Cost of studying in Australia (2026)
Total yearly cost
₹25–45L
All-in: tuition + rent + food + transport + insurance, in INR. Local currency: AUD (A$).
Cost breakdown
Monthly figures in local currency unless otherwise noted.
| Component | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | See per-course pages below for tier-by-discipline. | Varies by program and university. |
| Rent | A$800–2,000/mo | Single occupancy, off-campus. |
| Food | A$300–500 | Mix of home cooking + occasional eating out. |
| Transport | A$50–150 | Student transit pass. |
| Health insurance | A$500–700/yr (OSHC) | Mandatory; many universities bundle this. |
City-by-city rent comparator
Picking a tier-2 city instead of the capital can drop your yearly total by 20-40%.
| City | Rent | Food | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | A$1,400–2,000 | A$400–500 | A$100–150 |
| Melbourne | A$1,200–1,800 | A$350–450 | A$80–120 |
| Brisbane | A$900–1,400 | A$300–400 | A$60–100 |
Cost of Australia masters programs by course
Each page shows tuition tier (P25-P75) for that discipline, computed from live university listings.
Cost of Computer Science & AI in Australia
Top universities offering Computer Science, Software Engineering and AI/ML masters programs
See tuition tier →
Cost of Data Science in Australia
Best universities for Data Science, Analytics and Business Intelligence masters programs
See tuition tier →
Cost of MBA & Business in Australia
MBA programs for Indian students — tuition, IELTS/GMAT, scholarships and post-study work
See tuition tier →
Cost of Engineering in Australia
Top universities for Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Robotics engineering masters
See tuition tier →
Cost of Cybersecurity in Australia
Top universities offering Cybersecurity, Information Assurance and Digital Forensics
See tuition tier →
Cost of Medicine & Healthcare in Australia
Best universities for Medicine, Public Health, Nursing and Bio-tech masters
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Cost of Finance & Accounting in Australia
Top universities for Finance, Accounting, FinTech and Investment masters
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Cost of Law & Policy in Australia
Top universities for LLM, Public Policy and International Relations programs
See tuition tier →
Cost of Arts & Humanities in Australia
Top universities for Arts, Literature, Media and Communication programs
See tuition tier →
Cost of Architecture & Design in Australia
Top universities for Architecture, Urban Planning and Design programs
See tuition tier →
Build a budget for Australia
Talk to a NexStudy counselor about scholarship offsets, education loans and cost-saving city choices for Australia.
Studying in Australia costs an Indian student roughly AUD 65,000–100,000 a year all-in (about ₹44–67 lakh) in 2026: tuition of AUD 36,000–56,000 for most bachelor and masters courses, living costs of at least AUD 29,710 (the Home Affairs visa benchmark, about ₹20 lakh) and more like AUD 30,000–45,000 in Melbourne or Sydney, plus one-off costs such as the AUD 2,500 student visa charge and OSHC of about AUD 590–750 a year. Adelaide, Perth and regional campuses cost less to live in: Adelaide and Perth add one year to the second post-study work visa and Category 3 regional areas add two. Brisbane is cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne but adds no extra years.
How much does it cost to study in Australia in 2026?
There is no national tuition rate: each university sets international fees per course and publishes them on the course page, usually as an indicative annual figure for a full-time load. In 2026 RMIT puts its average indicative range at AUD 36,000–56,000 a year across levels, while the University of Sydney, a Group of Eight university, lists undergraduate fees of AUD 49,200–65,900 and postgraduate coursework of AUD 46,400–83,500 depending on faculty. Regional universities and some Victorian and South Australian institutions sit below the RMIT range.
Living costs are the second half of the bill. The Department of Home Affairs requires you to show AUD 29,710 for 12 months of living costs when you apply for the student visa, and Study Australia is explicit that actual costs "may be much higher than what is needed for the visa". RMIT's own 2026 estimate for Melbourne is AUD 30,000–45,000 a year, and Sydney is comparable. Treat AUD 29,710 as a floor for Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and regional cities, not a budget for the two largest cities.
This guide converts everything at A$1 = ₹67.3. Because the rupee has weakened against the Australian dollar over most multi-year periods, build a 5–10% buffer into any rupee budget you fix today for a course finishing in 2028.
