Study in Australia
Student visa (subclass 500) · Check the official visa page and document checklist for your course, financial capacity and insurance.
Step-by-step Student visa (subclass 500) roadmap for Australia
Follow the official Australian Department of Home Affairs sequence below so your university sponsorship and financial evidence match Australia immigration rules:
Receive a Letter of Offer for a CRICOS-registered course and pass the university’s Genuine Student (GS) and financial screening.
Pay your initial tuition deposit, purchase mandatory Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the full visa length, and receive your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
Prepare verifiable evidence covering 12 months of living costs, unpaid first-year tuition, and return travel under the 2 October 2026 Home Affairs rules.
Submit your Subclass 500 visa application in ImmiAccount with GS statements, English test scores, biometrics, and health examinations.
Plan the application in order
A subclass 500 applicant should establish the eligible course and enrolment evidence, then use Home Affairs' current document checklist for financial capacity and other circumstances. Rules effective from 2 October 2026 can affect an application, so check the date-based instructions before lodging.
Tuition, visa evidence and actual spending
This guide intentionally does not turn a visa evidence rule into a universal living-cost estimate. Tuition comes from the chosen course and city spending from current university accommodation guidance; the immigration authority determines what evidence it requires.
Insurance, work and what follows study
Home Affairs requires appropriate Overseas Student Health Cover for the applicant and included family unless an exception applies. Its student-visa page describes a 48-hour-per-fortnight in-session work condition for typical holders, with exceptions; read the actual visa conditions and course category.
Admission-to-visa sequence and sponsor documents
Australia's Student visa (subclass 500) process begins with receiving a formal letter of offer from a CRICOS-registered education provider, passing the institution's Genuine Student (GS) and financial verification checks, paying the initial tuition deposit and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), and receiving an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). The subclass 500 application is lodged online via ImmiAccount with the CoE code, Genuine Student responses explaining the academic and career value of the chosen course, English proficiency evidence, and financial capacity documentation.
Financial capacity, health cover and work-condition rules
The Australian Department of Home Affairs sets statutory financial capacity requirements covering travel, 12 months of course fees (less any prepaid amount shown on the CoE), and 12 months of living costs, alongside updated evidence rules effective from 2 October 2026. Every subclass 500 applicant must also maintain approved Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of their visa unless a specific national exemption applies. Standard subclass 500 work condition 8105 limits student visa holders to 48 hours of work per fortnight while their course is in session (with unrestricted hours during scheduled course breaks, and specific exceptions for postgraduate research degrees).
Pre-lodgement visa & financial verification checklist for Australia
- Confirm that both your university and your specific degree have an active CRICOS registration code and obtain your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
- Check the Department of Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool and rules effective from 2 October 2026 for current 12-month living-cost and tuition evidence.
- Purchase and document approved Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) covering the full proposed visa period before lodging your subclass 500 application.
- Prepare thorough, course-specific answers for the Genuine Student (GS) requirement tying your prior studies to your chosen Australian programme.
- Note the 48-hour-per-fortnight in-session work limit and verify Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) age, English, and qualification rules separately.
Editorial source review: 2026-10-12. Conditions depend on your status and may change.
Published financial evidence
Financial capacity rules depend on your application; verify the current amount in the official guidance.
Living cost context
Use university city and accommodation guides for estimates; visa proof and spending are separate.
University coverage in Australia
Search all indexed Australia universities and their official programme and fee directories in the ScholarPath University Explorer.
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Frequently asked questions: Australia (Student visa (subclass 500))
What replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement for Australia’s Subclass 500 visa?
Australia replaced the GTE statement with the targeted Genuine Student (GS) requirement, which asks structured questions about your academic background, course choice, and career plans.
How many hours can international students work on an Australian Student visa (Subclass 500)?
Visa condition 8105 typically caps work at 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, with unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks (and exceptions for postgraduate research).
Is Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) mandatory before applying for the visa?
Yes. You must arrange approved OSHC covering the entire proposed duration of your Student visa before lodging your Subclass 500 application unless a specific national exemption applies.
Government sources
Apply the current rules to your nationality, course, dependants and intake. A visa evidence minimum does not replace a personal spending budget.