Student Visa Australia Cost 2026: All Fees Explained by a Migration Agent

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By Keshab Chapagain, MARA-registered Migration Agent (MARN 1576536), Campsie, Sydney

I’ve been helping students navigate the Australian visa system since 2018, and if there’s one question I get asked more than anything else, it’s this: “How much is this actually going to cost me?” The honest answer is that most people — and frankly, most dodgy so-called “consultants” — dramatically underquote the real number. They tell you the visa application charge and nothing else. Then students arrive surprised by costs they weren’t prepared for.

So let me do what I wish more agents did from day one: lay out every single cost, explain what it’s for, and give you a realistic budget figure before you commit to anything. This is based on real cases I’ve handled, real invoices I’ve seen, and real conversations with real students sitting across from me in my Campsie office.

If you want detailed information about the subclass 500 student visa before reading further, I’d recommend starting with this comprehensive guide on the Student Visa Subclass 500, which covers the eligibility and framework thoroughly.

The Visa Application Charge (VAC): $1,600

Let’s start with the headline figure. As of 2025–2026, the primary applicant student visa application charge is $1,600 AUD. This is paid directly to the Department of Home Affairs when you lodge your application online. It is non-refundable. Full stop. I cannot stress this enough — even if your visa is refused, you do not get that money back. This is exactly why you need to get your application right the first time.

For secondary applicants (a spouse or dependent child included in the same application), additional charges apply:

• Secondary applicant aged 18 or over: $1,600 AUD per person
• Secondary applicant under 18: $400 AUD per person

I recently worked with a married couple from Nepal — I’ll call them “Priya and Raj” — where Priya was the primary student and Raj was included as a secondary applicant. They budgeted for one visa fee and were genuinely shocked when I told them they were looking at $3,200 just in government charges before we even touched tuition, insurance, or flights. Plan for your whole family unit, not just the student.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC): $600–$700+ Per Year

OSHC is a visa condition — it is not optional, it is not a nice-to-have. You must maintain it for the entire duration of your visa. The cost varies based on your provider, the level of cover, and whether you’re bringing family members.

• Single student cover: approximately $600–$700 AUD per year
• Couple cover: approximately $1,400–$1,600 AUD per year
• Family cover: approximately $2,000–$2,500 AUD per year

Major providers include Medibank, Bupa, Allianz Care, and nib OSHC. Some universities have preferred or compulsory providers, so check your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) carefully. Over a two-year Masters degree, a single student can expect to pay $1,200–$1,400 in OSHC alone. That’s a meaningful cost people forget to factor in.

Tuition Fees: The Biggest Variable

I’m not going to give you a single number here because the range is enormous and it would be dishonest of me to oversimplify it. What I will do is give you realistic brackets based on what my clients actually pay:

• ELICOS (English language courses): $300–$400 per week, typically 10–50 weeks
• Vocational Education and Training (Certificate, Diploma): $8,000–$22,000 per year
• Bachelor’s degrees: $20,000–$45,000 per year depending on the field
• Master’s degrees: $22,000–$50,000 per year (medicine and law at the high end)
• Doctoral (PhD): Often partially subsidised; some receive fee waivers

I had a student — let me call him “Daniel” — who came to me after being enrolled by an education agent in a private college Diploma of Business for $18,000. He wanted to do a Bachelor of Accounting at a public university, which would have cost him $28,000 per year but opened far better post-study work rights and career pathways. The diploma was cheaper upfront but would have cost him significantly more in the long run. Always look at the full picture, not the cheapest course.

Skills Assessment Fees (Where Applicable)

If your study pathway is connected to a future skilled migration strategy — which it absolutely should be if you’re thinking long-term — you may need a skills assessment from a relevant assessing authority. These are separate to the visa application costs and typically range from $300 to $1,000 AUD depending on the authority (VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, CPA, etc.).

English Language Testing: $300–$400

Most universities require IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, or Cambridge English results. A single IELTS test costs around $330–$370 AUD in Australia. Many of my clients sit the test two or three times before achieving the required band scores. Budget for at least two attempts — that’s $650–$750 — and factor in preparation course costs if needed.

Migration Agent Fees

I’m going to be transparent here: professional migration agent fees are an additional cost, but in my experience they are money well spent. A poorly prepared application — especially one with a weak Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) statement — can result in a refusal and cost you $1,600 that you’ll never see again, plus months of delay.

My fees for student visa applications vary based on complexity. The cost is always discussed transparently before you commit. I will never charge you without telling you exactly what you’re getting for that fee.

Living Costs and Settlement Expenses

The Department of Home Affairs currently expects students to demonstrate access to approximately $29,710 AUD per year for living costs (for the primary applicant), plus $10,400 for a spouse and $4,449 per child. These figures are regularly updated, so check the Department’s current guidance.

