Australia Student Visa (Subclass 500) for Indian Students: Fees, Funds and Requirements in 2026
Australia student visa (subclass 500) for Indian students: AUD 2,500 fee, AUD 29,710 funds, Genuine Student rules, English scores, OSHC, 48-hour work rights.
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The Australia student visa is the subclass 500. As of 26 September 2026 the visa application charge is AUD 2,500 (about ₹1.7 lakh) for the main applicant, you must show funds for 12 months of living costs of AUD 29,710 (about ₹20 lakh) plus first-year tuition and AUD 2,000 travel, pass the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, hold Overseas Student Health Cover and, unless exempt, prove English at IELTS 6.0 (or 5.5 with 10 weeks of ELICOS). The visa lets you work 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session.
What is the Australia student visa (subclass 500)?
The subclass 500 is the single student visa for every level of study in Australia: English language courses (ELICOS), school, vocational (VET), bachelor, master and PhD. It is granted for the length of your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) plus a short buffer, up to a maximum of six years, and it is a temporary visa that lets you study full time, travel in and out of Australia and work a capped number of hours. Family members can be included in the same application or join you later as subsequent entrants.
For Indian students the practical sequence is: get an offer from a CRICOS-registered provider, pay the deposit and receive the CoE, arrange OSHC, gather financial and English evidence, answer the Genuine Student questions inside the ImmiAccount form, lodge online and pay the visa application charge. There is no visa interview by default, but the Department can request documents at any point, including after you have lodged.
Since 23 March 2024 the Genuine Student (GS) requirement has replaced the old Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test. The change matters: under GS, saying that you may want to apply for skilled migration after graduating does not count against you, as long as study is clearly your primary reason for coming.
How much does the Australia student visa cost in 2026?
The visa application charge is paid once, online, when you lodge in ImmiAccount. The amounts below were returned by the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator for an application lodged on 26 September 2026 in the higher-education sector; the same base charge applies to the postgraduate-research sector. Charges are indexed each 1 July, so re-check before you pay if you lodge after 1 July 2027.
| Item | AUD | Approx. INR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main applicant (base charge) | AUD 2,500 | ₹1.7 lakh | higher education and postgraduate research sectors |
| Additional applicant aged 18+ | AUD 1,530 | ₹1.03 lakh | spouse or de facto partner in the same application |
| Additional applicant under 18 | AUD 500 | ₹33,700 | per child |
| Subsequent temporary application charge | AUD 700 | ₹47,000 | added only when you apply onshore holding certain earlier visas |
| Example: single student applying from India | AUD 2,500 | ₹1.7 lakh | no GST |
| Example: student + partner + one child | AUD 4,530 | ₹3.05 lakh | 2,500 + 1,530 + 500 |
Source: Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator, checked 26 Sep 2026. A$1 = ₹67.3 (Xe mid-market, 26 Sep 2026). Biometrics, medicals, OSHC and English tests are extra.
How much money do you need to show for an Australia student visa?
The Department publishes fixed "financial capacity" amounts. If you are asked for evidence, you must show funds covering the first 12 months of living costs, 12 months of course fees (less anything already paid), travel costs and, for dependants, their living and schooling costs. If someone else is providing the funds, the Department asks for evidence of your relationship with them, their identity documents and evidence of any financial support they have given you or another Student visa holder in the past.
| Cost item | Amount (AUD) | Approx. INR | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 months living costs — student | AUD 29,710 | ₹20 lakh | every primary applicant |
| 12 months living costs — partner | AUD 10,394 | ₹7 lakh | if your partner is included |
| 12 months living costs — each child | AUD 4,449 | ₹3 lakh | per dependent child |
| Travel costs (applying from India) | AUD 2,000 | ₹1.35 lakh | AUD 1,000 if you apply while in Australia |
| First-year course fees | per your CoE | varies | total fee ÷ course years, minus the deposit already paid |
| Schooling for school-age children | at least AUD 13,502 per year, per child | ₹9.1 lakh | minimum set by the Department; actual costs vary by state and school |
| Alternative: parent or partner annual income | AUD 87,856 (AUD 102,500 with family) | ₹59 lakh (₹69 lakh) | shown with official tax documents under 12 months old |
Source: Department of Home Affairs, Student visa (subclass 500) — "Have enough money for your stay", checked 26 Sep 2026. A$1 = ₹67.3 (Xe mid-market, 26 Sep 2026). A student with AUD 35,000 first-year tuition therefore needs roughly AUD 66,700, about ₹45 lakh, in evidence.
Which documents does the Department accept as proof of funds?
Acceptable evidence includes money-deposit statements from a financial institution, a loan letter from a bank or a government-approved loan, scholarship letters and, for the income route, official tax assessments from the Australian Taxation Office equivalent in India, i.e. Income Tax Returns and Form 16. Bank statements alone are not accepted as proof of annual income.