Tuition fees in Australia by level of study (2026)
Ranges from two published 2026 fee guides. Medicine and some other professional courses are priced separately on each course page; Sydney's postgraduate coursework range tops out at AUD 83,500, which is its dentistry fee.
| Level | Annual fee 2026 (AUD) | Approx. INR per year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor degree — typical range | AUD 36,000–50,000 | ₹24–34 lakh | RMIT 2026 guide |
| Bachelor degree — Group of Eight | AUD 49,200–65,900 | ₹33–44 lakh | University of Sydney 2026 |
| Masters by coursework — typical range | AUD 35,000–60,000 | ₹24–40 lakh | RMIT 2026 guide |
| Masters by coursework — Group of Eight | AUD 46,400–83,500 | ₹31–56 lakh | University of Sydney 2026; top of range is dentistry |
| Postgraduate research (MPhil / PhD) | AUD 46,900–58,400 | ₹32–39 lakh | University of Sydney 2026; often offset by RTP scholarships |
| Graduate certificate / graduate diploma | AUD 20,000–50,000 | ₹13–34 lakh | RMIT 2026 guide (shorter courses) |
| Example: Bachelor of Laws | AUD 45,120 | ₹30 lakh | RMIT 2026 |
| Example: Bachelor of Education | AUD 36,480 | ₹25 lakh | RMIT 2026 |
| Example: Master of Business Administration | AUD 50,880 | ₹34 lakh | RMIT 2026 |
Sources: RMIT University and University of Sydney international fee pages, checked 26 Sep 2026. A$1 = ₹67.3 (Xe mid-market, 26 Sep 2026). Fees rise each January; universities state increases are reviewed annually.
Living costs in Australia for students: what the AUD 29,710 covers
Home Affairs does not break its figure into categories, so the split below is an illustrative allocation of the AUD 29,710 benchmark across a 52-week year, with the Melbourne range from RMIT alongside. Rent is the swing item: a room in a shared house in inner Sydney or Melbourne costs far more than the same room in Adelaide.
| Cost head | Share of AUD 29,710 benchmark (illustrative) | Approx. INR per year | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (shared house, one room) | about 45–50%, AUD 13,000–15,000 | ₹8.7–10 lakh | city, distance from campus, on-campus vs private |
| Groceries and eating out | about 20%, AUD 6,000 | ₹4 lakh | cooking at home vs takeaway |
| Transport | about 5–7%, AUD 1,500–2,000 | ₹1–1.3 lakh | student concession fares vary by state |
| Utilities, phone, internet | about 7–8%, AUD 2,000–2,400 | ₹1.3–1.6 lakh | often included in on-campus rent |
| Books, study materials, SSAF | about 3–4%, AUD 1,000–1,200 | ₹67,000–81,000 | SSAF capped at AUD 373 (RMIT 2026) |
| Personal, clothing, entertainment | about 12–15%, AUD 3,500–4,500 | ₹2.4–3 lakh | lifestyle |
| Total, visa benchmark | AUD 29,710 | ₹20 lakh | Home Affairs, 12 months |
| Total, Melbourne estimate | AUD 30,000–45,000 | ₹20–30 lakh | RMIT 2026 guide |
The AUD 29,710 total is the Department of Home Affairs figure (checked 26 Sep 2026); the category split is NexStudy's illustrative allocation, not an official breakdown. A$1 = ₹67.3 (Xe mid-market, 26 Sep 2026).
Sydney and Melbourne vs Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane: which city is cheaper?
The Australian Government does not publish an official city ranking, but two verifiable facts shape the decision: which cities count as designated regional areas for the second Temporary Graduate visa, and where rent pressure is highest. Study Australia notes there "can be financial advantages" to choosing a smaller city.
| City | Regional category (Home Affairs) | Extra post-study work years | Relative living cost | Typical Indian student profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Not regional | None | Highest rents in the country | business, IT, finance; large Indian community in Parramatta and Harris Park |
| Melbourne | Not regional | None | High; RMIT estimates AUD 30,000–45,000 a year | IT, engineering, nursing; Indian hubs in Dandenong and Footscray |
| Brisbane | Not regional | None | Below Sydney and Melbourne | engineering, health, hospitality |
| Perth | Category 2 — Cities and Major Regional Centres | +1 year (second 485) | Moderate | mining engineering, IT, nursing |
| Adelaide | Category 2 — Cities and Major Regional Centres | +1 year (second 485) | Lowest of the five capitals | IT, health, business; strong state nomination pathways |
| Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong | Category 2 | +1 year | Moderate to low | growing choice for cost-sensitive students |
| Hobart | Category 2 (Tasmania) | +2 years (Tasmania exception) | Moderate to low | growing choice for cost-sensitive students |
| Other regional centres (e.g. Townsville, Cairns, Launceston, Wagga Wagga) | Category 3 — Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas | +2 years | Lowest | agriculture, health, education, hospitality |
Regional categories and extra post-study years: Department of Home Affairs, designated regional areas, checked 26 Sep 2026; the second 485 also requires two years living in a regional area. Relative living-cost descriptions are qualitative; use the Study Australia Cost of Living Calculator for a city-specific weekly estimate.
