Australia Student Visa (Study Permit) Guide 2026: Eligibility, Fees & Requirements

The Australia Student Visa, officially the Subclass 500, lets you live in Australia for your full course at a recognised institution, with limited work rights built in. Covers everyone from a bachelor’s student in Sydney to a vocational trainee in Perth. And 2026 has not been quiet on this front. The biggest shifts are a higher visa fee, revised financial Australia student visa requirements, and a stricter Genuine Student rule, and honestly, all three land harder on Indian applicants than most.

What’s New for Indian Applicants in 2026?

From 1 July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs raised the Australia student visa fees for Subclass 500 to AUD 2,500, up from AUD 2,000. Not a small jump. The financial requirement for living costs moved to AUD 29,710 a year, and the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, which replaced the older GTE test in March 2024, now gets tighter scrutiny of course relevance and academic history. Work rights stayed at 48 hours a fortnight during term, at least for now. For an Australian student visa for Indians, this basically means budgeting earlier and actually spending time on your GS statement instead of dashing it off the night before you submit.

Types of Australia Student Visas

There are a few types when it comes to student permit Australia:

Student Visa (Subclass 500)

This is the main education visa Australia offers international students. It covers university degrees, vocational diplomas, and standalone English courses, running for your course length plus a short buffer.

Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)

Meant for a parent or guardian accompanying a student under 18. It is a separate application, not an add-on, and the guardian cannot work under it.

Training Visa (Subclass 407)

Built for workplace-based training rather than a degree. Students sometimes confuse it with Subclass 500, but it only fits if you are training on the job, not studying at an institution.

Who Can Apply for an Australia Student Visa in 2026?

There are some criteria when it comes to applying for an Australia student visa:

Age and Academic Requirements

There is no fixed age ceiling, though under-18 applicants face extra paperwork. University study generally expects education equivalent to Year 12; vocational and diploma courses are more flexible.

Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and English Language Proficiency

You cannot apply without a CoE from your provider. Most institutions also ask for IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL scores, commonly around an overall band of 6.0, though this depends on the course.

The Genuine Student (GS) Requirement

If your course aligns with your background and career goals. Vague responses raise red flags because officers are looking for a credible story, not a perfect one.

Financial Requirements for an Australian Student Visa

There are a few Australia study visa requirements regarding your financial situation that contribute to getting an Australia student visa:

Proof of Funds

You need to show you can cover tuition, living costs, and travel without depending on part-time work. This is one of the areas where Australia study visa requirements get strict, since officers watch for funds that arrive suddenly rather than build up over time.

Minimum Balance Rules for 2026

The current figure for annual living costs is AUD 29,710 for a single applicant, plus roughly AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 per child, on top of tuition and OSHC. If you’re planning to buy AUD for your initial expenses, factor these living costs into your budget. Confirm the exact figure of embassy fees for Australia study visa on the Home Affairs site before applying, since it is reviewed periodically.

Acceptable Financial Documents

Bank statements from the last three months, fixed deposit receipts, an education loan sanction letter, or a scholarship confirmation all work. Let’s actually run the numbers instead of just listing categories. A student on a coursework master’s showing AUD 30,000 tuition, AUD 29,710 living costs, AUD 600 for OSHC, and AUD 1,500 for return airfare would need close to AUD 61,800 in total. At roughly INR 56.5 per AUD, that’s around ₹34.9 lakh. Your own tuition number will move the total up or down quite a bit, so treat this as a shape, not a target.

Australia Student Visa Fees and Expenses in 2026

Here are the details you need for Australia student visa fees: 

Visa Application (Embassy) Fee

The base embassy student visa expenses for Australia applications sit at AUD 2,500 from 1 July 2026 with the Australian student visa new rules. This is non-refundable even if your visa is refused, and additional applicants pay their own separate charge.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

OSHC is compulsory for the entire visa period. For a single applicant on a one-year course, it typically costs AUD 500 to 700, depending on the provider.

