Australia's student visa fee jumped 25% on 1 July 2026 — the third increase in two years — while the Genuine Student test and English requirements have both tightened. Hike Visa builds your Subclass 500 file to the standard the Department of Home Affairs is actually applying right now.
What changed this year
Figures per Department of Home Affairs visa pricing and Study Australia notices. Confirmed current as of this page's last review.
On 1 July 2026, the Subclass 500 application charge rose 25%, from AUD $2,000 to AUD $2,500 — the third increase in two years, after the fee doubled from $710 in July 2024 and rose again to $2,000 in July 2025. It is now the most expensive student visa fee among Australia's main competitor countries. Independent ELICOS and Non-Award course applicants pay a lower AUD $2,050 concessional rate; select Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants pay less again.
The Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) — the main post-study work route — has risen even faster: from AUD $2,300 in mid-2025 to $4,600 in March 2026, to AUD $5,750 from 1 July 2026. Students planning to work in Australia after graduating need to budget for this well before they enrol, not after.
Since 23 March 2024, the old Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test has been replaced by the Genuine Student (GS) requirement — structured questions of roughly 150 words each, answered inside the online application rather than a single long essay. GS still checks that study is your primary purpose, but explicitly allows for a future skilled migration intention, provided it isn't your primary motive for applying.
Note: Home Affairs reviews visa charges, financial thresholds, and English benchmarks regularly and can change them with little notice — the fee is set by the date your application is received, not the date you prepare your documents. We confirm the live figures before we file.
Subclass 500 is now AUD $2,500 for the primary applicant — up from $2,000, and $710 just two years ago.
Replaced the GTE statement in March 2024. Generic, templated answers are the leading cause of refusal.
Visitor, Temporary Graduate, and Maritime Crew visa holders can no longer switch to a student visa onshore — they must apply from offshore.
Ministerial Direction 115 ranks applications by your institution's enrolment-cap usage. Priority 1 institutions can process in as little as 7 days; over-cap institutions face longer waits.
Every applicant must meet all of the following — missing any one is the most common cause of refusal or delay.
A valid CoE issued via PRISMS by a CRICOS-registered provider, with your name matching your passport exactly.
Structured, specific answers on why you chose this course and provider, and how it fits your academic and career background.
Genuine, traceable funds covering tuition, AUD $29,710/year living costs, and return travel — plus more for accompanying family.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for direct university entry, or the equivalent PTE, TOEFL iBT, or Cambridge score.
Overseas Student Health Cover for your full visa duration, plus a health exam where required by your country or course.
Police clearance certificates and, in some cases, a medical exam — requirements vary by nationality and length of stay.
The exact list can vary by provider and course level. This is the baseline set we prepare for every applicant.
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from your CRICOS-registered provider, issued via PRISMS.
Genuine Student responses — structured answers addressing your course choice, background, and career logic.
Valid passport covering your intended period of study, plus passport-style photos.
English test result — IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or another accepted test, meeting your course's minimum.
OSHC policy confirmation covering your full intended visa period.
Bank statements for the last three to six months showing genuine, stable funds — not a large deposit just before applying.
Proof of tuition payment for the first year, or a receipt of the deposit paid to your provider.
Education loan sanction letter, if funding your studies through a loan.
Sponsor's financials and statutory declaration, if a parent or relative is funding you.
Academic transcripts, certified and matched to the qualification level your course requires.
From accepted offer to visa grant, here's how a Hike Visa file moves.
Confirm your provider's offer and pay the required deposit — this triggers your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) via PRISMS.
We assemble bank statements, loan letters, or sponsor documents that clearly meet the AUD $29,710+ threshold.
We help you write specific, evidenced GS answers that hold together with the rest of your application.
We file your online application, arrange OSHC, and book any required health exam or biometrics.
Processing speed depends on your institution's priority tier. Once granted, we brief you on arrival and work-condition documents.
Note: the visa charge is set by the date your application is received, not when your documents are ready. All figures are non-refundable, even if your application is refused.
Good to know: Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) typically costs AUD $500–$700/year for a single applicant and is mandatory for your full visa duration, arranged before your visa is granted.
We're not affiliated with any single institution — we guide applications to CRICOS-registered providers across Australia, from Group of Eight research universities to applied-focused institutions that fit tighter budgets.
Your partner and dependent children can be included on the same application, or apply separately once you're already studying in Australia.
A de facto or married partner and dependent children under 18 (in most cases) can be added as secondary applicants on your Subclass 500 application, or apply later using your visa as the basis.
From 1 July 2026, a partner aged 18+ pays AUD $1,530 and each dependent child under 18 pays AUD $500, on top of the primary applicant's $2,500 fee.
A partner included as a secondary applicant can generally work up to the same 48 hours per fortnight as the primary student during term, and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks.
Bringing a partner adds roughly AUD $10,394/year to your financial requirement, plus about AUD $4,449/year for each dependent child, on top of your own $29,710.
Some states allow school-age children of student visa holders to enrol in public schools, often subject to state-specific fees or means-testing — we confirm the rule for your state before you commit.
The Subclass 500 application charge is AUD $2,500 for the primary applicant from 1 July 2026, up 25% from $2,000. Independent ELICOS and Non-Award course applicants pay a concessional AUD $2,050. Secondary applicants (partner, children) pay additional charges on top.
Since 23 March 2024, the GS requirement has replaced the old Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test. You answer structured questions of roughly 150 words each inside your online application, explaining why you chose your course and provider and how it connects to your background and career plans.
A single applicant must show genuine access to at least AUD $29,710 for living costs, on top of tuition and travel. Add roughly AUD $10,394/year for an accompanying partner and AUD $4,449/year for each dependent child. Funds must be traceable and held stably, not deposited just before applying.
Not if you currently hold a Visitor, Temporary Graduate, or Maritime Crew visa — onshore "visa hopping" from these categories was banned in July 2024, and you must apply from offshore instead. Other onshore student-to-student transitions may still be possible depending on your current visa.
Yes — up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during official scheduled breaks. You cannot start working until your course has officially begun. Master's by research and PhD students have no work-hour restriction.
For 2026, the Department of Home Affairs has set a National Planning Level of 295,000 international student commencements. Unlike Canada's hard cap, this is a prioritisation framework — applications from institutions that stay within their allocated share are processed faster than those from institutions over their cap.
The Temporary Graduate visa length depends on your qualification level, generally ranging from around 18 months to several years for eligible bachelor's, master's, and doctoral graduates. The application charge rose sharply to AUD $5,750 from 1 July 2026, so we recommend budgeting for it from day one of your course.
Tell us your target course, provider, and current documents. We'll tell you plainly where you stand under the 2026 fees and Genuine Student rules — before you spend a rupee.
No charge. No obligation. Just honest advice.
