What is an Australian student visa?
All international students must obtain a student visa subclass 500 in order to come to Australia for study. They must be registered as a full-time student at a recognised Australian institution for an approved course to qualify for this visa.
Australia’s Student Visa application charge has seen significant adjustments in recent years, which is a strategy of Australian Government to balance the demand for international students with infrastructure and housing pressures. Prior to July 2024, the visa fee was only AUD 710; on 1 July 2024 it was more than doubled to AUD 1,600.
Current Fee Structure
- Base application charge: From 01 July 2024, primary applicants need to pay AUD 1,600 to apply for a Student (subclass 500) visa. Additional applicants aged 18 years or above will need to pay AUD 1,190 and additional applicants aged under 18 years old will need to pay AUD390.
- Extension applications: First extensions also incur AUD 1,600; subsequent temporary extensions attract an extra AUD 700 per application
- Payment surcharges: The applicants also need to pay additional fees if paying via credit-card or PayPal.
Proposed Increases
- Labor Party proposal: Before election, Australian Labor Party promised to raise the student visa fee from AUD 1,600 to AUD 2,000 if re-elected. This increase aims to generate about AUD 760 million over four years for migration and regional infrastructure funding.
- Opposition proposal: The Coalition party has suggested even steeper hikes—AUD 2,500 for general student visa applicants and up to AUD 5,000 for Group of Eight university students (UQ, UNSW, University of Sydney, ANU, University of Melbourne, Monash University, UWA and UoA).
Student Visa Fees Comparison
Australia’s student visa fees remain among the highest globally, even before the proposed increase.
- Australia: currently AUD 1,600 (proposed AUD 2,000)
- United States: currently USD 185 (≈ AUD 282)
- Canada: currently CAD 150 (≈ AUD 165)
Although Australia has plenty of advantages to attract international students, the signification increase in student visa fee may impact on international students’ consideration when selecting their study destination.
Rationale Behind Fee Changes
- Cost recovery & system integrity
The increase in visa applications requires more administrative resources, compliance checks, and fraud prevention measures. The higher fees will help ensure the system remains self-funding rather than relying on the federal funding.
- Migration and housing management
The number of new international students arriving in Australia surged to nearly 200,000 in February 2025 (up 12.1% year-on-year), which leads to serious rental shortages. The fee hikes are expected to modulate demand and contribute to public infrastructure budget.
What This Means for Prospective Students
- Budgeting: The visa fee charges (plus payment surcharges) will make overall study-abroad costs increase, leading to a financial burden for international students.
- Non-refundable: Visa fees are not refunded if the student visa application is refused. It’s advisable that you should prepare your application very carefully and submit all the required documents to avoid the visa refusal.
- What international students need to do: If you are planning to study or extend your study in Australia, apply for a student visa as soon as possible to avoid the potential increases.
If you wish to help with student visa applications, contact our experienced Migration Agent today on 07 3003 1899 or hello@solmigration.com. Our team will instruct you through all the process.