Requirements, costs, work rights, EL3 changes and your PR pathway. Personalised to your nationality and course in 30 seconds.
The student visa (subclass 500) is Australia's primary visa for international students. It allows you to study at a CRICOS-registered institution, work part-time, travel freely, and bring your family. The visa is granted for the duration of your enrolled course plus 2 months.
| Duration | Length of your enrolled course plus 2 months — no fixed cap |
| Study rights | Full-time study at CRICOS-registered institution. Must maintain enrolment and satisfactory attendance. |
| Work rights | 48 hours per fortnight while course is in session. Unlimited during official course breaks. See Section 4 for full detail. |
| Travel | Travel freely in and out of Australia for the visa duration. No BVB required while visa is current. |
| Family | Partner and dependent children can apply as secondary applicants. Partner work rights depend on your course level. |
| Obligations | Maintain enrolment and satisfactory academic progress. Notify provider of address changes within 7 days. Maintain OSHC for full visa duration. |
| Course changes | Can change courses but must obtain new CoE and notify DHA within 28 days. Major downgrades may trigger GS re-assessment. |
| Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) | Required from a CRICOS-registered provider. Obtain before applying. Your provider issues this after fees are paid. CRICOS registration mandatory from 1 January 2025. |
| Genuine Student requirement | Must demonstrate genuine intent to study. Course must be consistent with your educational background and future career plans. Replaces the old GTE statement. Full GS guide → |
| English proficiency | Minimum IELTS 5.5 overall with no band below 5.0 for most courses. Higher requirements for specific providers. PTE, TOEFL and Cambridge accepted. |
| Financial capacity | AUD $29,710 per year for living expenses (DHA 2026), plus full tuition fees and return airfare. Must show funds for full course duration or first year. |
| OSHC health cover | Overseas Student Health Cover is mandatory for the full visa duration. Must be purchased before visa grant. Cost AUD $500–$1,200 per year. |
| Health examination | Required for most applicants. Book with a DHA-approved panel physician. Results are valid for 12 months. Front-loading medicals speeds processing. |
| Police clearances | Required from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Multiple countries means multiple clearances. |
| Evidence level | Standard (EL1/EL2) for most nationalities. EL3 for India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan from 8 January 2026 — additional documentation required. EL3 guide → |
| Visa application fee — primary | AUD $2,000 from 1 July 2025 (increased from $1,600). Paid at time of application. Non-refundable. |
| Secondary applicant (partner) | AUD $2,000 per person aged 18+ |
| Dependent child under 18 | AUD $500 per child |
| OSHC health cover | AUD $500–$1,200 per year. Mandatory for full visa duration. Multi-year courses require multi-year cover upfront. |
| Health examination | AUD $200–$350 per person. Required for most applicants. Book early — appointments limited. |
| English language test | IELTS AUD $385 · PTE AUD $330 · TOEFL AUD $290 · Cambridge AUD $360 |
| Skills assessment (if planning PR) | AUD $500–$1,500 depending on your assessing authority. Start this before you graduate — takes 3–12 months. |
| Total first year estimate | AUD $25,000–$45,000 including tuition (excluding agent fees and personal expenses) |
| What counts as work | All paid employment across all employers. Unpaid work that would normally attract payment. Voluntary work that displaces paid roles. Does NOT include mandatory CRICOS-registered work placements. |
| Your partner's work rights | Bachelor or lower: 48 hrs/fortnight limit. Masters or PhD: unlimited work rights. |
| Calculating your fortnight | The 14-day period is rolling — not fixed to the calendar week. Track across any consecutive 14-day window. A common mistake is calculating per week — you can breach while each individual week looks fine. |
| Breach consequence | Visa cancellation under s.116 of the Migration Act. Future visa applications affected. Employers can also face penalties for knowingly allowing breaches. |
| Verify your conditions | Check your specific conditions on your visa grant notice or at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/VEVO |
The Genuine Student (GS) requirement replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) statement from 23 March 2024. DHA assesses whether your intention to study is genuine — specifically whether the course is consistent with your background, whether you have real reasons for choosing Australia, and whether you are likely to comply with visa conditions.
| Course consistency | Does this qualification align with your existing education and planned career? Studying a Masters in a completely unrelated field raises questions. Address this directly in your statement. |
| Future plans | How does this qualification help your career in your home country or Australia? Vague statements like "improve career prospects" are weak. Be specific. |
| Home country ties | Family, employment prospects, property, business — show you have reasons to return or remain connected regardless of outcome. Absence of any ties increases risk. |
| Immigration history | Previous visa compliance, any overstays, rejected applications. Clean history is the strongest foundation. |
| Provider choice | Why this specific institution in this specific city? Generic answers are a red flag. Research the institution's strengths in your field. |
| Philippines, China, Vietnam, Indonesia | 4–8 weeks for complete applications |
| Sri Lanka, Other countries | 4–8 weeks standard processing |
| Pakistan, Colombia, Brazil | 6–10 weeks — allow extra time |
| India | 8–16 weeks — EL3 from Jan 2026 — apply 16 weeks before commencement |
| Nepal | 8–16 weeks — EL3 from Jan 2026 |
| Bangladesh | 10–18 weeks — EL3 from Jan 2026 — allow maximum lead time |
| Bhutan | 8–16 weeks — EL3 from Jan 2026 |
| 485 post-study work visa | 2–4 years work rights after graduation. Duration depends on degree level and study location. Apply within 6 months of course completion. 485 guide → |
| Skills assessment | Required before submitting EOI. Start in your final year — takes 3–12 months. Check your assessing authority at occupation demand → |
| Australian study bonus | +5 DHA points for completing at least 2 years of study in Australia in a registered course. Applies automatically at graduation. |
| Regional study bonus | +5 additional points for studying at a regional institution. Combined with 491 nomination (+15 pts) = 20-point advantage. Calculator → |
| NAATI CCL | +5 points if your language is on the NAATI qualifying list. $800, 3 months. Available while studying. Check eligibility → |
| 190 or 491 nomination | Apply via SkillSelect EOI. Healthcare occupations average 5 months. ICT and accounting can take 18–24 months. Full pathway tool → |
| Typical PR timeline | 5 to 7 years from course commencement with early planning. Only 39% of international students achieve PR — the difference is planning from day one of study. |
| What EL3 means in practice | Manual bank statement verification. Provider verification calls to confirm enrolment and financial evidence. Biometric cross-matching with previous applications. Enhanced scrutiny of the GS statement. |
| Processing time impact | 8–18 weeks for complete applications. Incomplete applications face further delays. Front-loading all documents is essential. |
| Financial evidence required | 3 months consecutive bank statements showing consistent balance. Source of funds documentation — salary slips, property valuation, family gift letter if sponsored. Statements must be authenticated by the issuing bank. |
| Academic documents | Authenticated transcripts from all previous institutions. Official English translations for non-English documents. DHA-approved translator or NAATI certified translator only. |
| GS statement | More detailed statement required. Address course consistency, specific provider choice, career plan, and ties to home country explicitly. Generic statements are insufficient for EL3 applications. |
| Does EL3 mean refusal? | No. EL3 means higher scrutiny — not automatic refusal. Well-prepared genuine students from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan are approved every week. Preparation is the difference. |
| Action required | Apply 16+ weeks before commencement. Have all documents authenticated and ready before lodging. Consider using a registered migration agent for EL3 applications. |