Subclass 500 Student Visa | Studyabroad.wiki

Subclass 500 is Australia’s main student visa, issued by the Department of Home Affairs to international students enrolling at CRICOS-registered (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Student) educational institutions. The visa permits full-time enrollment in an accredited Australian course and includes work rights (up to 20 hours per week during term, full-time during scheduled breaks). All Subclass 500 applicants must meet the Genuine Student (GS) test, which was significantly tightened from May 2024, requiring demonstrated commitment to study, financial capacity, and ties to home country. The visa is processed through Australia’s online Global Talent Independent (GTI) or standard processing pathways, with timelines ranging from 4 weeks to several months depending on assessment.

Key facts

Issuing Authority: Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Australia; processed by the department’s visa assessment centers and regional offices
Visa subclass: 500 (Student)
CRICOS registration: Course provider must be CRICOS-registered; students verify provider code on cricos.deewr.gov.au
Certificate of Enrolment (CoE): Required; issued by the institution confirming enrollment, course duration, and full-time status
Processing time: Standard: 4–12 weeks; priority processing not generally available for student visas
Visa fee (AUD): Approximately AUD 620 (approximately USD 410–420) as of 2026
Financial requirement (2026): Proof of financial capacity to cover tuition and living costs (typically AUD 20,000–45,000+ per year depending on location and course)
Work rights: On-campus/off-campus: up to 20 hrs/week during term; full-time during scheduled breaks; varies by qualification level and employment type
Duration: For the period of course enrollment plus grace period (typically 31 days post-course completion for standard courses; extended for some graduates)
Dependants: Eligible partners and dependent children can be included on the same visa (cost per dependent increases fee)
Genuine Student Test: Mandatory assessment (reformed May 2024) requiring evidence of genuine commitment to study, financial capacity, character, health, and ties to home country

Eligibility

Acceptance and confirmed enrollment at a CRICOS-registered institution for a full-time course
CRICOS course codes must be for accredited qualifications; English language courses, preparatory courses, and some non-standard qualifications may have additional requirements
Genuine Student (GS) test satisfaction (see “Recent changes” below for 2024 tightening):
- Commitment to study: Demonstrated academic ability, prior educational pathway supporting the proposed course, genuine intention to complete studies
- Financial capacity: Proof of funds to cover tuition and living expenses for the full course duration
- Character: No significant criminal history, security concerns, or immigration violations
- Health: No serious health conditions posing risk to public health (TB screening required from high-incidence countries)
- Ties to home country: Employment, family, property, or other evidence that applicant intends to depart Australia after studies
English language proficiency: IELTS 5.5+ (or equivalent TOEFL, PTE, Cambridge, Duolingo); some courses require higher scores
Valid passport (valid for duration of stay; recommended 6+ months validity beyond course end date)
Age requirements: Must be old enough to pursue the intended course (no upper age limit, but assessments may scrutinize atypical age-course combinations)

Required documents

Certificate of Enrolment (CoE): Issued by the CRICOS-registered institution; includes course duration, tuition fees, full-time enrollment confirmation, and estimated living costs
Valid passport: Scanned copy of photo page and any pages with visas or migration records
Proof of English language proficiency: IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic, Cambridge, or Duolingo English Test certificate (minimum scores vary by course; typical: IELTS 5.5–6.5)
Financial documentation:
- Bank statements or bank letters covering recent 6 months, confirming available funds
- Evidence of funds held for minimum period (typically 3–6 months in applicant’s name)
- Proof of scholarship or government sponsorship (if applicable)
- Parental bank statements or affidavit (if funds held by parent; statutory declaration required)
- Pay slips, tax returns, or proof of income (if self-funding)
Academic transcripts: Previous educational institution documents showing qualifications leading to current enrollment
Medical examination results: Health examination (Form 160) completed by a panel physician in your country; required if applicant is from a country where TB screening is mandatory (India, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and others; check home affairs website for full list)
Character documentation: Police clearance certificate or statutory declaration; required if applicant has any criminal history or has spent more than 10 years in certain countries
CV or statement of purpose: Brief explanation of educational and career objectives (increasingly required under Genuine Student reforms from May 2024)
Proof of ties to home country: Employment letter, property ownership documents, family documents, or other evidence of connections requiring return after studies
Proof of payment: Confirmation of CoE fee payment to the institution

Application steps

Receive acceptance letter from a CRICOS-registered Australian institution. Confirm the institution’s CRICOS registration code by checking cricos.deewr.gov.au.
Request Certificate of Enrolment (CoE) from the institution. Provide:
- Proof of acceptance
- Financial proof (bank statements showing funds for tuition and living costs)
- English language proficiency certificate
- Any other documents requested by the institution
Receive CoE: Usually issued within 5–10 working days of providing required documentation. The CoE is valid for up to 12 months from issue date.
Gather all required documents (see “Required documents” above):
- Passport scan
- CoE
- Financial documents (6 months bank statements, proof of funds)
- English language certificate
- Academic transcripts
- Medical examination (Form 160) if required
- Character documentation if required
- CV or statement of purpose
Complete medical examination (if required based on country of residence):
- Contact a panel physician in your country (Department of Home Affairs maintains list)
- Complete Form 160 during examination
- Receive electronic copy of results (physician submits directly to DHA)
Obtain police clearance (if required): Contact your local police or home affairs office to request a criminal history check or clearance certificate; required if you have spent more than 10 years in countries other than your country of citizenship since turning 16.
Create Department of Home Affairs account at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/immiaccount. Use your email address to create an account and begin the visa application.
Complete online Subclass 500 visa application:
- Personal details (full name, date of birth, passport number, nationality)
- Course and institution details (CoE number, course duration, expected start date)
- Financial information (total funds available, source of funds, proof of holding period)
- English language test results and certificate number
- Previous visa history and immigration status in Australia
- Character and health declarations
- Genuine Student test responses: commitment to study, reasons for course choice, career objectives, ties to home country
- Dependant information (if including partner or children on same visa)
Pay visa fee: Approximately AUD 620 (USD 410–420) as of 2026; additional fees for dependants (AUD 310 per dependent). Payment through the DHA portal using credit card or other methods.
Upload supporting documents through the online account:
- Scanned CoE
- Passport scan
- Financial documentation (bank statements, proof of funds)
- English language test certificate
- Academic transcripts
- Medical examination results (if required; physician submits directly but applicant confirms completion)
- Police clearance (if required)
- CV or statement of purpose
Submit application: Submit completed online form with all documents. Receive submission confirmation and application reference number.
Await assessment: DHA conducts Genuine Student test assessment, verifies documents, and assesses character and health. Processing typically 4–12 weeks; complex cases or security checks may take longer.
Receive decision notification: Notification is sent to your registered email address. If approved, visa grant number is provided and visa is visible in your ImmiAccount.
Receive visa letter (if required): DHA can issue a visa letter (e-Visa letter) which serves as proof of visa grant; physical visa stickers are no longer issued.

