The short answer
To study in Australia, choose a course and university, meet the entry requirement (around a KCSE B−, WAEC B2 or UACE CCC for direct bachelor's entry, plus IELTS 6.0), apply through a registered education agent, show you're a genuine student, accept your offer and get your eCoE, arrange health cover and prove living funds of AUD 29,710, then lodge a Subclass 500 visa. It usually takes a few months.
Studying in Australia as an international student follows a clear, repeatable path: choose a course and university, meet the entry requirements, apply through a registered education agent, show you’re a genuine student, accept your offer and get your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE), then prove your funds and lodge a Subclass 500 student visa. From first shortlist to visa decision it usually takes a few months, so you work backwards from your intake.
This guide walks each step in order, with the grades, costs and visa figures you need at every stage. The official visa numbers come from the Australian Department of Home Affairs and are labelled separately from what a course and city actually cost.
How do you study in Australia as an international student?
There are six steps, and they run in sequence — each one unlocks the next. You choose a course, confirm you meet its entry rule, apply through a registered agent, show you’re a genuine student, accept your offer and receive your eCoE, then prove your funds and lodge the visa. Below, each step in detail.
Zoe Craydel, Senior counsellor, Craydel Australia
Step 1: Choose a course and university
Start with the course, then the university — the degree decides your entry rule, your fee and your career direction. You can apply to more than 40 Australian universities and pathway colleges (around 2,400 courses) through Craydel, from the University of Western Australia (275 courses) and Swinburne to The University of Newcastle, Edith Cowan and the University of Notre Dame Australia. Five carry a QS or THE world ranking; the rest are chosen on course fit and cost.
Shortlist on three things: does the course match your career goal, can you realistically meet its entry rule, and does the total of tuition plus living in that city fit your budget. Our best universities in Australia and cheapest universities in Australia guides help you weigh reputation against price.
Step 2: Check you meet the entry requirements
Entry is set per course, not per university, and your school-leaving curriculum sets the threshold. Here is the typical minimum overall grade for direct bachelor’s entry across Australian courses, by curriculum.
| Curriculum | Direct bachelor’s entry (typical) | If you’re below the line |
|---|---|---|
| KCSE (Kenya) | B− | Foundation from D |
| WAEC / WASSCE (West Africa) | B2 | Foundation / IY1 from C6 |
| UACE (Uganda) | CCC | Foundation / IY1 |
| A-Level | CCC | Foundation / IY1 |
| IB / American Curriculum | Assessed per course | Foundation / IY1 |
Most common overall-grade threshold across Australian courses; exact requirements are set per course. A foundation programme or International Year One is the standard route in if your grades sit below direct entry.
English is a separate gate. Alongside your academic grade, most courses want IELTS 6.0 overall (or an accepted equivalent such as PTE or TOEFL). Sit the test early — you’ll need the result for both the university offer and the visa, and a low band is the most common avoidable delay.
Step 3: Apply through a registered education agent
Australian universities take international applications through a registered education agent rather than direct, so you’ll apply with one. Good counselling is normally free to you — universities pay the commission — so choose an adviser who works in your interest, not a sales office for one or two universities. Craydel is a registered agent of exactly this kind — counselling is free to you, and its counsellors shortlist Australian universities on fit and cost rather than commission.
They show you options
A trustworthy adviser shortlists several universities on fit and cost, and explains why each made the list.
No fee to you
Reputable student counselling is usually free. Be wary of large upfront “processing fees” before you have an offer.
Guarantees
No one can guarantee a visa or a place — only Home Affairs and the university decide. A guarantee is a warning sign.
Pressure or secrecy
Rushing you to pay, hiding your logins, or discouraging you from checking official sites are reasons to walk away.
Want your shortlist and application handled end to end?
Craydel’s counsellors match you to Australian courses you’ll actually get an offer for, then guide the application and visa — at no cost to you.
Step 4: Show you’re a genuine student
Genuineness matters from the start. Under the Genuine Student (GS) requirement — introduced on 23 March 2024, replacing the old Genuine Temporary Entrant test — your university weighs whether you’re genuinely coming to study before it issues your Confirmation of Enrolment, and the Department of Home Affairs makes the final decision when you lodge the visa. You set out why you chose this course and university, your circumstances at home, how the degree fits your career goals, and how you’ll fund it. There is no fee and no pass mark; officers weigh your answers alongside your documents. Prepare specific, honest answers that match your evidence — a course that clearly fits your background and a fund trail you can explain are what carry it.