One-off and pre-departure costs before you land in Australia
These fall due between the offer letter and your first week in Australia, mostly in Indian rupees or by card from India.
| Item | Cost (AUD) | Approx. INR | Source / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa (subclass 500) application charge | AUD 2,500 | ₹1.7 lakh | Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator, 26 Sep 2026 |
| English test (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL) | AUD 310–490 | ₹21,000–33,000 | RMIT 2026 guide; paid in INR in India |
| OSHC single cover, per year | AUD 590–750 | ₹40,000–50,000 | RMIT 2026 guide; whole visa period paid upfront by many providers |
| Health examination (panel clinic in India) | varies | varies | set by the clinic; includes chest X-ray for most applicants |
| Tuition deposit for the CoE | typically one semester | varies | set by the university; deducted from first-year fees |
| Travel allowance the visa expects you to hold | AUD 2,000 | ₹1.35 lakh | Home Affairs financial capacity, applying from outside Australia |
| Accommodation bond and first weeks | about 4–6 weeks rent | varies | state tenancy law caps the bond |
A$1 = ₹67.3 (Xe mid-market, 26 Sep 2026). Remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme may attract Tax Collected at Source above certain thresholds; check the current rules with your bank.
How much can you earn part time to offset the cost?
The student visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session and unlimited hours in scheduled breaks. From 1 July 2026 the National Minimum Wage is AUD 26.44 an hour, or AUD 1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, and casual employees, which most student jobs are, typically receive a 25% loading on top of the base rate. Working the full 48 hours at the base minimum wage therefore earns about AUD 1,270 a fortnight before tax (48 × AUD 26.44). Even 26 fortnights at that cap would be only about AUD 33,000, and the cap applies only while your course is in session, so term-time earnings over a year fall well short of that and cannot be counted on to meet the visa living-cost benchmark; Home Affairs says you should not rely on work to support yourself. Realistically, most students work 20–30 hours a fortnight during semester.
Students on courses longer than six months are normally Australian residents for tax purposes, so the first AUD 18,200 of income in a tax year is tax-free under the 2026–27 resident rates, and the next band is taxed at 15 cents in the dollar. Employers must also pay superannuation of 12% of ordinary earnings into a fund in your name; you can claim it back as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment when you leave permanently.
Do not plan for part-time work to pay tuition. The visa's financial-capacity test exists because the Department expects tuition to be funded before you arrive; earnings realistically cover rent, groceries and transport.
Education loans and scholarships for Indian students
Most Indian families fund an Australian degree through a mix of savings and an education loan. Public-sector banks such as SBI and Bank of Baroda lend against collateral for larger amounts and at lower rates; NBFCs such as HDFC Credila and Avanse and international lenders such as Prodigy Finance and MPOWER offer non-collateral loans to students at approved universities, usually at higher rates. A sanction letter for the full first-year amount is acceptable evidence of funds for the visa, and interest paid on an Indian education loan is deductible under Section 80E.
Scholarships shave 10–50% off tuition for strong profiles. Australia Awards is not open to Indian citizens and Destination Australia has had no new rounds since 1 July 2024, so the realistic options are university merit scholarships (Deakin's Vice-Chancellor's International Scholarship at 100% or 50%, Newcastle's international merit awards at 20–30%, and comparable schemes at most universities) and, for research students, Research Training Program fee offsets and stipends. See our Australia scholarships guide for values and deadlines.
Seven ways Indian students cut the cost of studying in Australia
- Pick a Category 2 or Category 3 regional campus: lower rent and one to two extra years of post-study work rights on the second 485 visa.
