia.
Read the complete Australia study abroad guide.
Visa & Immigration
The Student visa (subclass 500) is applied for online through ImmiAccount. For most higher-education applicants you first accept the provider’s offer and obtain a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE); the CoE must be provided with the application and remain valid when the visa is decided. You may apply in or outside Australia, but onshore applicants must hold an eligible substantive visa. Apply well before the course start date because processing times vary.
From 1 July 2026 the application charge starts from AUD 2,500. Concessional pricing continues for certain Pacific and Timor-Leste citizens, eligible ASEAN citizens, and Independent ELICOS and Non-Award applicants. Use the official Visa Pricing Estimator for your exact charge rather than relying on an old fixed figure.
For financial capacity, the current twelve-month living-cost benchmark for the student is AUD 29,710, on top of tuition and travel. Current family figures add AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 for each dependent child, with school costs where relevant. Home Affairs may require evidence showing that the funds are genuinely available and may ask about their source. An annual-income alternative is available in eligible cases, currently AUD 87,856 without an accompanying family member or AUD 102,500 where a family member is included.
The Genuine Student (GS) requirement applies to applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024. The online form asks four core questions, each with a 150-word limit and answered in English; supporting evidence matters. There is an additional question in certain previous-student-visa and onshore non-student-visa cases.
You must hold adequate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies. English-language evidence is required only where the rules require it: there are passport, study-history and course-based exemptions. Home Affairs also applies health and character requirements and may request examinations or additional documents. Check the current document checklist immediately before lodging.
Source: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500
Residence Permit
Australia does not issue a separate student residence card. Your visa is digital and linked to your passport. Use VEVO to check its validity and the conditions attached to it.
Read your grant notification carefully. Student visas can carry conditions covering work, enrolment and course progress, and health insurance. A breach can put your visa at risk; the exact conditions that apply to you are the ones shown on your grant and in VEVO.
You must notify your education or training provider of your residential address within 7 days of arriving in Australia and keep the provider updated when your details change. Your provider is therefore the first administrative point of contact for address and enrolment records.
Source: https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/your-guide-to-visas/student-visa-subclass-500
Common questions
What should international students know about visa in Australia?
Subclass 500: from AUD 2,500 since 1 July 2026, current financial-capacity evidence, OSHC, and the Genuine Student questions.
What should international students know about residence in Australia?
No separate residence card to collect. Your visa is digital, and you must give your provider your Australian address within 7 days of arrival.