Realistically, Sydney living costs are considerably higher than the Department’s minimum thresholds. Rent in the inner west where I’m based (Campsie, Canterbury area) for a single room in a shared house runs $200–$350 per week. Add food, transport, phone, and utilities and you’re looking at $2,000–$2,800 per month as a conservative estimate in Sydney.

Understanding Your Work Rights: 48 Hours Per Fortnight

One of the most important aspects of the student visa that I explain to every single client is the work rights attached to it. As of July 2023, the work limit for student visa holders was restored to 48 hours per fortnight during study periods (it had been 40 hours previously). During scheduled course breaks, you can work unlimited hours.

This is genuinely significant. At minimum wage of approximately $24.10 per hour (the National Minimum Wage as I write this), working 48 hours per fortnight could generate roughly $1,156 gross per fortnight before tax. That won’t cover all your living costs in Sydney, but it meaningfully offsets them. Plan your finances understanding this limit — don’t come to Australia assuming you’ll work full-time to fund your studies. That is not what the student visa is designed for, and the Department will pick up on it if your financial situation suggests that’s your intent.

This work rights entitlement is also one of the reasons I always encourage clients to understand their visa conditions properly. For a thorough breakdown of all the conditions attached to this visa, I recommend reading through this detailed Subclass 500 overview.

The GTE Requirement: Where Most Applications Fall Over

The Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement is the part of the student visa application that I see trip up more applicants than any other single factor. The Department wants to be satisfied that you are coming to Australia genuinely and temporarily for the primary purpose of studying, not as a backdoor migration pathway.

Common red flags that trigger GTE scrutiny:

• Choosing a course that has no clear connection to your existing qualifications or career history
• Applying for a significantly lower-level course than your existing education (a Master’s holder applying for a Certificate III, for example)
• Choosing an institution primarily because it’s in a capital city rather than because of academic merit
• Weak ties to your home country (no property, no family, no job to return to)
• Previous visa refusals or overstays in Australia or other countries

A strong GTE statement is specific, honest, and tells a coherent story. I write these with my clients, not for them. You need to understand what you’re saying and be able to explain it clearly if the Department contacts you. Cookie-cutter GTE statements that look like they’ve been copied from the internet are a waste of everyone’s time.

Post-Study Work Rights: The Real Reason People Choose Australia

Let’s talk about why so many international students choose Australia specifically. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) — Post-Study Work stream — is enormously attractive. Depending on your qualification level and where you studied, you could be eligible for:

• Bachelor’s degree: 2 years (or more if studied in a regional area)
• Master’s degree: 3 years (potentially extended in regional areas)
• Doctoral degree: 4 years
• Select fields in demand: Additional years may apply under recent policy changes

The post-study work visa is the bridge between studying and potentially transitioning to skilled migration. It gives you time to build Australian work experience, which is critical for skills assessments and points-based visa applications. This long-term strategy should inform which course and institution you choose from day one. I always discuss this with clients before we even look at an application form.

The Real Total: What Should You Budget?

Let me give you a realistic first-year cost summary for a single student doing a one-year Master’s degree in Sydney:

• Visa application charge: $1,600
• OSHC (12 months): $650
• Tuition (Master’s, typical): $28,000–$38,000
• IELTS or PTE (two sittings): $700
• Migration agent fees: Variable — discuss directly with your agent
• Flights and initial settlement costs: $2,000–$4,000
• Living costs (Sydney, 12 months conservative): $24,000–$32,000

Realistic first-year total: approximately $57,000–$77,000 AUD depending on your lifestyle, institution, and course. Anyone quoting you less than $50,000 all-in for a year in Sydney is not being straight with you.

Ready to Start Your Application?

If you’ve read this far, you’re already more prepared than most people who walk into my office. The next step is getting your specific situation assessed properly. Every student’s case is different — your country of passport, your academic background, your financial position, and your long-term migration goals all affect how I approach your application.

You can complete my student visa intake form here and I’ll be in touch to discuss your situation in detail. There’s no obligation at that stage — it’s just the starting point for a proper conversation.

And if you want to do more reading first, I’d encourage you to review this complete Subclass 500 student visa guide before we speak.

I’ve been doing this since 2018. I know what works, I know what the Department looks for, and I know how to put together applications that hold up to scrutiny. If you want an agent who’ll be honest with you about costs, risks, and realistic outcomes rather than just telling you what you want to hear — I’d be glad to help.

Keshab Chapagain | MARN 1576536 | Campsie, Sydney | widen.com.au

Meta description: Migration agent Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) explains every student visa Australia cost for 2026 — from the $1,600 visa fee to OSHC, tuition, and living costs. Honest advice from a practising agent with a 100% success rate on student visa applications. All fees explained.

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