Australia student visa (subclass 500)

You need a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) in a full-time course on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) when you apply and when the visa is decided. You must be at least 6 years old, show you are a genuine student whose primary reason for being in Australia is study, have adequate health insurance (normally Overseas Student Health Cover), and meet the English, funds, health and character requirements.

Students under 18 need approved welfare arrangements. School students also face maximum ages at entry to each year level, for example under 17 when starting Year 9 and under 20 when starting Year 12.

If you must prove English, use an approved test taken in a test centre within 2 years of lodging. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 the minimum is IELTS Academic or General Training 6.0, PTE Academic 47 or TOEFL iBT 67, with lower scores (IELTS 5.5 or 5.0) if your main course is packaged with at least 10 or 20 weeks of ELICOS. Fully online or at-home tests are not accepted, and TOEFL candidates must choose the 'Taking TOEFL for Australia' option from 21 January 2026.

At a minimum you must cover travel, 12 months of course fees (or the full fee for shorter courses, minus anything already paid), and 12 months of living costs: AUD 29,710 for the student, AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 for a child. School-age children who come with you add schooling costs. Acceptable evidence includes deposits with a bank or similar institution, loans from a government or a bank, and scholarships.

Instead of savings, you can show that your parents or partner earned at least AUD 87,856 in the 12 months before you apply, or AUD 102,500 if family members come with you, using official government documents such as tax assessments. Bank statements or employer letters are not accepted for this income option. The Document Checklist tool tells you whether you must attach funds evidence; the department may still request it later.

Work is limited to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session; students in a master's by research or doctoral degree have no limit. You must stay enrolled, keep your health cover and meet course progress and attendance rules. Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Since 2 October 2026 most student visa holders cannot lodge a further student visa while in Australia. They may apply onshore only under one of six exemptions, such as needing up to 12 more months to finish the same course, progressing to a PhD or higher-level course, or provider default. Otherwise the new application must be made from outside Australia. Graduates of a degree may apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).

For applications lodged from 2 October 2026, most students can no longer bring a partner or children on their student visa. Exemptions apply to doctoral (PhD) students, students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Defence, recipients of a foreign government scholarship that fully funds their studies, nationals of listed Pacific Island and ASEAN countries, and some current visa holders who already have family on their visa. Applications lodged before that date are assessed under the earlier rules.