The Student visa (subclass 500) rules changed on 2 October 2026, and if you are already in Australia on another visa, that change probably affects you. This guide sets out what the 500 visa costs, what you must have, how much you can work, and — the part most people get wrong — who is still allowed to apply from inside Australia. Verified 14 October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
| Visa cost | From AUD2,500.00 (concessions apply in limited circumstances) |
|---|---|
| Stay | Up to 6 years, in line with your enrolment |
| Age | 6 years or older |
| Work | Up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session |
| Where to apply | Outside Australia, unless you hold an eligible visa and meet an exemption |
| Family | You cannot include family members unless an exemption applies |
| Last verified | 14 October 2026 |
What the Student visa lets you do
With a subclass 500 visa you can enrol in an eligible course of study in Australia, travel in and out of Australia while it is valid, and work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course or training is in session. During scheduled course breaks you can work unlimited hours, and if you are enrolled in a Masters by Research or a Doctoral degree, there is no work-hour limit once your course has started.
The visa lasts up to 6 years, depending on how long your enrolment runs. You must hold a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) — the document your education provider issues once you have a place — and you must still hold a valid CoE when the Department decides your visa. A CoE stops being valid if it is cancelled or the course is completed.
The new rules from 2 October 2026
Two things changed, and they are both about applying from inside Australia.
First, most temporary visa holders in Australia can no longer lodge a Student visa application onshore. If you hold a visa that is affected — for example a Visitor visa, a Temporary Graduate visa, or a Maritime Crew visa — you must be outside Australia when you lodge, and outside Australia when the visa is granted. This also catches current Student visa holders who want to apply for another Student visa: they are affected too, unless an exemption applies. That includes people who hold a Student visa as a dependant and want to apply as the primary applicant.
Second, you can no longer include family members in your application unless an exemption applies. And there is a rule with no exemption at all: if you already hold a Student visa, you cannot add family members (subsequent entrants) after your visa has been granted.
Applications lodged before 2 October 2026, including ones that included family members, continue to be assessed under the old rules. The changes do not affect your current Student visa. And current Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) holders can still lodge a further Student Guardian visa while in Australia.
Who can still apply onshore: the decision table
If you are a Student visa holder applying for another Student visa in Australia, the following exemptions apply. Read down the list and find the one that matches your situation.
| Your situation | Can you apply onshore? |
|---|---|
| You need up to 12 more months after your original course end date to finish your studies, continuing with the same provider (if you have a package, the course needing more time must be your main course) | Yes |
| You are sponsored by DFAT or Defence | Yes |
| You are applying to study a PhD | Yes |
| You are applying to do primary or secondary school studies | Yes |
| You completed your main course at an AQF level and are progressing to a course at a higher AQF level | Yes |
| You completed school studies and are progressing to a course with no AQF level | Yes |
| You completed a course with no AQF level and are progressing to a course with an AQF level | Yes |
| You cannot continue your course because your provider has defaulted | Yes |
| None of the above | No — you must apply from outside Australia |
One footnote on the AQF-level exemption: if the course you completed was a higher education course, your next course must also be a higher education course delivered by a higher education provider.
Family members: who is exempt
You may be able to include family members when you apply if you are studying a PhD, are sponsored by DFAT or Defence, are receiving a foreign government scholarship, or are an eligible student from a Pacific country or an ASEAN member country. If you already have family members included in your current Student visa and you are applying in Australia, you may be able to include them in your next Student visa application. In every case, the primary applicant and all family members must be in the same location when the application is lodged.
What you must have to be granted the visa
- Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). See our guide to the Confirmation of Enrolment for how to get one.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the whole of your stay, or an exemption.
- English language evidence — see below.
- Genuine student requirement, plus enough money to support yourself and any family with you.
- A welfare arrangement if you are under 18.
- You must be 6 years or older.
Applications are received in Australian Eastern Standard Time (or daylight time when it applies), so lodge with that in mind.
English language requirements
Most Student visa applicants must show they meet the Department’s English language requirement, and the standard benchmark is Competent English. For a test taken on or after 7 August 2025, the minimum scores are:
| Test | Minimum (each of the four components) |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 6.0 |
| PTE Academic | 47 listening, 48 reading, 51 writing, 54 speaking |
| TOEFL iBT | 16 listening, 16 reading, 19 writing, 19 speaking |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | 163 listening, 163 reading, 170 writing, 179 speaking |
| OET | 290 listening, 310 reading, 290 writing, 330 speaking |
You do not need a test at all if you are a citizen of, and hold a valid passport from, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Other exemptions and alternative evidence exist, so check your visa page before you book a test — and remember the Department does not accept tests delivered entirely online (remote-proctored or at-home versions).
