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Student visa (subclass 500)

The purpose of the Student visa is to allow international students to undertake full-time education and training in Australia. This visa enables a student to stay in Australia for the duration of the relevant course. The student must enrol, or in some cases have a letter of offer, with an Australian education provider before lodging a visa application.

How to choose the best course to study in Australia?

Student visa changes from 2 October 2026: For applications lodged on or after 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders in Australia can no longer apply for a Student visa onshore, and current Student visa holders can only apply for another Student visa in Australia if an exemption applies (for example, moving to a higher AQF level course, a PhD, or needing up to 12 more months with the same provider). Most new applicants can also no longer include a partner or children, and family members can no longer be added later as subsequent entrants. Read the details in Student visa changes from 2 October 2026.

The minimum requirements for this visa are set out below:

Student visa assessment

The exact requirements for this visa will depend upon the level of risk assigned to your application (the ‘Immigration Risk’), which is a combined immigration risk assessment determined by the risk rating of the education provider and your passport nationality.

Related: More savings required, changes to concurrent COEs for international Students

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As the visa applicant, you must:

  • enrol with an Australian education provider as a full-time student, and obtain written confirmation of this enrolment (predominantly on-line courses are not eligible)
  • be a genuine student who intends to complete the relevant period of study in Australia
  • have the required level of English language proficiency unless exempt
  • have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the period of your intended stay in Australia
  • have access to sufficient funds to cover your return airfares, tuition fees and the cost of living in Australia, as well as costs required for any dependents included in your application.
  • if you are in Australia, hold a visa that allows you to apply onshore (visitor and 485 visa holders cannot, and from 2 October 2026 most other temporary visa holders cannot either) and include a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) with your application
Student visa English requirements

Since 23 March 2024 the minimum English score for a Student visa is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent). It is IELTS 5.5 with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS or an eligible foundation or pathway program, and IELTS 5.0 with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS. Students studying English only through a standalone ELICOS course do not need a test score. From 7 August 2025 new test scores and additional tests apply (see the table below).

The exact amount of funds a student requires is set by the Department of Home Affairs, and is determined by your chosen education provider, your course of study and other personal circumstances. Please contact us for further details. For 12 months the current amounts are $29,710 for the student, $10,394 for a partner, $4,449 for each child and at least $13,502 per year in schooling costs for each school-age child, plus course fees and travel costs. Alternatively, you can show that your parents or partner earned at least $87,856 in the last 12 months ($102,500 if family members are included).

Related: Student visa funds calculator

Student visa assessment

APPLICATION PROCESS

You must first be enrolled in a full-time course at an Australian education provider, and obtain written confirmation of your enrolment (CoE) from that provider. We will then prepare and lodge your visa application with the Department of Home Affairs. The main criterion is that you meet the requirements referred to above, the exact nature of which will depend upon your passport nationality and the education provider requirements. You must also meet the relevant health and character requirements.

Once Home Affairs has granted your visa, you may enter into (or remain in) Australia in order to undertake your course of study. Whilst studying, you must work no more than 48 hours per fortnight whilst your course is in session, and for your initial visa only commence work once your course has commenced.  Different work provisions apply to higher education research Masters and Doctoral level courses please discuss with us if appropriate.  You should also check the work allowance for any dependents on your application if appropriate.

PLEASE NOTE: We estimate that it may take several weeks to prepare and lodge your application, with the time taken largely dependent on how promptly you (and your sponsor, if applicable) provide us with the necessary supporting information and documents.

The time that it takes Home Affairs to process your application is dependent upon its processing time service standards, and may also vary due to a number of other factors, including the complexity of your case, perceived risk factors and processing priorities. See our student visa processing times page for the current timeframes.

