Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500) Application Charges 2026: Fee Breakdown

As of 1 July 2026, the base Student visa (subclass 500) application charge starts from AUD 2,500 for main applicants. If you are applying from 1 July 2026 onward, budget for this figure as your starting point—but note that some eligible cohorts pay less, and dependent charges are calculated separately. Here is what the 2026 fee structure means for your application, who qualifies for reduced charges, and how to verify your exact cost before you lodge.

The 2026 base charge: what changed and when

The Department of Home Affairs sets the Student visa (subclass 500) application charge, and the base rate for main applicants has been AUD 2,500 since 1 July 2026. This replaces the previous base rate that applied before that date. If you lodged your application before 1 July 2026, the old fee applies to your application; if you lodge on or after that date, the new rate applies.

The AUD 2,500 figure is the starting point for a main applicant. It is not a flat fee for every applicant, and it is not the total cost of a family application. The actual amount you pay depends on your circumstances, who is included in your application, and whether you fall into a category that attracts a reduced charge.

Who pays less than AUD 2,500

The base charge of AUD 2,500 applies to the standard main applicant pathway. However, the Department of Home Affairs maintains reduced-charge arrangements for specified eligible cohorts. These are not discounts you can request at lodgement—they are tied to defined categories, and eligibility is assessed against your specific situation.

Common categories that may attract a lower charge include applicants covered by certain government-sponsored arrangements, holders of particular Australian scholarship programs, and applicants assessed under specific humanitarian pathways. The exact list of eligible cohorts and the applicable reduced amounts are set out in the legislative instrument that governs visa application charges. Because these arrangements are subject to change and are assessed on individual facts, you should verify your eligibility against the current instrument before you lodge.

If you believe you fall into a reduced-charge category, you will need to provide evidence of your eligibility with your application. The Department will assess whether the reduced charge applies at the time of lodgement, not at the time you submit an online enquiry or request a fee estimate.

Dependent and family member charges: check the estimator

If you are including family members in your application—a partner or dependent children—their charges are calculated separately from the main applicant base fee. This article does not list dependent charge figures because they are set by the Department of Home Affairs and can change. The accurate way to find your total is to use the official Visa Pricing Estimator on the Home Affairs website. You enter your visa subclass, your situation, and the number of family members included, and the estimator returns the applicable charges for each person.

Do not rely on third-party fee tables or older articles that quote dependent charges. Fee schedules change, and an outdated figure could cause you to under-budget or over-budget for your application. The estimator is the only figure you should use for planning.

How to confirm your exact fee before lodgement

The process for confirming your fee is straightforward:

1. Go to the Department of Home Affairs Student visa (subclass 500) page.
2. Use the Visa Pricing Estimator tool linked from that page.
3. Enter your visa subclass (500), your main applicant status, and the number of dependents you are including.
4. Review the fee breakdown and use that figure for your budget.

If you are applying from outside Australia, check whether any additional charges apply for your lodgement channel. If you are applying onshore, confirm whether the same base rate applies to your situation—some onshore pathways have different fee arrangements.

What the fee does and does not cover

The application charge covers the Department’s processing of your visa application. It is not a tuition fee, not a health insurance premium, and not a refundable deposit. You pay it when you lodge your application, and it is non-refundable in most circumstances—including if your application is refused or withdrawn. The only exception is limited situations where the Department determines a refund is appropriate under the migration regulations, such as certain cases where the application was invalid or the Department made an error.

Your OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) is a separate cost you must arrange before you lodge. Your tuition fees, living expenses, and travel costs are also separate. The AUD 2,500 application charge is only the visa application component.

Timing your lodgement: fee rules and processing expectations

Because the fee is tied to the date of lodgement, there is no advantage to waiting if you are ready to apply. The charge is set at lodgement, and later changes to the fee schedule do not affect applications already lodged. If you are eligible for a reduced charge, you need to establish that eligibility at the time you lodge—you cannot apply for a refund later on the basis that you discovered a reduced-charge category after lodgement.

