Australia Student Visa (Subclass 500): Requirements, Fees & Processing (2026)

If you already hold an offer from an Australian university, the Subclass 500 student visa is the last — and often the most stressful — step. It is the single visa that lets you live in Australia and study full-time, and for African applicants it is decided almost entirely on two things: whether your course choice is genuine, and whether your money is real and traceable.

This guide sets out the current 2026 rules — the AUD 2,500 application charge from 1 July 2026, the AUD 29,710 in living costs you must prove, the English scores accepted, the Genuine Student requirement, and exactly how to lodge from Nairobi, Lagos, Abuja or Accra through VFS Global. Every figure here is drawn from the Department of Home Affairs. Rules and fees change often, so treat the official pages as the final word and confirm each number on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you lodge.

What is the Subclass 500 student visa?

The Subclass 500 is Australia’s single student visa for international students enrolled in a registered full-time course. It lets you stay for the length of your course — usually up to five years — study, work part-time, and bring eligible family members.

You must remain enrolled in a course registered on CRICOS (the government register of courses for overseas students), keep valid health cover, and continue to meet the conditions of the visa for as long as you hold it. The visa is granted per person: your partner or children apply as attached applicants on the same application, each with their own requirements. Before you can apply, your university must issue an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) — you cannot lodge without it.

How much does the Subclass 500 visa cost?

The base visa application charge is AUD 2,500 per primary applicant from 1 July 2026 (up from AUD 2,000). That is only the government lodgement fee — the real cost of applying is the money you must show alongside it.

The AUD 2,500 charge applies to most higher-education applicants. Lower or concessional charges apply to some categories, and additional charges apply for family members who apply with you — because published dependent charges vary, confirm the exact amount for your family on the Home Affairs current visa pricing page before you lodge. On top of the charge itself, budget for health cover, biometrics and courier fees at your VFS centre, English test fees, and document certification. For a full year-one budget, see our cost of studying in Australia guide.

The money you must prove

This is where most African applications succeed or fail. You must show you can cover twelve months of living costs, your course fees, and travel — and that the money is genuinely yours and can be traced.

The living-cost figure for a single student is AUD 29,710 for twelve months (set on 10 May 2024). If a partner travels with you, add AUD 10,394; add AUD 4,449 for each child. As an alternative to showing savings, Home Affairs also accepts evidence that a parent or partner earned at least AUD 62,222 in the twelve months before you apply.

Source: Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 500 financial capacity requirements. KES/NGN values change daily; convert AUD at the day’s rate before you plan. Confirm all figures on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging.

The travel component is specific to where you apply from. Applicants from East and Southern Africa add AUD 2,500 to their evidence; applicants from West Africa add AUD 3,000. This is on top of living costs and course fees, and it reflects the cost of getting to Australia from the region.

English language requirements

You must show competent English, and the score you need depends on what you are enrolling in. For direct entry to most university degrees the standard is IELTS 6.0, with higher scores common for postgraduate courses.

Source: Australian student visa English requirements and university admissions guidance. PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT equivalents are widely accepted — confirm the exact score with your university and on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.

PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT are accepted as equivalents by most universities. The precise score is set by your course, so the number on your offer letter is what matters — treat these as the common minimums, not a guarantee. If your score falls short, a foundation or ELICOS pathway can still get you there.

The Genuine Student requirement

Since 23 March 2024, the Genuine Student (GS) requirement has replaced the old Genuine Temporary Entrant test. You must satisfy the Department that your main reason for coming to Australia is to study a genuine course.

In practice you answer a set of targeted questions in your application — about your circumstances in your home country, why you chose this course and this provider, how it fits your past study and career plans, and your understanding of the conditions of the visa. There is no single “correct” answer, but your responses must be honest, specific to you, and consistent with the rest of your application. Vague, copied, or contradictory answers are a common cause of refusal, especially where a course does not obviously follow on from your background.

Choosing a course that clearly builds on your qualifications makes this far easier — our guides to the best universities in Australia and scholarships for African students can help you pick a genuine, affordable fit.