Financial proof / maintenance funds

Australia specifies financial capacity requirements based on institution, course duration, and location.

Tuition fees: Full cost as listed on CoE; typically AUD 15,000–40,000+ per year depending on qualification level and institution
Living costs (DIBP estimates): Approximately AUD 15,000–21,000 per year (actual costs vary significantly by location; Sydney and Melbourne are more expensive; regional areas are cheaper)
Total required: Tuition + (living costs × number of years). Example: 3-year bachelor’s degree at Melbourne university: tuition AUD 90,000 + living costs AUD 50,000–65,000 = total AUD 140,000–155,000 required
Source: Bank statements showing funds in student’s account, parent’s account (with statutory declaration of support), scholarship/sponsorship, or government funding
Holding period: Funds should appear stable; funds held for 3–6 months are strongly preferred; sudden deposits before application may be scrutinized
Exchange rate: Financial evidence should be in AUD or converted using current exchange rates at time of application

Work rights

On-campus and off-campus work during term:

Up to 20 hours per week while enrolled in coursework (academic term/semester)
Work can be on-campus (university facilities) or off-campus (employer not restricted to campus)
Includes part-time work, casual employment, internships

Full-time work during breaks:

Full-time employment (40+ hours per week) during scheduled course breaks (semester breaks, holidays)
Must resume part-time work (≤20 hours/week) when classes resume
Includes on-campus and off-campus employment

Work authorization specifics:

No separate work visa application required; work rights are inherent in Subclass 500
Must be employed lawfully and pay income tax
No restrictions on field of work (can work in any industry, not limited to course-related field)
Some qualification levels (research projects, thesis-only master’s) may have different or extended work rights; check details with institution

Post-course work:

No automatic post-course work visa; Subclass 500 visa expires 31 days after course completion
To remain in Australia post-study, must transition to another visa (Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa, employer-sponsored work visa, partner visa, etc.)
Subclass 485 typically applied for during Subclass 500 enrollment; see separate entry

Common refusal reasons

Genuine Student test failures (post-May 2024 stricter criteria):

Lack of commitment to study: Poor academic history, unable to articulate reasons for course choice, evident intention to work rather than study, or atypical course-age combinations (e.g., 50-year-old applying for foundation course)
Financial capacity concerns: Insufficient funds, funds held for insufficient period, unexplained source of funds, or funds appear to be borrowed specifically for visa application
No credible ties to home country: Applicant has moved all family to Australia, sold property, or shows no intention to return; weak employment or family connections at home
Character concerns: Criminal history (particularly fraud, visa violations, or migration-related offenses), security concerns, or involvement in prohibited conduct
Health grounds: Positive TB test (applicants from high-incidence countries), serious health condition posing public health risk
Incomplete documentation: Missing CoE, financial documents, medical examination, or police clearance (if required); application returned for further information
Misrepresentation or fraud: False documents, misleading statements on application form, or evidence of fraud in financial documentation

Recent changes

Genuine Student test tightening (May 2024): Significant reform to GS test requirements:

Enhanced scrutiny of financial proof; banks and institutions must verify funds are genuine and held for sufficient period
Character assessment now includes examination of social media and online presence (potential red flags: posts suggesting work intent vs. study, evidence of financial instability)
Age-to-course assessment more rigorous; older applicants pursuing lower-level qualifications face greater scrutiny
Requirement for CV or statement of purpose explaining course choice and career objectives (previously optional)
Point-based genuine student assessment system introduced; thresholds for approval raised

CoE regulations reformed (January 2024): Institutions required to conduct enhanced financial and identity verification before issuing CoE; this has delayed CoE issuance by 1–2 weeks in some cases.

Work rights clarity (2024): Department of Home Affairs clarified that Subclass 500 work rights extend to off-campus employment during term (previously some ambiguity); clarified in official guidance.

Health examination expansion (2024): TB screening requirement expanded to include additional countries; check home affairs website for current list.

CRICOS registration: The accreditation system verifying institution legitimacy
Certificate of Enrolment (CoE): The document confirming enrollment; required for visa application
Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate Visa): Post-study work visa for Subclass 500 graduates; see separate entry
Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189 or 190): Points-based work/permanent visa; graduates may qualify if occupation is on skilled occupation list
Partner/Spouse visa: Family visa option for those marrying Australian citizens or permanent residents
Visitor visa (Subclass 600): For tourism, business visits, family visits (not suitable for study; different visa category)
Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 487): Post-study work visa for vocational education graduates (separate from Subclass 485)

Primary sources

Last updated: 2026-04-18.