Visa guide
The subclass 500 is the only visa for full-time study in Australia. It is granted on genuineness, money, English, health and character, and in 2026 it is assessed more strictly than at any point in the last decade. This is what the Department is looking for.
Checked against Department of Home Affairs and Study Australia sources · Last reviewed 21 September 2026
The subclass 500 student visa costs AUD 2,000, lasts for the length of your course, and lets you work 48 hours a fortnight in term. To be granted it you need a CoE from a CRICOS provider, a Genuine Student statement, proof of AUD 29,710 living funds plus first-year tuition and travel, English at IELTS 6.0 or equivalent, OSHC, and health and character clearance. Processing from India typically takes four to eight weeks.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Enrolment | Confirmation of Enrolment for a CRICOS course; welfare arrangements if under 18 |
| Genuine Student | Four structured responses, assessed against your history and circumstances |
| Financial capacity | AUD 29,710 living + 12 months tuition + travel; partner AUD 10,394; child AUD 4,449; school fees AUD 13,502 per school-age child |
| English | IELTS 6.0 / PTE 50 / TOEFL 64 (secure test centre) or exemption; lower if packaged with ELICOS |
| Health | Panel physician examination; chest X-ray for most South Asian applicants |
| Character | Declaration; police clearances on request |
| OSHC | Full visa period, arranged before grant |
| Fee | AUD 2,000 base charge, non-refundable |
Detailed evidence rules for each criterion are in the requirements guide.
Since 23 March 2024 the GS has replaced the GTE. It asks four questions, each answered in up to 150 words, in the application form itself:
Officers cross-reference the answers with your transcripts, work history, funds and the course itself. Common failures: a course that does not follow logically from your education, a study gap with no explanation, answers copied from an agent template, or funds that do not match the story. The GS is where most Indian refusals now happen, and it is the part of the file we spend the most time on.
Since 14 November 2025, offshore student visa applications have been prioritised under MD115 according to the provider's position against its international student allocation. Applications to providers under 80 percent of their allocation are processed first; those between 80 and 115 percent next; those above 115 percent last. Postgraduate research, school, and government-scholarship applicants are exempt. In practice a well-prepared application to a first-tier provider from India has been decided in four to eight weeks in 2026; the same file to an over-allocated provider can take three months or more. Ask your provider which tier they are in before you accept.
A refusal is recorded and must be declared on every future application. Getting the first one right matters more than getting it fast. If you do not hold an English test yet, read study in Australia without IELTS.
Common questions
AUD 2,000 for the subclass 500 base application charge, paid at lodgement and non-refundable. Additional applicant charges apply for a partner and children.
Typically four to eight weeks from India for a complete application to a provider under its allocation. Under Ministerial Direction 115, applications to over-allocated providers can take three months or more.
Proof of AUD 29,710 for 12 months of living costs, plus 12 months of tuition, plus travel. Add AUD 10,394 for a partner, AUD 4,449 per child and AUD 13,502 per school-aged child.
Yes, 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. Masters by research and PhD students have no limit.
A four-question structured statement that replaced the GTE in March 2024, covering your circumstances, course choice, the value of the course and your immigration history. It is the leading reason for refusals.
Yes. A partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants. You must show additional funds and OSHC for each, and school fees for school-aged children.
Study in Australia guide
Start with the complete Study in Australia guide, then go deeper:
A refusal follows you onto every future application. ApplyOn's team, founded by a migration agent, reviews your GS answers and financial evidence before you pay the AUD 2,000 fee.
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