Australia Student Visa Fee Rises to AUD 2,500: What It Means for Indian Students

The Department of Home Affairs raised the Subclass 500 student visa fee to AUD 2,500(~ INR 1,63,968) on July 1, 2026. The change hits every Indian applicant lodging a course from today onward. Home Affairs confirmed the rise on its updated visa pricing, under the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations. The new charge replaces the AUD 2,000 (Old Cost) rate that had applied since July 2025.

• The base charge for Subclass 500 and Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visas jumped AUD 500 to AUD 2,500, a 25% rise in one year.
• Standalone ELICOS and non-award course visas rose only to AUD 2,050, while foreign school exchange students can now apply for free.
• The same day, the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa fee climbed again, to AUD 5,750 from AUD 4,600 set in March.

This is the fourth rise to Australian visa charges in three years. It lands alongside tighter checks on Indian applicants. Indian students weighing Subclass 500 costs can compare the full fee breakdown before applying.

Also Read:

• Australia Student Visa Cost for Indian Students
• Student Visa Australia (Subclass 500): Requirements, Fees & Process
• Australian Student Visa Rejection Reasons for Indians

Home Affairs Raises Subclass 500 Visa Fee to $2,500

The Subclass 500 student visa is Australia's main study permit. It covers higher education, vocational training and school students. From July 1, 2026, its base application charge is AUD 2,500 for a primary applicant. The increase applies to any application made on or after today. It does not apply to visas already lodged before July 1. Applicants who submitted before the deadline still pay the old AUD 2,000 rate.

Home Affairs made the change through a legislative instrument, not a public announcement. Times Higher Education reported the rise came without warning, matching the pattern set in March. Citizens of Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste continue to pay a lower, unaffected rate.

Also Read:

• Genuine Student (GS) Requirement for Australia Visa 2026
• Study in Australia after 12th for International Students
• Australia's 51% Visa Refusal Rate Costs Indian Students 
• Study in Australia: Find Courses, Universities, Colleges & Fees

How the Fee Compares Before and After July 1

The size of the increase differs sharply by visa type. Full-fee higher education and vocational applicants absorbed the steepest rise.

At today's rate near ₹65.2 per Australian dollar, the extra AUD 500 converts to roughly ₹32,600. That is on top of tuition, health cover and the AUD 29,710 living-cost proof already required for the visa.

Third Increase in Three Years for Student Visa Applicants

Canberra has now changed the primary student visa charge four times since 2024. Each change came through a separate regulation, not a single reform package.

The Subclass 500 visa requirements have not changed alongside the fee. Only the application charge has moved. Federal budget papers show the March graduate-visa hike alone is expected to raise AUD 1.2 billion over five years.

Why the Fee Rise Lands Harder on Indian Applicants Now

India remains one of Australia's largest source markets for student visas. But approvals for Indian applicants have been falling even before this fee rise.

Home Affairs moved India to Assessment Level 3 in January 2026. That is the highest risk tier for financial and genuine-intent checks. Indian offshore approval rates fell below 51% by March 2026, per visa-tracking reports.

Indian applicants should also track the department's student visa processing rules for 2026. Evidence requirements have tightened alongside the fee increase.

Post-Study Work Visa Fee Jumps Again Too

The Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa did not escape today's changes either. Its base charge rose from AUD 4,600 to AUD 5,750, a further 25% increase.

This is the second 485 fee rise in four months. Home Affairs first doubled it from AUD 2,300 to AUD 4,600 on March 1, 2026. Budget documents suggest today's rise could add roughly AUD 300 million more in revenue.

Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations president Jesse Gardner-Russell called it "a fee on the exit door, not the front door." He argued it discourages graduates from staying to work legally after study.

Universities and Opposition Push Back on the Increase

Universities Australia condemned the move within hours. Chief executive Luke Sheehy called it part of a pattern "eroding one of Australia's greatest success stories."

His statement noted the sector supports a AUD 55 billion export industry and 250,000 jobs. He also credited the government for exempting genuine school-exchange mobility students.

Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi tried to disallow the March 485 hike in the Senate on June 22. The motion failed after the government, opposition and One Nation voted it down. Opposition whip Kerrynne Liddle defended the charges as reflecting "the cost of administering the system."

Action Plan for Applicants:

1. Check your lodgement date. Only applications filed on or after July 1, 2026 pay the new rate.
2. Budget an extra ₹32,600 approximately if applying under Subclass 500 now.
3. Confirm whether you need a standard, ELICOS or non-award visa, since fees now differ.
4. If planning a 485 visa after graduation, budget for AUD 5,750, not the March rate.

Indian applicants now pay AUD 2,500 for a Subclass 500 visa, up from AUD 2,000 a year earlier. Anyone moving to a Temporary Graduate visa later faces AUD 5,750, more than double last year's charge. Both new rates apply to any application lodged from July 1, 2026 onward. Canberra has changed this fee four times in three years, often without warning.