Student visa guides

English language test score

Test (taken on or after 7 August 2025) Minimum score With at least 10 weeks ELICOS, or a Foundation or eligible Pathway program With at least 20 weeks ELICOS
IELTS Academic or General Training 6.0 5.5 5.0
PTE Academic 47 39 31
TOEFL iBT 67 51 37
C1 Advanced 161 Not accepted Not accepted
CELPIP General 7 6 5
LANGUAGECERT Academic 61 54 46
Michigan English Test (MET) 53 49 44
OET 1210 1090 1020

The test must have been taken in the 2 years before you apply. At-home or online tests are not accepted. TOEFL iBT candidates must select “Taking TOEFL for Australia” when registering (from 21 January 2026).
Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 can still be used within their 2 year validity under the earlier score table.

You need to have enough money that is genuinely available to you, to pay for your course fees, and travel and living costs for you and your accompanying family members while you are in Australia. Use our student visa funds calculator to determine how much you need to show for your student visa.

If you need to provide evidence of financial capacity, you will be able to demonstrate this by providing one of the following:

  • evidence of funds to cover travel to Australia and 12 months’ living, course and (for school aged dependants) schooling costs for the student and accompanying family members
  • evidence that you meet the annual income requirement
  • an Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Students (AASES) form (secondary exchange students only)
  • a letter of support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Department of Defence.

Subsequent entrants – family members who apply after the primary applicant has been granted their visa must also provide documentary evidence of financial capacity. This must be one of the options above. From 2 October 2026, family members can no longer be added as subsequent entrants to a Student visa, and most new applicants can no longer include a partner or children. See Student visa changes from 2 October 2026.

Student visa funds calculator

Packaged Courses

You can apply to undertake two or more courses on your Student visa (subclass 500) where there is clear progression from one course to another. This is known as course packaging.

You must provide a confirmation of enrolment (CoE) or prove that a CoE is not required for each intended course with your visa application.

The final course that you will undertake as part of your package of courses is your main (or principal) course of study. Your main course of study will be used to determine your financial and English language evidentiary requirements.

Latest student visa news

Genuine Student (GS) requirement

Since 23 March 2024 the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement has been replaced by the Genuine Student (GS) requirement. Instead of a long personal statement, you answer targeted questions in the application form about why you want to study this course in Australia. Useful evidence includes:

  • your current circumstances and ties to your home country (family, community, employment and economic circumstances)
  • why you chose this course and education provider, and why you chose Australia over studying in your home country
  • how the course will benefit your career, including any offer of employment or expected salary after you finish
  • evidence of past study, academic transcripts and English test results
  • evidence of employment for at least the previous 12 months, tax returns or financial statements
  • if you have studied in Australia before, your full study history and the reasons for any course changes or study gaps
  • if you hold another visa, your reasons for now applying for a Student visa

The Student Guardian (subclass 590) visa still uses the GTE requirement. See reasons for Australian student visa refusal for common problems to avoid.

Working on a Student visa

Work limits

You can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks or after you have finished your course as scheduled. If you have started a masters by research or a doctorate course, you can work unlimited hours. A course is considered “in session” for the whole of the advertised study periods, including exam periods, whether you study in person or online.

Applying for another Student visa

It is not possible to extend a student visa. If you need more time to complete your course you must apply for a new visa before your current visa expires. From 2 October 2026 you can only do this in Australia if an exemption applies, such as needing up to 12 more months with the same provider, progressing to a higher AQF level course, or starting a PhD.

If your study in Australia is ending, you may be able to apply for a Temporary Graduate (485) visa or a Visitor visa (subclass 600) before your Student visa expires.

Studying online

Courses that are predominantly online are not eligible for a Student visa. Online study does not count towards the Australian study requirement for later visas, except for study completed during the COVID concession period (1 February 2020 to 25 November 2023).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For student visa purposes, your English test must have been taken in the 2 years before you apply.

Yes, applicants may satisfy the English language requirement if they have fully completed or completed substantial components of a course at the Certificate IV or higher level in Australia within two years before applying for the visa.

The mandatory document requirements for English and Financial Capacity differs for applicants in regular or streamlined category. Applicant can also check the mandatory documents using our Student visa checklist for offshore students. 

