Australia Student Visa Fee 2026: Subclass 500 Cost Breakdown

The subclass 500 student visa charge rose to $2,500 on 1 July 2026, the second 25 per cent rise in two years. This covers dependant charges, the living-cost evidence Home Affairs asks you to show, what the fee doesn't cover, and the subclass 485 graduate visa fee that often follows. Figures as at September 2026.

Read the full guide, with official sources →

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Chapters

  1. 0:00 Student visa fee:
  2. 0:15 $1,600, then $2,000,
  3. 0:29 Discounted rates:
  4. 0:49 Application charge:
  5. 1:09 Living costs to show:
  6. 1:24 The visa fee
  7. 1:35 OSHC is compulsory
  8. 1:57 Family of three:
  9. 2:12 485 visa also rose:
  10. 2:30 Where to read more

Transcript

The Australian student visa fee jumped to $2,500 on 1 July 2026 — a 25 per cent rise, and the second 25 per cent rise in two years.

That $2,500 charge replaced $2,000, the rate that applied from 1 July 2025 — which itself had replaced $1,600 charged before that, each rise 25 per cent.

Pacific and Timor-Leste passport holders pay $745 instead — $555 per additional applicant, $185 per child. Ten ASEAN countries' passport holders and ELICOS students pay $2,050, $1,255 and $410.

Home Affairs states it will not refund the application charge if your visa is refused.

Bringing a partner adds $1,530. Each child under 18 adds $500. A family of four pays $5,030 in combined visa charges at the standard rates.

Separate from the visa fee, Home Affairs asks students to show $29,710 for 12 months of living costs, $10,394 for an accompanying partner, and $4,449 for each child.

The visa charge covers processing only — not tuition, living costs, travel, OSHC, agent fees, health checks or English tests.

Overseas Student Health Cover is compulsory for the length of your stay, from an insurer on the Government's approved list, unless an exemption applies.

Add the $2,500 visa charge to the $29,710 living-cost requirement, and that's $32,210 before a dollar of tuition, cover or airfare.

A student with a partner and one child pays $4,530 in visa charges, against $44,553 in combined 12-month living-cost evidence — before OSHC, school fees, tuition or travel.

Many graduates then apply for the subclass 485 — its standard charge doubled to $4,600 on 1 March 2026, then rose again to $5,750 from 1 July 2026. Budget for both visas, not just the first.

The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.

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