Indian students most commonly combine an education loan with parental savings. Public-sector banks such as SBI and private lenders such as HDFC Credila typically ask for collateral above a threshold; fintech lenders such as Prodigy Finance and MPOWER lend without collateral to selected universities and courses. A sanction letter that names the full amount available, not just a pre-approval, is what the case officer expects. Remember that remittances above the Liberalised Remittance Scheme thresholds can attract Tax Collected at Source; check the current rules with your bank before you transfer.
Whether you must attach evidence at lodgement depends on your evidence level (Streamlined or Regular), which is set by the combination of your passport country and your provider. The Document Checklist Tool on the Home Affairs site tells you what to upload for your exact provider. Even when the tool says financial evidence is not required, keep it ready: the Department can ask for it at any stage.
What English score do you need for an Australia student visa?
If you need to provide English evidence for the visa, the scores below are the minimums the Department accepts for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. Lower scores are allowed when your CoE packages an English course (ELICOS) of at least 10 or 20 weeks before your main course. Tests must be taken within two years of lodging and must be sat at a test centre: at-home versions such as IELTS Online and TOEFL iBT Home Edition are not accepted.
| Test | Standalone course | With ≥10 weeks ELICOS, Foundation or eligible Pathway | With ≥20 weeks ELICOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic or General) | 6.0 overall | 5.5 overall | 5.0 overall |
| TOEFL iBT (select "Taking TOEFL for Australia") | 67 | 51 | 37 |
| PTE Academic | 47 | 39 | 31 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | 161 | Excluded | Excluded |
| OET (overall score) | 1210 | 1090 | 1020 |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic | 61 | 54 | 46 |
| MET | 53 | 49 | 44 |
| CELPIP General | 7 | 6 | 5 |
Source: Department of Home Affairs, Student visa (subclass 500) — Step by step, Gather documents, "English language test scores (test taken on or after 7 August 2025)", checked 26 Sep 2026. C1 Advanced does not accept any test scores below IELTS 6, so it is excluded for the packaged-ELICOS columns. Your university's admission requirement is usually higher than the visa minimum.
What is the Genuine Student requirement and how do you pass it?
Every applicant must show they are a genuine applicant for entry and stay as a student and understand that study is the primary reason for the visa. You answer a set of targeted questions directly in the ImmiAccount form, each limited to 150 words and written in English: your current circumstances (family, community, employment and economic ties in India), why this course, this provider and Australia, how the course will benefit you, and anything else relevant. Applicants who already hold or held a student visa get an extra question about their study history.
The Department gives more weight to statements backed by evidence, so attach what you cite: degree transcripts, work letters, the offer letter, evidence of your family's income, and research on the course. Consistency is the main test. A Bachelor of Commerce graduate applying for a Master of Data Science should explain the bridge; a five-year gap since graduation should be accounted for; and a course that duplicates a degree you already hold will be questioned.
The Department prefers you answer within the form rather than upload a separate GS statement. Keep each answer factual and specific. Do not copy templates: identical wording across applicants is a known refusal trigger.
How do you apply for the Australia student visa from India, step by step?
Allow three to four months from offer to departure. Most Indian students lodge two to three months before a February or July intake.
Secure an unconditional offer from a CRICOS-registered provider
Apply with your 10th and 12th marksheets, degree transcripts, English test and SOP. Meet every condition on the offer letter, including any English or deposit condition, so the provider can issue the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
Pay the deposit and receive your CoE
The CoE is the document that proves enrolment in a specific course; you cannot lodge a valid visa application without it. Concurrent CoEs are no longer issued, so package courses (for example ELICOS plus a bachelor) must be sequenced on the CoE.
Buy Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
OSHC from an approved insurer must cover you from the day you arrive in Australia to the end of your visa. Approved providers listed by Study Australia include ahm, Allianz Care Australia, CBHS International Health and Medibank; most universities bundle a preferred provider into the offer.
Assemble financial, English and identity documents
Use the Document Checklist Tool for your provider. Prepare 12 months of living costs (AUD 29,710), first-year fees and AUD 2,000 travel, or the parental-income route (AUD 87,856). Colour scans of passport, birth certificate and passport photos; a health examination through My Health Declaration can be done before lodging.
Create an ImmiAccount and complete the online form
Answer the Genuine Student questions inside the form (150 words each). Declare accurate travel and visa history, including any refusals. Family members applying with you must meet health and character requirements.
Pay the visa application charge and lodge
AUD 2,500 for the main applicant as at 26 September 2026, paid online by card. Keep the transaction reference number (TRN). Provide biometrics at the VFS centre if the Department asks.
Respond to any request for information and wait for the decision
Processing times vary by sector and season; the Department publishes indicative times for recently decided cases in its processing-time guide rather than a fixed period. Lodge well before your course start and check your ImmiAccount inbox regularly.