No. Since February 2025, applicants in Australia must also include a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) with their application. A letter of offer is no longer enough. See onshore student visas must include a COE.

Visa applicant(s) must answer a number of character related questions on the visa application form and the information provided will be used to assess the character. Applicant(s) might be asked for more information by Home Affairs, if required.

The Department of Home Affairs requires almost all student visa applicants to have OSHC. There are a few exemptions for students from Sweden, Norway and Belgium, who may already have special arrangements under their own national schemes.

Students under 18 must provide evidence that they have welfare arrangements in place when they apply for a student visa. They can do this by either nominating a guardian on the Form 157N Nomination of a student guardian to your application or having a CAAW approved by the principal registered education provider.

You might need to provide evidence of your English language skills at the time you submit your visa application.

Note: We can ask you for evidence of your English language skill after you have submitted your application, at any time while we are processing your application, even though the Document Checklist tool shows that you don’t need to provide evidence of your English language skill when you submit your application.

If you need to provide evidence of your English language skill, you must provide evidence that you:

  • have obtained a certain test score in an English language test that the Department has approved, or
  • fall into an exemption category listed below

English language tests

The table below shows the English language test providers and the minimum overall band scores you must achieve to meet the Student visa English language requirement.
You must have taken the English language test in the 2 years before you apply for a student visa.

Test (taken on or after 7 August 2025) Minimum score With at least 10 weeks ELICOS, or a Foundation or eligible Pathway program With at least 20 weeks ELICOS
IELTS Academic or General Training 6.0 5.5 5.0
PTE Academic 47 39 31
TOEFL iBT 67 51 37
C1 Advanced 161 Not accepted Not accepted
CELPIP General 7 6 5
LANGUAGECERT Academic 61 54 46
Michigan English Test (MET) 53 49 44
OET 1210 1090 1020

The test must have been taken in the 2 years before you apply. At-home or online tests are not accepted. TOEFL iBT candidates must select “Taking TOEFL for Australia” when registering (from 21 January 2026).

You do not need to provide evidence of an English test score with your visa application if one of the following applies:

  • you are a citizen and hold a passport from UK*, USA, Canada, NZ or Republic of Ireland
  • you are an applicant who is a Foreign Affairs or, Defence sponsored student or a Secondary Exchange student (AASES)
  • you are enrolled in a principal course of study that is a registered school course, a standalone English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS), a course registered to be delivered in a language other than English, or a registered post-graduate research course
  • you have completed at least 5 years’ study in English in one or more of the following countries: Australia, UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or the Republic of Ireland
  • in the 2 years before applying for the student visa, you completed, in Australia and in the English language, either the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or a substantial component of a course leading to a qualification from the Australian Qualifications Framework at the Certificate IV or higher level, while you held a student visa.

Note: You may be required to provide evidence of an English test score with your visa application if you hold a British National Overseas (BNO) passport.

The 12 month living cost amounts are A$29,710 for the student, A$10,394 for a partner and A$4,449 for each child, plus at least A$13,502 per year in schooling costs for each school-age child. Use our student visa funds calculator. See also more savings required.

If applicant is applying student visa in Australia, applicant must hold a current temporary substantive visa, but not any one of the following:

  • Domestic Worker (Temporary) Diplomatic and Consular visa (subclass 426)
  • Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) in the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or consular) stream
  • Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995) – primary visa holder only. This means a family member of a Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995) can apply for a Student visa in Australia.
  • Transit visa (subclass 771)
  • Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the sponsored family stream or in the approved destination status stream.

Since 1 July 2024, Visitor (subclass 600) and Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders cannot apply for a Student visa in Australia, and from 2 October 2026 most other temporary visa holders cannot either. See student visa changes from 2 October 2026.
A substantive temporary visa is any visa other than a bridging visa, criminal justice or enforcement visa, which allows the visa holder to remain temporarily in Australia.

meet your course requirements, remain enrolled and maintain satisfactory attendance and course progression – tell your provider if you are sick or have any other issues that may affect your attendance. stay within the visa limit on working hours while studying. Read more here.

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