Documents you need

Gather these before you open your application — a complete, well-organised lodgement is processed faster and questioned less. Requirements vary by case, so use this as a starting checklist and confirm yours on Home Affairs.

• Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE)Issued by your university once you accept your offer and meet its conditions. You cannot lodge without it.Required
• Valid passportBio-data page, with enough validity for your intended stay.Required
• Proof of fundsSavings history, approved education loan, or sponsor income covering living costs, fees and travel.Required
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)Policy covering the full length of your visa, from a registered provider.Required
• English test resultsIELTS, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT at the level your course requires.Required
• Genuine Student responsesYour answers to the GS questions, plus supporting documents on your circumstances and course choice.Required
• Academic transcripts & certificatesYour previous qualifications, certified where asked.Required
• Health and character documentsHealth examination and police clearance, if requested for your case.If requested

How to apply, step by step

You lodge the Subclass 500 online through ImmiAccount, then complete biometrics in person at a VFS Global centre. The whole process is done from your home country.

1. Accept your offer and get your eCoE. Confirm your place, pay any deposit your university requires, and receive the electronic Confirmation of Enrolment.
2. Arrange OSHC. Buy health cover from a registered provider for the full length of your visa before you lodge.
3. Create an ImmiAccount at the Home Affairs website and start a new Subclass 500 application.
4. Complete the form and GS questions, upload your documents, and answer the Genuine Student questions carefully and honestly.
5. Pay the visa application charge (AUD 2,500 base) with an accepted card.
6. Give your biometrics. Book and attend an appointment at your nearest VFS Global centre to have fingerprints and a photo taken.
7. Complete health checks if asked, then wait for a decision and monitor ImmiAccount for any request for more information.

Processing times

Processing varies by course level and how complete your application is. Recent Home Affairs data shows a median of around 20 days for offshore student applications, though individual cases can take longer.

For higher-education applications, published benchmarks are roughly 50% finalised within 28 days and 90% within five months. Since 14 November 2025, priority processing under Ministerial Direction 115 also affects the order in which applications are assessed. The practical lesson: lodge as early as your eCoE allows, and submit a complete application — incomplete lodgements and requests for more information are the biggest cause of delay. Always check the current processing-time estimate on the Home Affairs website for your course level.

Applying from Africa

The application itself is the same wherever you are, but biometrics are collected through VFS Global, and your proof of funds comes from an African bank — two areas where preparation matters most.

Australian Biometric Collection Centres, operated by VFS Global, are confirmed in several African cities. If your city is not listed, VFS operates across roughly 13 Sub-Saharan countries — including Ethiopia, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe — so check the VFS Global page for Australia to find your nearest centre and its current booking process.

Source: VFS Global — Australia visa services, African centres. Locations and booking arrangements change; confirm your centre on the VFS Global Australia page before you travel.

For proof of funds from an African bank, present statements that show a genuine savings history rather than a sudden lump sum, keep sponsor and loan documents clear and complete, and be ready to explain the source of every large amount. If you are applying from Kenya, our step-by-step guide to studying in Australia from Kenya walks through the local process in detail.

Working on a student visa

The Subclass 500 lets you work part-time while you study and full-time during scheduled course breaks. Work is a helpful supplement to your funds — not a substitute for the money you must prove for the visa.

You may work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and there is no limit during scheduled course breaks. Students in a Masters by Research or PhD have no fortnightly cap. Your family members attached to your visa generally have work rights too, subject to their own conditions. Casual and part-time roles can comfortably help with living costs, but you should never plan to fund your studies through work alone — the Department expects your visa funds to be in place before you arrive.

After you graduate: the 485 visa

Once you finish an eligible qualification, you may be able to stay and work in Australia on a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). This is a separate visa you apply for near the end of your course.

The 485 lets eligible graduates live and work in Australia temporarily after study, and it is one of the main reasons Australia is attractive for international students. Eligibility, length of stay and conditions depend on your qualification and circumstances, so check the current subclass 485 rules on the Home Affairs website as you approach graduation.

Frequently asked questions