On processing timing, the Department’s MD111 and MD115 directions set prioritisation for Student visa applications. Priority 1, 2, and 3 are determined by the institution’s quota status on the day you lodge. The target windows for commencing processing are 1–4 weeks for Priority 1, 5–8 weeks for Priority 2, and 9–12 weeks for Priority 3. These are targets for when processing starts, not a guarantee of a decision within those windows. Priority affects how quickly your application is taken up for assessment; it does not change the criteria your application must meet. A Priority 1 application still needs to satisfy the same genuine student, financial capacity, and enrolment requirements as a Priority 3 application.

The 2027 planning level: context, not a cap on current students

The Australian Government has set a National Planning Level (NPL) for new international student commencements in 2027 at 295,000, the same level as 2026. This figure is a planning level for new commencements in 2027, not a cap on the total number of international students already in Australia. It does not mean Australia is limiting total international student numbers to 295,000, and it does not apply to students already enrolled or holding valid visas. TAFE providers are exempt from the NPL for 2027, and any active provider’s 2027 allocation will not be lower than its 2026 allocation.

What this means for you as a prospective applicant is that the planning level affects how many new students can commence at each provider in 2027. If you are applying for a course starting in 2027, your provider’s allocation status on the day you lodge determines your processing priority. If you are applying for a course starting in 2026, the NPL does not affect your application in the same way.

English language requirements: what is verified

English language evidence is a standard requirement for most Student visa applications. The Department accepts a range of approved English language tests, and the score you need depends on your course level and your immigration history.

On the IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) option, the only Australian university for which acceptance is verified in this article is the University of Melbourne. The University of Melbourne accepts the IELTS One Skill Retake under specific conditions: you must have completed a full IELTS test on a computer at an approved test centre, you must retake within 60 days of the original test, and the combined result must be used within the standard IELTS validity period. This verification applies to the University of Melbourne only. It does not extend to all Group of Eight universities, and it does not mean other Australian universities generally accept OSR. If you are applying to a different institution, check that institution’s English language policy directly.

Genuine student requirement: the assessment that matters

The genuine student requirement is a core criterion for the Student visa. The Department assesses whether you are a genuine applicant who intends to stay in Australia temporarily for study. This assessment considers your circumstances, your ties to your home country, your financial capacity, and your study intentions.

The application charge is payable regardless of the outcome of this assessment. Paying the fee does not influence the genuine student assessment, and a higher fee does not mean a more favourable assessment. The assessment is based on the evidence you provide, not on the amount you pay.

The 485 visa connection: what a master’s does and does not guarantee

Many Student visa holders intend to transition to a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) after completing their studies. The Australian study requirement for the 485 visa requires you to complete at least 92 weeks of study over a minimum of 16 calendar months while holding a valid Student visa.

A one-year master’s program generally does not meet this requirement because it falls short of the 92-week and 16-calendar-month thresholds. A two-year master’s program may meet the requirement, but it does not automatically qualify you for a 485 visa. The 485 visa has its own eligibility criteria, including the qualification level, the recency of your completion, and the English language requirement. Completing a two-year master’s is a necessary condition for many applicants, but it is not sufficient on its own. You still need to meet the other 485 criteria at the time you apply.

Practical steps to get your fee right

Before you lodge, do these three things:

1. Use the Visa Pricing Estimator. Enter your exact circumstances and get the fee figure from the official tool. Do not rely on the AUD 2,500 figure as your total if you are including dependents.
2. Check your reduced-charge eligibility. If you are covered by a government sponsorship, an Australian scholarship, or a humanitarian pathway, confirm the current reduced-charge arrangements on the Home Affairs website. The legislative instrument changes, and a category that existed last year may not exist this year.
3. Confirm your provider’s quota status on lodgement day. Your processing priority depends on the institution’s allocation status on the day you lodge, not on the day you enquire. If you are applying for a 2027 commencement, check with your provider about their allocation status before you lodge.

Sources and currency

This article reflects the fee structure and policy settings as of 15 August 2026. The primary sources are the Department of Home Affairs Student visa (subclass 500) page and the official Visa Pricing Estimator. The National Planning Level figures are from the Australian Government’s published NPL settings for 2027. The University of Melbourne English language acceptance information is from the University of Melbourne’s official English language requirements page. All visa content in this article is general information, not migration or legal advice. Fee amounts, eligibility categories, and processing priorities can change; verify the current position on the official sources before you lodge.