Australia Student Visa 2027 for Indian Students

This spoke covers the Australia student visa path. For the full country guide, see Study in Australia.

How Do I Apply for an Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500)?

The Subclass 500 process runs through these stages:

1. Receive your offer and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) - issued by your CRICOS-registered institution once you accept your offer and pay the initial tuition deposit
2. Purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - mandatory for your full visa duration, arranged through an approved provider before you apply
3. Complete your Genuine Student (GS) statement - since March 2024, this replaced the older GTE essay with four structured questions (roughly 150 words each) about your circumstances, course choice, and career goals
4. Gather financial evidence - bank statements, loan documents, or scholarship evidence covering the AUD 29,710 threshold plus tuition and travel
5. Apply online through ImmiAccount - pay the AUD 2,000 application fee and submit biometrics if required
6. Complete a health examination with an approved panel physician if requested

How Long Does the Australian Student Visa Process Take?

Processing time depends on study level: higher education applications typically take 4–8 weeks, VET applications 4–7 months, and postgraduate research applications 3–5 months. As of 2026, roughly half of all applications are decided within 29 days and 90% within 56 days - though incomplete documentation or a weak Genuine Student statement are the most common causes of delay.

What Are the Financial Requirements for an Australian Student Visa?

Australia sets a fixed annual living-cost threshold, reviewed and indexed regularly:

• Living costs: AUD 29,710/year for the primary applicant
• Additional family members: AUD 10,394 for a spouse/de facto partner, AUD 4,449 per dependent child
• Tuition: the first year's fees, as confirmed on your CoE
• Travel costs: roughly AUD 2,000–3,000 depending on your home country

Acceptable evidence: bank statements showing funds held for at least 3 months, an education loan disbursement or sanction letter, or evidence of parental/sponsor income (currently at least AUD 87,856/year if applying without dependents).

Funds must be genuine and traceable - sudden, unexplained deposits shortly before application are a common trigger for extra scrutiny or refusal.

Common Australian Student Visa Refusal Reasons

• Genuine Student: course does not fit prior study or career plan; weak GS responses
• Funds: insufficient balance, unexplained deposits, or income evidence that does not support the claimed source
• Documentation: CoE/OSH C mismatch, or missing health/police clearances
• English: offer conditions not met at visa stage
• Character or health grounds (less common but absolute when triggered)

Fix the reason cited on the refusal notice before re-lodging. See Australia student visa spoke for the full slice and what IELTS score do you need? for Subclass 500 vs 485 bands.

What Is the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)?

The Subclass 485 is Australia’s main post-study work visa — full-time work for any employer, no sponsorship required, after you complete an eligible qualification at an Australian provider.

Which 485 stream fits you?

Stream	Who it is for	Typical length
Post-Higher Education Work stream	Bachelor’s, Master’s (coursework or research), doctoral degrees from a CRICOS course	2 years (up to 5 years if you studied at a regional campus — confirm your campus classification)
Post-Vocational Education Work stream	Eligible VET qualifications on the skilled list	Generally up to 2 years, tied to occupation list rules

Doctoral graduates often receive 4 years under the higher-education stream — verify against the current legislative instrument for your qualification level.

2026 costs and English (budget these early)

• Visa application charge increased sharply in March 2026 — plan AUD 4,600+ for the primary applicant, not the older ~AUD 2,300 figure still quoted on outdated blogs
• Age: generally under 35 at application (with exceptions for research graduates — check Home Affairs)
• English: commonly IELTS 6.5 overall with minimums in each band (up from earlier thresholds) — see what IELTS score do you need?

Application order

1. Complete your course and obtain completion evidence
2. Sit or refresh English if your Subclass 500 score will not meet 485 rules
3. Apply online in ImmiAccount before your Student visa expires (onshore applicants)
4. Hold valid health insurance and meet character requirements

485 is not permanent residency. Graduates in Skills in Demand occupations get priority pathways toward skilled migration or employer sponsorship — pair with the Australia hub for course choice.