Australia student visa fees start with a base Visa Application Charge of AUD 1,600 for the primary Subclass 500 applicant, a rate set in July 2024 that lifted the fee from AUD 710. That figure is only the beginning. Once you add health cover, medical exams, an English test, translations, card surcharges, and the extra charge that applies to certain applicants already in Australia, the true cost to reach an Australian classroom is significantly higher. Fees are indexed on July 1 each year, so confirm the current number on the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before you pay.1Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Student Visa
The Base Visa Application Charge
The primary applicant pays the AUD 1,600 VAC when lodging through ImmiAccount. Your application is not valid until the department receives the payment, so an underpayment or a failed card transaction means you have not actually lodged.2Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. How to Pay for Online Application If an annual fee increase takes effect between the day you lodge and the day the department processes payment, you owe the new amount.3Department of Home Affairs. Fees and Charges for Visas
Family members included on your application each pay an additional applicant charge on top of your VAC. The rate is different for dependents aged 18 and over than for children under 18, and both rates are indexed annually.4Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Additional Applicant Charge Run your specific family composition through the Pricing Estimator for an exact figure.
The AUD 700 Onshore Surcharge
If you are already in Australia on a temporary visa and apply for a student visa without leaving, you will likely owe an extra AUD 700 called the Subsequent Temporary Application Charge. It sits on top of the base VAC and any additional applicant charges.5Department of Home Affairs. Subsequent Temporary Application Charge
The STAC does not apply to every onshore applicant. The department uses a two-step test: the visa you are applying for must appear in its Table 1 (Subclass 500 does), and you must currently hold, or previously have held, a substantive visa listed in Table 2. Some circumstances qualify for a $0 exemption. If you are switching from one student visa to another, the charge typically applies. Check the department’s STAC page for the full list of exemptions before you budget.5Department of Home Affairs. Subsequent Temporary Application Charge
Overseas Student Health Cover
Health cover is mandatory. Every international student must hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of the visa, and the department will not grant the visa until it is in place.6Study Australia. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Single-student policies typically run AUD 500 to AUD 720 per year depending on provider and coverage level. Across a three-year degree that is roughly AUD 1,500 to AUD 2,100. Family policies cost substantially more.
Your visa end date is partly driven by the OSHC expiry date, and once granted, the end date cannot be changed.7Department of Home Affairs. Length of Stay for Student Visas Buy cover that runs a couple of months past your course end date to match the standard post-course travel buffer, not just cover that matches your course dates.
Medical Exams, Police Certificates, and Translations
The department may require a medical examination and chest x-ray, particularly for students staying six months or longer or coming from countries classified as higher risk for tuberculosis.8Department of Home Affairs. What Health Examinations You Need Exams must be done by a panel physician approved by the department. Costs generally range from AUD 250 to AUD 500 depending on the provider and your location, paid directly to the clinic.
For the character requirement, the department may ask for a police certificate from every country where you have lived for at least 12 months in the past 10 years. This applies to applicants over 17, and each certificate must cover the period from age 16 to the issue date.9Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Character Requirements for Visas Fees vary by country. Certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date, so don’t order too early.
Any supporting document that is not in English needs a certified translation. NAATI-certified translation in Australia typically starts around AUD 90 per document, and costs climb if you have several transcripts, birth certificates, or financial statements to translate.
English Language Test
Most applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through a recognised test. IELTS Academic runs around AUD 490 and PTE Academic around AUD 475. Fees are paid to the test provider and are not refundable if you score below the required band, so budget for a possible resit.
Some applicants are exempt, including citizens of certain English-speaking countries and students enrolling in specific English-language intensive courses. Your education provider or a migration agent can confirm whether an exemption applies to you.
Card Surcharges at Payment
Payment is the final step in ImmiAccount. The department accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, PayPal, UnionPay, and BPAY.2Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. How to Pay for Online Application Credit and debit card payments attract a 1.40% surcharge, applied equally to Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and JCB. On the AUD 1,600 VAC that adds roughly AUD 22. Surcharges for PayPal and UnionPay differ; check the payment page for the current rates. BPAY has no surcharge but involves a bank transfer, and if a fee increase hits during that gap you would owe the difference.
Funds You Have to Prove You Hold
Paying the fees is separate from proving you can afford to live and study in Australia. The department requires evidence of genuine access to enough money for tuition, living expenses, and travel for you and any accompanying family. Annual living cost thresholds are:
- Student (primary applicant): AUD 29,710 per year
- Accompanying partner or spouse: AUD 10,394 per year
- Each dependent child: AUD 4,449 per year
Those figures cover living expenses only. Tuition and return airfare are on top.1Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Student Visa A student with a partner enrolling in a two-year program at AUD 30,000 per year would need to show access to well over AUD 100,000 in tuition and living costs, before airfare.
The department scrutinises where the money comes from. Bank deposits held in your name or a parent’s name are the most straightforward evidence. If funds sit in a business account, transferring the committed amount into a personal savings or term deposit account strengthens your case. Assessors look at how long the money has been in the account, whether it appeared as a sudden lump sum, and whether exchange controls in your country would prevent you from actually moving it to Australia. A gradual savings history is viewed more favourably than a deposit that arrived just before lodgment.
When Fees Are Refundable
The general rule is blunt: if your visa is refused, you do not get a refund. The same applies if you withdraw or change your mind. The VAC is a processing fee, not a deposit against approval.10Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Getting a Refund
The department must refund you in a handful of specific situations:
- The application was not needed at the time you lodged it.
- The department made a processing error and you did not contribute to it through incomplete or incorrect information.
- The applicant died before a decision was made.
- A related sponsorship or nomination was unsuccessful.
If you made the mistake, for example by applying for the wrong visa subclass or stream, a refund may be possible only if you follow a specific sequence: withdraw the incorrect application, request the refund, lodge a new application for the correct visa, and pay the new VAC.10Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Getting a Refund You cannot skip a step or reverse the order.