Processing priorities for the 500 visa
Where you lodge decides how your application is prioritised:
- Applications lodged inside Australia are assessed in the order they are lodged, according to the date of lodgement.
- Applications lodged outside Australia are processed according to Ministerial Direction. Applications lodged before 14 November 2025 fall under Ministerial Direction 111; applications lodged on or after that date fall under Ministerial Direction 115.
Under MD 111 there are two priority levels; under MD 115 there are three. In both, higher priority goes to school students, standalone ELICOS students, TAFE and pilot-training students, PhD students, DFAT/Defence and government scholarship students, students from the Pacific and Timor-Leste, and certain transnational education students. Higher education and VET students move up or down depending on whether their provider has reached its enrolment allocation.
The Department aims to start processing Priority 1 applications within 1 to 4 weeks of lodgement, Priority 2 within 5 to 8 weeks, and Priority 3 within 9 to 12 weeks. Those periods are based on 2025 lodgements and can change. For the bigger picture on how queues work, see our guide to Australian visa processing times.
Step-by-step: how to apply
- Get your CoE. Apply to a CRICOS-registered course and receive your Confirmation of Enrolment.
- Check whether the 2 October 2026 rules affect you. If you are already in Australia, work through the decision table above before anything else.
- Arrange OSHC for the full length of your stay, unless an exemption applies.
- Sit an approved English test if you need one, and make sure it is a secure-centre test, not an at-home version.
- Prepare your genuine student evidence and proof of funds. The Department may ask for this during processing even if you did not need it at lodgement.
- Apply online through ImmiAccount. Applications lodged in Australia now require a CoE — without one at lodgement, the application is invalid.
- Keep your details current and tell your provider your residential address within 7 days of arriving in Australia.
Common mistakes
- Applying onshore when you are no longer allowed to. Since 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders must apply from outside Australia.
- Planning to add family later. Current Student visa holders cannot add subsequent entrants after grant — there is no exemption.
- Booking an at-home English test. The Department does not accept tests delivered entirely online.
- Lodging without a CoE. Onshore applications are invalid without one.
- Associating the fee with the wrong date. The charge that applies is the one in force when the Department receives your application — see our breakdown of Australian visa fees.
- Assuming the 500 leads straight to permanent residence. It is temporary. For what comes next, see how Australian permanent residency works.
FAQ
How much does an Australian student visa cost?
From AUD2,500.00 as at 14 October 2026. Concessions apply for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens, eligible ASEAN citizens, and applicants in the ELICOS and Non-Award sectors. Fees are indexed on 1 July each year, so confirm the current amount with the Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge.
Can I apply for a student visa while I am in Australia?
Only if you hold an eligible visa and meet an exemption. Since 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders in Australia can no longer lodge a Student visa application onshore. If no exemption applies to you, you must be outside Australia both when you lodge and when the visa is granted.
Can I bring my partner or children?
Not unless an exemption applies. Exemptions cover students studying a PhD, those sponsored by DFAT or Defence, foreign government scholarship recipients, and eligible students from a Pacific country or an ASEAN member country. If you already hold a Student visa, you cannot add family members after it is granted — there is no exemption to that rule.
How many hours can I work?
Up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session. You can work unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks, and Masters by Research and Doctoral students have no work-hour limit once their course has started.
Do I need an English test?
Most applicants need to show Competent English — for example IELTS 6.0 in each component. If you hold a passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK or the US, you do not need a test. Check your visa page for exemptions before booking.
How long does a student visa take?
There is no single published processing time. Onshore applications are assessed in lodgement order; offshore applications follow MD 111 or MD 115 depending on when you lodged. The Department aims to start Priority 1 applications within 1 to 4 weeks, but that is a starting target, not a guarantee.
Official sources
- Student visa (subclass 500) — Department of Home Affairs
- Changes to Student visa application rules (subclasses 500 & 590) — Department of Home Affairs
- Changes to Student visa application rules — fact sheet (PDF) — Department of Home Affairs
- Student visa processing priorities — Department of Home Affairs
- Competent English — Department of Home Affairs
- Student visa (subclass 500) — Study Australia
AU0061 publishes general information, not personal migration advice. Visa rules and fees change, and eligibility depends on your individual circumstances. Always confirm the current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs or a MARA-registered migration agent before you act on anything in this guide.