Australia student visa fee 2026: complete cost breakdown for subclass 500

The visa application charge

The standard base visa application charge (VAC) for a primary subclass 500 applicant is AUD $2,500, effective from 1 July 2026 (Schedule 1, item 1222 of the Migration Regulations). This is paid to the Department of Home Affairs at lodgement. It replaced the previous charge of $2,000 — a 25 per cent increase, which the Government described as a 2026–27 Budget measure. That $2,000 rate had itself replaced a $1,600 charge on 1 July 2025, so the standard student visa charge has risen twice in two years.

Three groups pay less from 1 July 2026:

- **Pacific and Timor-Leste passport holders** (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu): AUD $745 for the primary applicant, $555 per additional applicant aged 18+, $185 per child under 18.
- **Passport holders of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand or Vietnam**: AUD $2,050, $1,255 and $410.
- **Students enrolling in an ELICOS or non-award course** who are not in either group above: also AUD $2,050, $1,255 and $410.

The charge is paid online through ImmiAccount in Australian dollars. Home Affairs states it will not refund the application charge if the application is refused.

Charges on this page are the amounts in the Migration Regulations from 1 July 2026 — check the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before you apply.

Dependant charges (partner and children)

If you include family members as secondary applicants, an additional applicant charge applies to each person.

A family of four — primary student, partner and two children under 18 — would pay $2,500 + $1,530 + $500 + $500 = AUD $5,030 in combined visa application charges at the standard rates. The same charges apply to a further student visa application.

Financial capacity: funds you must show

Separate from the visa fee, you must prove access to funds to support yourself while studying. Home Affairs publishes these 12-month living-cost amounts (as shown on its Student visa page, September 2026):

At a minimum you must also have enough for your travel, the first 12 months of course fees (or pro rata for a shorter course) and school fees for any school-age children who come with you. Home Affairs pro-rates stays under 12 months by dividing the annual cost by 365 and multiplying by the days you intend to stay. Verify the current figures on the Home Affairs website before applying.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Student visa applicants and their family members must have and maintain adequate health insurance for their whole stay, which means Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) from an approved insurer unless an exception applies (Home Affairs lists Norwegian, Swedish and some Belgian students). The Government's privatehealth.gov.au site lists six OSHC insurers: ahm OSHC, Allianz Care Australia, Bupa, CBHS International Health, Medibank and nib.

Premiums vary by insurer, the length of cover and whether the policy is single, couple or family, so compare quotes for your exact visa dates. Some universities arrange OSHC on your behalf, with the cost shown in your offer paperwork. For applicants outside Australia, cover must start from the day you arrive, not the day your course starts, and must be kept until you leave.

What the visa fee does not cover

The $2,500 charge pays for processing your application only. It does not cover:

- Tuition fees — set by your education provider and shown on your offer and Confirmation of Enrolment
- Living costs — rent, food, transport and personal expenses (the Home Affairs figure is the amount you must show, not a budget for your city)
- Travel — you must show access to funds for your travel
- OSHC — purchased separately from an approved insurer
- Migration agent fees — if you use a registered agent
- Health examinations and biometrics — if Home Affairs asks for them, the fees are charged by the clinic or collection centre
- English language tests — IELTS, PTE, TOEFL or Cambridge fees

First-year cost estimate: solo student

A single student's first-year figure can be built from the amounts Home Affairs asks you to show, plus the visa charge and cover:

The visa charge and the living-cost figure alone come to AUD $32,210 before a dollar of tuition, cover or airfare. Budgeting that focuses only on the visa fee will badly underestimate what studying in Australia costs.

Family scenario, and the 485 graduate visa that follows

For a student bringing a partner and one child under 18 on the same application, government charges alone are $2,500 + $1,530 + $500 = $4,530 at the standard rates, before a family OSHC policy, combined living-cost evidence ($29,710 + $10,394 + $4,449 = $44,553 for 12 months), school fees for a school-age child, tuition and travel. Partners of student visa holders may have work rights, which can offset some living costs.

Many graduates then apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). The standard 485 primary applicant charge doubled to AUD $4,600 (up from $2,300) on 1 March 2026, and from 1 July 2026 it is AUD $5,750; secondary applicants aged 18+ pay $2,875 and children under 18 pay $1,450. Applications made before 1 March 2026 were not affected, and applicants holding a Pacific or Timor-Leste passport pay a lower charge (AUD $2,360 for the primary applicant from 1 July 2026). The 485 fee is in addition to the 500 charge, so plan your end-to-end study-and-work budget for both.

Is the student visa application fee refundable?

Home Affairs states that it will not refund the application charge if it refuses your application. Refunds are available only in limited circumstances, set out on the Home Affairs refunds page. Check that your application is complete and that you meet the eligibility requirements before you pay.

When did the student visa fee increase to $2,500?

The subclass 500 charge rose to AUD $2,500 on 1 July 2026, a 25 per cent increase on the $2,000 rate that applied through 2025–26. That $2,000 charge had itself replaced a $1,600 charge on 1 July 2025 — also a 25 per cent rise. In each case the charge that applies is the one in force on the date you lodge, so applications lodged before a change were processed at the older rate. Pacific and Timor-Leste passport holders pay a separate, lower charge that has been indexed rather than raised by 25 per cent ($710 as at May 2025, $730 from 1 July 2025, $745 from 1 July 2026). From 1 July 2026, holders of passports from ten ASEAN countries and ELICOS or non-award students pay $2,050 instead of $2,500.

Can the dependant charges change after I lodge?

The charge — including additional applicant charges — is fixed at the time of lodgement. If the government raises charges after you have lodged and paid, those increases do not apply to your already-submitted application.

Do I pay OSHC before or after the visa is granted?

You need OSHC to apply: Home Affairs lists holding OSHC (or falling in an exemption category) among the requirements for the visa. If you apply from outside Australia, your cover must start from the day you arrive, not the day your course starts. If your university arranges it for you, the cost appears in your enrolment documents.

What is the financial capacity requirement and does it change?

It is the money you must show to cover your stay. Home Affairs lists 12-month living costs of AUD $29,710 for the student, $10,394 for a partner and $4,449 per accompanying child, plus travel, 12 months of course fees and school fees for school-age children. Confirm the current amounts on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you apply.

How much does the 485 graduate visa cost in 2026?

From 1 July 2026 the standard subclass 485 charge is AUD $5,750 for the primary applicant. Secondary applicants aged 18+ pay $2,875 and children under 18 pay $1,450. The charge had already doubled to $4,600 (from $2,300) on 1 March 2026. Pacific and Timor-Leste passport holders pay a lower charge: AUD $2,360 for the primary applicant from 1 July 2026.