The Student visa (subclass 500) is how most international students come to Australia. The rules have changed a lot recently: a Genuine Student test since March 2024, new English test rules, and processing priority tied to how many students each provider has already enrolled. This guide lists every requirement as Home Affairs publishes it today, in plain English.
Who the 500 is for
The 500 is for people aged 6 or older who have been accepted into a full-time course registered on CRICOS (the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students). It lets you study, travel in and out of Australia and work limited hours. You can stay up to 6 years, in line with your enrolment.
You can apply from inside or outside Australia. Inside Australia, you must hold an eligible substantive visa — you cannot lodge a Student visa onshore while holding, among others, a Visitor (600), ETA (601), eVisitor (651), Medical Treatment (602), Transit (771) or Temporary Graduate (485) visa.
The core requirements
- Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for every course, attached when you lodge. No CoE means the application is invalid. It must still be valid when the visa is decided.
- Genuine Student requirement (below).
- Financial capacity (below).
- English, if the document checklist or the Department asks for it.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay.
- Welfare arrangements if you are under 18.
- Health and character requirements, and a clean immigration history — past refusals or cancellations are taken into account.
For packaged courses (for example, English then a bachelor's degree), include every CoE code. Gaps between courses must be under two calendar months, unless the break falls at the end of the standard academic year.
The Genuine Student requirement
Since 23 March 2024, every applicant must meet the Genuine Student (GS) requirement: you must be a genuine applicant for entry and stay as a student, and show you understand that study is the primary reason for your visa. Wanting to apply for permanent residence later does not count against you.
The application form asks you to explain, in answers of up to 150 words each, in English:
- your current circumstances — ties to family, community, employment and your economic situation;
- why you want to study this course, in Australia, with this provider, and what you understand about the course and living in Australia;
- how the course will benefit you; and
- anything else relevant. There is an extra question if you have held a student visa before or are applying in Australia from a non-student visa.
Home Affairs gives more weight to answers backed by documents: transcripts, employment evidence, income tax returns or bank statements, and your reasons for not studying a similar course at home. It also looks at whether the course fits your previous study and career, and at your visa history with Australia and other countries.
Example
A weak answer: "Australia has a high quality of education and I want a better future." A stronger answer names the course and provider, explains how specific subjects build on the applicant's accounting degree and two years in a finance job, compares it with options at home, and attaches the job letter, payslips and transcript that prove each claim.
Financial capacity
If the document checklist asks for financial evidence, you must attach it when you apply — Home Affairs may refuse without asking for more. You need enough for:
| Item | Amount Home Affairs uses |
|---|---|
| Living costs, student (12 months) | AUD29,710 |
| Living costs, partner (12 months) | AUD10,394 |
| Living costs, each child (12 months) | AUD4,449 |
| School costs, each school-age child (per year) | At least AUD13,502 |
| Course fees | First 12 months (or the full course if shorter), less what you have paid |
| Travel (guide) | AUD2,000 from most countries; AUD2,500 from East or Southern Africa; AUD3,000 from West Africa; AUD1,000 if applying in Australia |
Evidence can be money on deposit, loans from a government or financial institution, or scholarships. You must also show you have genuine access to the money — a balance certificate for a single day does not show how the funds were built up.
The income alternative: instead of savings, you can show that your parents or partner earned a personal annual income of at least AUD87,856 in the 12 months before you apply (AUD102,500 if family members come with you), using official government documents such as tax assessments. Bank statements or employer letters are not accepted for this.
Tip: these are the minimum figures for the visa. Home Affairs warns that real living costs may be much higher, and that you should not rely on work to support yourself.
English requirements
You may need to give English test results when you apply, and the Department can ask for them at any time before a decision. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the IELTS minimums are:
- 6.0 (IELTS Academic or General Training) for most applicants;
- 5.5 if your main course is packaged with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, a Foundation program or an eligible Pathway program;
- 5.0 with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS.
Other approved tests (PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced, LANGUAGECERT Academic, OET, CELPIP, MET) have equivalent scores on the Home Affairs page. The test must generally be taken within 2 years. Fully online, at-home tests such as IELTS Online and TOEFL iBT Home Edition are not accepted, and from 21 January 2026 TOEFL candidates must select "Taking TOEFL for Australia" when registering. For how the tests compare, see our PTE vs IELTS guide.