Other Study-Related Expenses

Add biometrics (around AUD 45, where required), a health exam through an approved panel physician (roughly AUD 300 to 500), and any English test fees. Together, these student visa expenses for Australia applications add a few hundred dollars beyond the headline visa fee.

Australia Student Visa Processing Time

There is no single guaranteed number. As a general benchmark, around half of higher education applications are decided within about 28 days, with most others finished within a few months, though vocational and research applications often take longer. A clean, complete application still matters most.

Additional Requirements: Health, Biometrics, and Interview

Most applicants need a health exam at an approved panel clinic, covering a chest X-ray and basic tests. Biometrics, where required, means fingerprints and a photo at a visa centre. Interviews are rare for Subclass 500 but can happen if your GS answers or funds need clarifying.

How to Apply for an Australian Student Visa?

Here is what you need to do for a student permit Australia step by step:

Step 1: Receive Your CoE

Accept your offer, pay any deposit, and your provider issues the CoE, which triggers everything that follows.

Step 2: Prepare the Required Documents

Gather academic records, English scores, financial proof, and your GS statement early, since mismatched dates cause more delays than missing paperwork.

Step 3: Apply Online Through ImmiAccount

Create your account, fill in the form, and upload documents in the format expected. This step trips up more applicants than any other, mostly because blank fields or mismatched figures trigger further checks, and once submitted, there is little room to fix small errors.

Step 4: Attend Biometrics and Medical Examination

Book these promptly if asked, since delays here push out your decision.

Step 5: Wait for the Visa Decision

Honestly, from here there’s not much to do except check ImmiAccount every so often and start packing. Refreshing it five times a day won’t speed anything up, but nobody actually listens to that advice.

What are the Documents you need?

Here are the documents you absolutely need to have:

1. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
2. Valid passport, valid beyond your course end date
3. English test results (IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL)
4. OSHC confirmation for the full course duration
5. Financial evidence (bank statements, FD, loan letter)
6. Academic transcripts and certificates
7. Genuine Student (GS) statement
8. Evidence of visa fee payment
9. Passport-sized photograph

Can You Work While Studying in Australia?

Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours a fortnight during term, with no cap during official course breaks. Master’s by Research and PhD students have no fortnightly limit at all. A student forex card can make it easier to manage everyday expenses from your study budget while you’re in Australia. Working beyond these limits can put your visa at risk, so it is worth tracking hours properly rather than estimating.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

A lot of refusals trace back to bank statements with a large lump sum deposited weeks before applying, which just looks arranged rather than genuine, even when it isn’t. Another is picking a course with no obvious link to prior study, then writing a GS statement that never actually explains the jump; it just talks around it. 

Students also submit English scores that have quietly expired (nobody checks the expiry date until it’s too late), or a CoE that does not match their form. Small stuff, mostly. But small stuff is exactly what gets flagged. None of it is hard to avoid; it just needs attention before submission, not after.

Plan Your Study-Abroad Budget with Thomas Cook Forex

Once your Australian student visa for Indians paperwork is in motion, the next step is sorting your money, and this is the part people tend to leave till the last week. Thomas Cook Forex can help you convert your proof-of-funds amount, load a forex card for everyday spending in Australia, and lock in exchange rates ahead of your OSHC and tuition payments, so your visa budget and your actual travel budget stay in sync instead of drifting apart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum bank balance for an Australian student visa?

For 2026, single applicants of a student permit Australia need access to AUD 29,710 for one year of living costs, plus tuition and OSHC.

How much money is required to study in Australia in Indian rupees?

The total amount, including tuition, usually ranges from ₹25 lakh to ₹40 lakh, depending on the course and city.

How long does the Australia student visa take?

Most higher education applications are decided within a few weeks to a couple of months, varying by course type.

Is a 3-month bank statement enough for an Australia student visa?

Yes, if the balance is stable and not inflated by an unexpected deposit just before you apply.

Is IELTS required for Australia?

Not at all. IELTS is the most commonly used test, but PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT are also accepted, depending on your institution.

What is the Genuine Student (GS) requirement?

It checks that your course, background, and career plans genuinely line up, replacing the GTE test since March 2024.