- From July 1, 2026, the subclass 500 application charge is AUD 2,500 for the main applicant.
- A single applicant’s example requires AUD 69,371 in financial evidence for tuition, living costs, and travel.
- Adding the visa charge brings the example’s first-year plan to AUD 71,871 before extras such as insurance and medical checks.
Australia charges AUD 2,500 to lodge a Student visa application under subclass 500 for applications lodged from July 1, 2026. The fee covers only the government application.
Tuition and moving costs come on top. Applicants also need to show they can cover specified expenses for their first year.
The Department of Home Affairs requires evidence for the first 12 months of tuition, living costs and travel. Amounts already paid can generally be deducted when backed by receipts or a Confirmation of Enrolment.
Free toolOPT Timeline Calculator OnlineA financial benchmark is not the same as a bill due before boarding. Some costs must be paid upfront, while others are funds applicants need to demonstrate.
The size of the gap depends on the course and destination. The remaining costs vary by case.
Tuition, travel and insurance sit outside the application fee
A single applicant’s outlay includes fixed charges, provider-set costs and expenses that vary by country or city. The amounts below separate those categories.
| Item | Amount or calculation |
|---|---|
| Application charge | AUD 2,500 for the main applicant |
| First 12 months of tuition | Provider’s fee, less tuition already paid |
| Living-cost evidence | AUD 29,710 for 12 months |
| Return or onward travel, most locations outside Australia | AUD 2,000 |
| Return or onward travel, East or Southern Africa | AUD 2,500 |
| Return or onward travel, West Africa | AUD 3,000 |
| Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) | Depends on provider and course length |
| English-language test | Depends on provider, if required |
| Medical examination and biometrics | Varies by country and applicant |
| Police certificates, translations and photographs | Depends on documents required |
| Purchased airfare and housing setup | Depends on route, season, city and housing |
The travel figures are allowances used in the financial calculation, not necessarily the price of a ticket. Airfare, initial accommodation, rental bond and setup costs vary with route, season and housing choice.
The financial-capacity example reaches AUD 69,371 before the visa fee
For a single applicant paying annual tuition of AUD 37,661 and applying from most countries outside Australia, the benchmark adds tuition, living costs and travel:
AUD 37,661 + AUD 29,710 + AUD 2,000 = AUD 69,371.
That total is evidence of financial capacity, not a complete estimate of expenses paid before departure. It excludes the application charge, OSHC, medical examinations, biometrics, English tests, purchased flights, rental bond and other relocation costs.
The tuition figure is an example, not a standard fee. Applicants should use their own provider’s charge and subtract eligible payments already made when they can document them.
The payments come in stages, from enrolment to housing
The cash outlay follows the education and travel arrangements. A typical sequence is:
- Pay the institution’s required tuition deposit to receive the Confirmation of Enrolment. The provider sets the deposit.
- Buy OSHC for the required period.
- Pay the visa charge through ImmiAccount when lodging the application.
- Pay for any required English test, medical examination, biometrics, police certificate or document translation.
- Purchase flights.
- Arrange accommodation and cover any rental bond, advance rent and initial setup expenses.
The living-cost benchmark is mainly an amount applicants must demonstrate they can access. It is not necessarily a payment to the government before travel.
Actual day-to-day costs can exceed that benchmark, Home Affairs warns. A rental bond and advance rent can also make the first weeks more expensive than the visa evidence calculation suggests.
Accompanying relatives raise the living-cost threshold
Applicants bringing family members need to add their annual living costs to the calculation. An accompanying partner adds AUD 10,394; each dependent child adds AUD 4,449.
Schooling for each school-age child adds at least AUD 13,502 a year. A separate application charge also applies to every family member who applies for a visa.
For a student travelling with a partner and one child, the basic annual living-cost figure is AUD 44,553: AUD 29,710 for the student, plus the partner and child amounts. That total comes before tuition, schooling, travel, OSHC and visa charges.
A first-year plan tops AUD 71,871 before ancillary costs
Using the tuition and travel example above, the first-year planning calculation adds the application charge to the financial-capacity benchmark. The resulting minimum is AUD 71,871 before OSHC and other ancillary expenses.
The amount payable immediately may be lower if the institution asks only for a tuition deposit. But the total first-year requirement remains well above the visa fee alone.
Applicants can check the applicable charge through Home Affairs’ Visa Pricing Estimator before lodging. The estimator covers visa charges, but not health checks, police certificates or biometrics.