Exemptions include citizens with passports from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or Ireland, students in a school course or standalone ELICOS, postgraduate research students, and people with at least 5 years of study in English in certain countries.
Health insurance (OSHC)
You and every family member must hold OSHC from an approved Australian insurer for the whole stay (only certain Norwegian, Swedish and Belgian students are exempt). If you apply from overseas, cover must start the day you arrive, not the day your course starts. If you apply in Australia, there must be no gap from your previous cover. If you do not give your OSHC details in the application, the visa will be refused.
Work rights
- Up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session.
- Unlimited hours when your course is not in session.
- No work for you or your family before your course starts.
- Masters by research and doctoral students, and their families, have no work limit. Family members of coursework masters students can work more than 48 hours, but the student cannot.
Check your exact conditions in VEVO, the free online visa check.
Fee, processing and enrolment caps
Fee: from AUD2,500 for the main applicant, plus a charge for each family member and the cost of health checks, police certificates and biometrics. Lower charges apply to eligible Pacific Island, Timor-Leste and ASEAN citizens, and to Independent ELICOS and non-award applicants.
Enrolment planning level: there is no visa cap, but the Government has set a National Planning Level of 295,000 places for 2026 — 25,000 more than 2025 — shared out between providers as allocations.
Processing priority: offshore applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025 are processed under Ministerial Direction 115:
- Priority 1 — including school, ELICOS, TAFE, PhD, scholarship and Pacific students, and students of providers under 80% of their allocation. Processing aims to start within 1–4 weeks.
- Priority 2 — providers that have reached 80% of their allocation. Aim: 5–8 weeks.
- Priority 3 — providers more than 15% over their allocation. Aim: 9–12 weeks.
Priority affects speed only, not whether the visa is granted. Your provider's status on the day you lodge decides your priority.
Common refusal reasons
- Weak Genuine Student answers with no supporting documents, or a course that does not fit your study and work history.
- Missing financial evidence when the checklist required it, or funds you cannot show genuine access to.
- No OSHC details in the application.
- No valid CoE — the application is invalid rather than refused.
- Identity or false information problems. If you cannot prove your identity, the visa is refused and you and your family may not be granted another visa for 10 years.
- Immigration history, including past refusals, cancellations or poor compliance with visa conditions.
Planning ahead? Read student visa to PR in Australia and our 485 graduate visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need to show for an Australian student visa in 2026?
At least 12 months of living costs (AUD29,710 for the student, AUD10,394 for a partner and AUD4,449 per child), the first 12 months of course fees, travel costs and any school fees. Alternatively, your parents or partner can show a personal annual income of at least AUD87,856, or AUD102,500 if family members come with you.
How many hours can I work on a student visa in Australia?
Up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours when it is not. You cannot work before your course starts. Masters by research and doctoral students have no work limit.
What IELTS score do I need for a student visa?
For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, IELTS Academic or General Training 6.0, or 5.5 with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, or 5.0 with at least 20 weeks. The test must generally be within 2 years, and fully at-home online tests are not accepted.
How much is the student visa fee in 2026?
From AUD2,500 for the main applicant, with extra charges for family members. Lower charges apply to eligible Pacific Island, Timor-Leste and ASEAN citizens and to Independent ELICOS and non-award applicants.
Can I apply for a student visa from inside Australia on a visitor or graduate visa?
No. You cannot lodge a Student visa in Australia while holding a Visitor (600), ETA (601), eVisitor (651), Temporary Graduate (485) or several other visas. You would need to apply from outside Australia.
Is there a cap on international students in Australia for 2026?
There is no visa cap, but the Government has set a National Planning Level of 295,000 new international student places for 2026. Visa applications linked to providers that have used most of their allocation are processed with lower priority.
Sources
Checked on 30 September 2026:
- Home Affairs – Student visa subclass 500
- Home Affairs – Genuine Student requirement
- Home Affairs – Student visa processing priorities
- Department of Education – 2026 managed growth settings
Disclaimer
This article is for general information purposes only. Student visa rules, fees, financial figures and processing arrangements change, often on 1 July each year. The information in this guide was checked against official sources on 30 September 2026 but may not reflect later changes. Nothing in this article is legal advice or migration advice. Always check the official Department of Home Affairs website at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. For advice about your situation, speak to a Registered Migration Agent (MARA) or a qualified migration lawyer.