The Subclass 500 Student Visa is for students who intend to study with an education institution in Australia, especially for more than 3 months. This is a temporary visa that allow you to study up to 5 years.

Who can apply for 500 visa and what are the requirements?
  • Be a certain age – you must be aged 6 or older to apply for this visa
  • Be enrolled in a course of study and provide evidence
  • Have enough money for your stay in Australia
  • Make welfare arrangements if you are under 18 years
  • Meet English language requirements
  • Have adequate health insurance
  • Be genuine temporary entrant and intend to return home after studying in Australia
  • Meet health and character requirement
What is evidence of enrolment?

Your must be enrolled in a full time course registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). You have to provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for each course of study with your visa application.

The Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is an official document issued to international students by education institutions in Australia. In order to get a CoE, you must have been given a formal offer by the education institution, have accepted it in writing and paid the required deposit toward your tuition fee.

How much money do I need in order to apply for a student visa?

You may need to provide evidence of financial capacity when applying for your student visa. You will be able to demonstrate this by providing one of the following:

  • 12 months of funds option
  • Annual income option
12 months of funds option – calculation of funds

If you are using the 12 months fund option to demonstrate financial capacity, an accurate calculation of funds is required. You need to provide 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.
The type of evidence includes money deposit or loan with an approved financial institution, government loan, scholarship or sponsorship.

Living cost amounts

From 1 February 2018, the 12 month living cost is:

  • Student/guardian – AUD20,290.00
  • Partner/spouse – AUD7,100.00
  • Child – AUD3,040.00
Course fees

You have to calculate the first 12 months of your course fees or include the total cost of your course if it is for a duration of 12 months or less. Deduct any prepaid costs and provide evidence of these payments (this should be on your Confirmation of Enrolment).

Schooling costs

Where school aged children are included in your student visa application, schooling costs of AUD8,000 per year for each child will need to be added to the amount of funds that is required. This amount is the minimum required for a visa application only and you are responsible for researching schooling costs, which may vary widely between states, territories and schools in Australia.

You do not need to provide evidence of schooling costs if you are:

  • a PhD student and can show you have enrolled your child in an Australian government school where the fees have been waived
  • received an Australian Commonwealth Government scholarship, including Foreign Affairs and Defence sponsored students, and you can show you have enrolled your child in a government school where the fees have been waived.
Travel costs

If applying outside Australia, include AUD2,000 (except if applying from East or Southern Africa, include AUD2,500; West Africa include AUD3,000).

If applying in Australia, include AUD1,000 (except if returning to Africa, include AUD1,500).

Annual income option

The annual income option requires students to provide evidence of personal annual income of at least AUD60,000. For students accompanied by family members the amount is AUD70,000. The income demonstrated must be the personal income of your spouse (who is not travelling with you) or parents. In circumstances where both of your parents are working, their combined income can be considered for this requirement. In all cases, the evidence of annual income must be provided in the form of official government documentation, such as a tax assessment.

Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement

Applicants for Student and Student Guardian visas must show they are coming to Australia temporarily to study or to look after a person who is studying. The Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement is not intended to exclude students who, after studying in Australia, develop skills Australia needs and who then go on to apply for permanent residence.