Australia has revised the Student Visa (Subclass 500) application fees. The fees have been hiked from AUD 2,000 to AUD 2,500. This makes Australia one of the countries with the highest student visa application fees. The new fee applicable from 1 July 2026 is intended to manage the number of the international students coming to the country and to strengthen the integrity of Australia's migration system.
The 25% fee hike is expected to considerably impact the international students, especially Indian students, who are one of the largest groups pursuing higher education in Australia. Also with the revision of student visa fees, Australia has also introduced a separate application charge of AUD 2,050 for standalone English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS). Additionally, the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) fee has increased from AUD 4,600 to AUD 5,750. Limited concessional visa charges are available for eligible applicants from selected ASEAN and Pacific countries and certain approved programs; Indian students are generally required to pay the full AUD 2,500 visa fee.
Universities and education sector bodies have raised the concern that the higher visa charges may affect Australia's competitiveness as a preferred study destination. The Australian government says that the reforms are to maintain the educational standards and to strengthen the immigration control of Australia.
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