On grant, check conditions and book travel
Your grant letter lists conditions such as 8105 (work limit) and 8202 (course attendance and progress). Note that OSHC must start from your arrival date, not the course start date, if you travel early.
What can you do on a subclass 500 visa?
- Study a registered course full time, and switch provider or course only in line with the transfer rules and a new CoE.
- Work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks.
- Masters by research and PhD students, and their family members, have no work-hour limit once the main course has started.
- Travel in and out of Australia as often as you like while the visa is valid.
- Bring your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children, either in the same application or later as subsequent entrants.
- Move to a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa after completing an eligible degree, provided you apply while onshore and within six months of holding a student visa.
Common reasons Indian applicants are refused
How long does the Australia student visa take to process?
The Department does not promise a fixed processing time. It publishes a processing-time guide tool showing how long recently decided applications took, split by visa and stream, and it warns that applications can take longer during peak periods, when documents are missing or when information needs verification.
In practice this means lodging as soon as your CoE and OSHC are in hand, uploading a complete file rather than waiting to be asked, and completing health checks up front through My Health Declaration. Providers set their own latest arrival dates; if a decision is delayed past that date, ask your provider about deferring the CoE rather than travelling on a different visa.
Health cover, health checks and character
OSHC is mandatory for the whole visa period and an application without it is refused. RMIT's 2026 cost guide puts single OSHC at roughly AUD 590–750 a year (about ₹40,000–50,000); couples and families pay more. OSHC covers hospital and GP visits and some prescriptions, but not dental, optical or physiotherapy unless you buy extras.
Most Indian applicants are asked to complete a health examination, including a chest X-ray for tuberculosis screening, at a panel clinic. Applicants and family members aged 16 or over must meet the character requirement; a police clearance certificate is requested only in some cases. Applicants aged 18 or over also sign the Australian Values Statement.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Australia student visa fee for Indian students in 2026?
AUD 2,500 for the main applicant, about ₹1.7 lakh at A$1 = ₹67.3, as returned by the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator on 26 September 2026. Add AUD 1,530 for a partner and AUD 500 for each child. Charges are indexed every 1 July.
How much bank balance is required for an Australia student visa?
If asked for evidence, you need 12 months of living costs of AUD 29,710 (about ₹20 lakh) plus 12 months of course fees minus the deposit paid, plus AUD 2,000 travel. Alternatively, show a parent or partner earned at least AUD 87,856 in the last 12 months.
Is IELTS mandatory for an Australia student visa?
No single test is mandatory. If English evidence is required, for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 the Department lists IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 67, PTE Academic 47, C1 Advanced 161 (excluded for packaged ELICOS routes), OET 1210, LANGUAGECERT Academic 61, MET 53 or CELPIP General 7, with lower thresholds for most tests when at least 10 or 20 weeks of ELICOS is packaged. Some applicants are exempt based on provider and evidence level.
Can I work on an Australia student visa?
Yes. You can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. Masters by research and PhD students have no cap. You cannot start work before your course begins.
What is the Genuine Student requirement for the subclass 500?
A set of questions answered inside the visa form (150 words each) about your circumstances, why you chose this course and provider, and how it benefits you. It applies to applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024 and replaced the GTE test. Evidence-backed answers carry more weight.
Can I take my spouse and children on an Australia student visa?
Yes. Include them in your application or add them later as subsequent entrants. Budget AUD 10,394 living costs for a partner and AUD 4,449 per child, plus school fees for school-age children, and AUD 1,530 or AUD 500 extra in visa charges respectively.
How long is the Australia student visa valid?
It is granted in line with your CoE, normally the course length plus a short period after completion, up to a maximum of six years. The exact end date depends on course length and finish month; the Department publishes the grant-period table on the subclass 500 page.
Do I need OSHC before applying for the student visa?
Yes. You must hold Overseas Student Health Cover from an approved insurer for the full visa period at the time of lodgement, and the policy must start on the date you arrive in Australia. An application without OSHC is refused.
How long does the subclass 500 take to process from India?
The Department publishes indicative times for recently decided cases in its processing-time guide instead of a fixed period, and times stretch in peak months before the February and July intakes. Lodge as soon as your CoE and OSHC are issued, ideally 8 to 12 weeks before the course starts.
Official sources used on this page
- Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500): about, eligibility, step by step — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Visa Pricing Estimator (subclass 500, lodgement 26/09/2026) — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Genuine Student requirement — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Study Australia — How to apply for your visa — Australian Government (Austrade) · checked 26 September 2026
- Study Australia — Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) — Australian Government (Austrade) · checked 26 September 2026
- RMIT University — Cost of studying in Australia for international students (2026) — RMIT University · checked 26 September 2026
- Xe — AUD to INR mid-market rate — Xe · checked 26 September 2026
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