Student visa processing times

Student visa processing times

Student visa processing times (updated October 2026):

Visa Type	Stream (if available)	50% of applications processed in	90% of applications processed in
500 Student	Higher Education Sector	16 days	4 months
500 Student	Vocational Education and Training Sector	53 days	7 months
500 Student	Schools Sector	28 days	7 months
500 Student	Independent ELICOS Sector	22 days	53 days
500 Student	Non-Award Sector	3 days	43 days
500 Student	Postgraduate Research Sector	17 days	55 days
500 Student	Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector	3 days	22 days
590 Student Guardian	Not applicable	43 days	8 months

From 2 October 2026 most temporary visa holders must apply for a Student or Student Guardian visa from outside Australia, and be outside Australia when the visa is granted. Plan your travel and enrolment dates around these processing times. See Student visa changes from 2 October 2026.

Home Affairs assesses applications on a case-by-case basis. Student visa processing times can vary for a range of reasons, including:

whether you have submitted an application with all necessary supporting documents.
how quickly you respond to requests for more information
how long it takes Home Affairs to perform the required checks
how long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character and national security requirements
how many places are available in the migration program for permanent visa applications.