Australia Student Visa Rules 2026/2027: Fees, Funds and the October Changes
- Study in
- Australia
- Levels
- Undergraduate, Master's, PhD, Vocational
- Funding
- Not a scholarship
- Covers
- Visa charge, 2 October 2026 changes, financial capacity, English tests, Genuine Student requirement, work limits, OSHC, family rules
- Who can apply
- International students of any nationality, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and India, with a CoE for a full-time registered course
- Run by
- Department of Home Affairs, Australian Government
On this page
The Student visa (subclass 500) lets you study full-time in Australia at a registered school, college or university. It is run by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and India can apply on the same terms as anyone else. You pay the full visa charge, and since 2 October 2026 most students can no longer bring a partner or children on their Student visa.
Status: No single deadline. You can apply once your education provider issues your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). Key dates: the visa charge rose to A$2,500 on 1 July 2026, and new rules on applying inside Australia and on family members started on 2 October 2026 (checked October 29, 2026).
What changed on 2 October 2026
- Most temporary visa holders in Australia can no longer apply for a Student visa from inside Australia. If this applies to you, you must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is granted.
- Current Student visa holders cannot apply again in Australia unless an exemption applies, for example PhD students or students who need up to 12 more months with the same provider.
- You generally cannot include a partner or children. Exemptions cover PhD students, DFAT or Defence sponsored students, foreign government scholarship holders, and Pacific or ASEAN nationals.
- You cannot add family members after your visa is granted. There are no exemptions to this rule.
- Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are decided under the old rules.
Read the Home Affairs page on the new rules and the official fact sheet.
Key details
| Visa | Student visa (subclass 500) |
|---|---|
| Run by | Department of Home Affairs, Australia |
| Visa charge | A$2,500 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026. A$2,050 if your main course is an English (ELICOS) or non-award course. Where family can be included, A$1,530 for each person aged 18 or over and A$500 for each child under 18. |
| Living costs to show | A$29,710 a year for you, A$10,394 for a partner and A$4,449 for each child, plus course fees and travel |
| Income option | A parent or partner earning at least A$87,856 a year, or A$102,500 if family come with you |
| English | IELTS 6.0 overall or equal. 5.0 if you take an ELICOS course first, 5.5 for some foundation courses |
| Work | Up to 48 hours a fortnight once your course starts |
| Health cover | Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the whole visa |
Sources: the 2026 fee regulations and the financial capacity instrument.
Who can apply
- You must be enrolled in a full-time registered course and hold a CoE.
- You must meet the Genuine Student requirement. You answer questions in the form about your situation, your course choice and its value to you, in up to 150 words each.
- You must hold OSHC for the length of your visa.
- Accepted English tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 are IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced, OET, CELPIP General, LANGUAGECERT Academic and the Michigan English Test.
Evidence for Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan and Indian applicants
What you must attach depends on your passport country and your education provider. Enter both in the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool. It tells you whether to attach proof of funds and an English test result. Home Affairs does not publish a fixed level per country, so attach everything the tool lists.
Work rules
You cannot work before your course starts. The University of Adelaide confirms there is no hours limit during scheduled course breaks or for master’s by research and PhD students.
How to apply
- Accept your offer and get your CoE from the provider.
- Buy OSHC for the full visa period.
- Run the Document Checklist Tool and collect the documents it lists.
- Write your Genuine Student answers and gather evidence for them.
- Apply online through ImmiAccount on the Student visa page and pay the charge.
- Check the processing times tool for a current estimate.
Tips before you apply
- Budget to travel alone unless you meet a family exemption.
- If you are in Australia on another visa, expect to apply from outside.
- Answer the Genuine Student questions in the form, in English, not in a separate statement.
- Book an accepted English test early and check the result date the tool requires.
Related guides
- Canadian College Certificates and Express Entry CRS Points: 2027 Guide
- 7 UK Universities With Undergraduate Scholarships for International Students 2027
- Australian University Foundation Programmes 2027: Seven Pathways Compared
Details are taken from the official Department of Home Affairs website, checked on October 29, 2026. Confirm the current rules there before you apply.