- Compare the fee per course page, not the university brochure: the same masters can differ by AUD 10,000 a year between two universities in the same city.
- Choose a 1.5-year masters if you are returning to India after graduating; it saves a semester of fees and living costs (about AUD 30,000–45,000).
- Apply for the university's automatic merit scholarship at the offer stage; many are assessed from your percentage without a separate form.
- Share accommodation and cook: rent and food are about two-thirds of the living-cost benchmark.
- Buy OSHC for the full visa period through the university's preferred provider; multi-year policies are cheaper per year than annual renewals.
- Time your forex: pay tuition by instalment where the university allows it, and check LRS and TCS rules with your bank before large transfers.
What about MBBS in Australia?
Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of studying in Australia for Indian students per year?
Budget AUD 65,000–100,000 a year (about ₹44–67 lakh) in 2026: tuition of AUD 36,000–56,000 for most courses, living costs of at least AUD 29,710 and up to AUD 45,000 in Melbourne or Sydney, plus OSHC of AUD 590–750. Group of Eight universities and medicine cost more.
What is the living cost in Australia for students per month?
The Home Affairs visa benchmark of AUD 29,710 a year works out to about AUD 2,475 a month (about ₹1.67 lakh). RMIT's 2026 estimate for Melbourne is AUD 30,000–45,000 a year, or AUD 2,500–3,750 a month, with rent taking roughly half.
Which city in Australia is cheapest for international students?
Among the capitals, Adelaide and Perth are generally the cheapest to live in and both count as Category 2 regional areas, adding one year to the second post-study work visa. Regional centres such as Townsville or Launceston are cheaper still and add two years. Sydney has the highest rents.
How much is the Australian student visa fee in 2026?
AUD 2,500 (about ₹1.7 lakh) for the main applicant, as confirmed by the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator on 26 September 2026. Charges are indexed each 1 July. From 2 October 2026 Student visa applicants can no longer include a partner or dependent children unless an exemption applies (for example PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, foreign government scholarship recipients, and eligible students from Pacific and ASEAN countries), and family members cannot be added after the visa is granted. Where an exemption applies, add AUD 1,530 for a partner and AUD 500 per child.
How much bank balance is needed to study in Australia?
For the visa you must be able to show AUD 29,710 for 12 months of living costs, plus the first 12 months of course fees (less any amount you have already paid), plus AUD 2,000 travel. With tuition of AUD 36,000–56,000 that is AUD 67,710–87,710 before any deposit (₹46–59 lakh). Or show a parent or partner earned at least AUD 87,856 in the past 12 months.
Can part-time work cover living costs in Australia?
Only partly. At the 1 July 2026 National Minimum Wage of AUD 26.44 an hour, the maximum 48 hours a fortnight earns about AUD 1,270 before tax at the base rate. That cap applies only while your course is in session, so term-time earnings alone fall short of the AUD 29,710 living-cost benchmark, and Home Affairs says you should not rely on work to support yourself. It will not cover tuition.
How much does MBBS in Australia cost for Indian students?
Medicine fees are set per course and sit above general coursework fees at most universities. At the University of Sydney the 2026 postgraduate coursework range tops out at AUD 83,500 a year (about ₹56 lakh) for dentistry, while the Doctor of Medicine is priced separately, so check the University of Sydney MD course page for its fee before budgeting. Places for international students are limited and require UCAT or GAMSAT.
Are tuition fees in Australia paid yearly or per semester?
Per semester or trimester, in advance. Fees are calculated per unit of study, so the annual figure on the course page assumes a standard full-time load; you pay a deposit of roughly one semester to receive your CoE, then each term's fees before census date.
Official sources used on this page
- Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500): financial capacity and work conditions — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Student visa changes: family members — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Visa Pricing Estimator — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Designated regional areas — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- RMIT University — Cost of studying in Australia for international students (2026) — RMIT University · checked 26 September 2026
- University of Sydney — International student tuition fees (2026 and 2027 guide) — University of Sydney · checked 26 September 2026
- Study Australia — Living and education costs — Australian Government (Austrade) · checked 26 September 2026
- Fair Work Ombudsman — Minimum wages — Fair Work Ombudsman · checked 26 September 2026
- Australian Taxation Office — Tax rates, Australian resident — Australian Taxation Office · checked 26 September 2026
- Xe — AUD to INR mid-market rate — Xe · checked 26 September 2026
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