Step 5: Accept your offer and get your eCoE
When a university makes you an offer, you accept it and pay an initial tuition deposit; the university then issues your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE), the document your visa application is built around. At the same stage you arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the length of your stay, which the visa requires. Budget realistically here: the median first-year bachelor’s tuition is about AUD 43,126, with foundation and diploma pathways cheaper, and living costs run from about AUD 8,041 a year in Perth to AUD 18,849 in Brisbane.
Step 6: Prove your funds and lodge the Subclass 500 visa
International students study on the Subclass 500 student visa. You create the application in ImmiAccount, upload your eCoE, OSHC and evidence of funds, confirm your Genuine Student answers, pay the charge, and — from most African countries — attend a biometrics appointment at a VFS Global centre. The figures below are set by the Australian government.
- Living funds you must proveA fixed 12-month figure for the Subclass 500, on top of your first-year tuition and travel.AUD 29,710
- Student visa application chargeBase charge from 1 July 2026 — confirm the current figure before lodging.AUD 2,500
- English requirementMost courses want IELTS 6.0 overall, or an accepted equivalent.IELTS 6.0
- Genuine Student (GS) requirementConfirmed at the visa stage — the account of your study plan you prepared in step 4, decided by Home Affairs.Required
Financial capacity, visa charge and the Genuine Student requirement are set by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Verify current figures on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you lodge.
What actually decides your visa is preparation, not your passport. The application turns on a genuine study plan and funds you can prove — savings with a history you can explain, or a documented sponsor, rather than a large deposit that appears just before you apply. Get the course, the money trail and the English test right and the visa follows. Our Subclass 500 visa guide covers the requirements in full.
How long does it take, and when should you start?
Australia runs multiple intakes a year, so there is almost always a start date to aim for. February and July are the largest intakes, with sizeable March and September intakes and courses beginning most other months. From first shortlist to visa decision, allow a few months — the offer, deposit, OSHC, English test and visa each take time.
| Intake | How busy | Start planning |
|---|---|---|
| February | Largest intake | From around mid-previous year |
| July | Second largest | From around the start of the year |
| March & September | Sizeable | ~4–6 months ahead |
| Other months | Selected courses | Check the specific course |
Intake spread across Australian courses in our data; work backwards from your chosen start date. The application and visa together take months, so start early.
Frequently asked questions
How do I study in Australia as an international student?
Choose a course and university, confirm you meet the entry requirement, apply through a registered education agent, show you’re a genuine student, accept your offer and receive your eCoE, arrange OSHC and prove your funds, then lodge a Subclass 500 student visa. From first shortlist to visa decision usually takes a few months.
What are the requirements to study in Australia?
You need an academic grade that meets the course’s entry rule (for example a KCSE B−, WAEC B2 or UACE CCC for direct bachelor’s entry), English at around IELTS 6.0, an offer and eCoE from the university, Overseas Student Health Cover, and proof you can meet the financial requirement for the Subclass 500 visa. A foundation programme is the route in if your grades sit below direct entry.
Do I need an agent to apply?
Australian universities take international applications through a registered education agent rather than direct, so you’ll apply with one. Good student counselling is normally free — universities pay the commission — so choose an adviser who shows you several options and never guarantees a visa or place.
How much money do I need to study in Australia?
Plan for tuition — a median of about AUD 43,126 for a first bachelor’s year, less for foundation and diploma pathways — plus living costs of roughly AUD 8,041 to AUD 18,849 a year depending on the city. Separately, the Subclass 500 visa asks you to prove living funds of AUD 29,710 on top of tuition and travel.
When should I apply?
Australia has multiple intakes, with February the largest and July the second, plus sizeable March and September intakes. Start a few months ahead of your chosen intake, because the offer, deposit, OSHC, English test and visa each take time.
What is the Genuine Student requirement?
The Genuine Student (GS) requirement is a compulsory part of the Subclass 500 visa — it replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant test. You answer targeted questions in ImmiAccount about why you chose the course and university, your circumstances at home, how the degree fits your goals and how you’ll support yourself. There’s no fee or pass mark; the case officer weighs your answers with your documents, so give specific, honest answers that match your evidence.
Can I work while I study in Australia?
Yes. On a Subclass 500 you can work up to 24 hours a week during term and more in scheduled breaks. After you graduate, a post-study work permit is available at all of the universities you can apply to through Craydel, typically for about two years.
Sources
- Craydel course, campus and admissions data (2026) — universities and course counts, entry thresholds by curriculum, first-year fees by level, living costs by city, and intake months.
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (Subclass 500): financial capacity, application charge and Genuine Student requirement. immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Study Australia — official guidance for international students. studyaustralia.gov.au
- IELTS — test scores accepted for study in Australia. ielts.org
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