Australia Student Visa Fee for Indians 2026: AUD 2,500 and Extras

The visa charge is only one line in an Indian student's budget, but it is the one most people look up first. This page separates what you pay Home Affairs from what you pay others and what you only need to show. All figures are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For other Australian visa types, see our Australia visa page for Indian applicants.

What does the AUD 2,500 actually pay for?

It is the base application charge for the main applicant, set by the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 from 1 July 2026. You pay it online in ImmiAccount when you lodge, and Home Affairs does not process an application until the charge is paid. The charge is published only in AUD, so your bank's exchange rate on the day decides the rupee amount.

Students enrolled only in a standalone English course (ELICOS) or a Non-Award course pay AUD 2,050 instead. Everyone else, from undergraduates to PhD candidates, pays AUD 2,500.

Can you still add a spouse or child, and at what price?

For most Indian students, no. New rules from 2 October 2026 mean most Student visa applications must be lodged outside Australia and most applicants can no longer include family members. Exemptions include PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students and holders of fully funded foreign-government scholarships. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the old rules.

Where family members can still be included, the price list charges AUD 1,530 for each family member aged 18 or over and AUD 500 for each one under 18.

Which extras sit on top of the visa charge?

OSHC is not optional. Home Affairs refuses the application if OSHC details are missing, so you enter the insurer's name and policy start and end dates in the form (plus the policy number if you arranged it yourself).

How much money must you show besides the fee?

Only if the Document Checklist Tool asks for evidence of funds. When it does, Home Affairs uses these figures:

There is an alternative. Your parents or partner can show personal annual income of at least AUD 87,856 in the 12 months before you apply, or AUD 102,500 if family members are coming. That income must be shown with official government documents such as tax assessments; bank statements and employer letters are not accepted for this route.

Whichever route you use, Home Affairs wants evidence of genuine access to the money: transaction history, salary patterns, loan terms and disbursement. A single-day bank balance certificate does not show how deposits were built up.

How long after paying will you get a decision?

Home Affairs' global guide, covering all nationalities, shows 50% of Higher Education applications decided in 16 days and 90% in 4 months. Vocational Education and Training takes longer: 50% in 53 days and 90% in 7 months. Postgraduate Research: 50% in 17 days and 90% in 55 days.

For Indian citizens applying outside Australia, primary applications granted from October to December 2025 had a median processing time of 23 days, with 75% within 36 days. The same Home Affairs program report gives a grant rate of 59.5% for that quarter, measured as grants as a share of grants plus refusals for Indian citizens applying outside Australia, down from 79.9% in the same quarter of 2024. That is a past outcome for all Indian applicants, not a forecast for yours, and the fee is spent either way.

What will the post-study visa cost later?

Plan for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream, at AUD 5,750 for the main applicant. Under the Australia-India ECTA, Indian graduates can stay 2 years after a Bachelor degree, 3 years after a Bachelor with first-class honours in STEM (including ICT), 3 years after a Masters and 4 years after a PhD. You must be 35 or under (under 50 for a Masters by research or Doctoral degree) and score IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each component, or PTE Academic 55.

Mistakes that waste the AUD 2,500

• Lodging without a Confirmation of Enrolment for every course; Home Affairs treats that application as invalid.
• Booking IELTS Online or another at-home test; fully online tests are not accepted.
• Registering for TOEFL iBT without selecting 'Taking TOEFL for Australia', required since 21 January 2026.
• Writing generic Genuine Student answers. The form asks for English answers of 150 words each, backed by evidence of your ties and finances in India.
• Using an old checklist. The Document Checklist Tool is updated on 31 March and 30 September; check it just before you apply.

Once enrolled, you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session and unlimited hours when it is not.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for visa applications. Packages start at INR 1,000 for a flight reservation and go up to INR 3,000 with hotel, itinerary and cover letter included. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Australian student visa fee charged in rupees?

No. Home Affairs charges in AUD only and publishes no INR amount. You pay AUD 2,500 online in ImmiAccount, and your card or bank converts it at its own rate.

Do PhD students from India pay a lower student visa fee?

No. A PhD student pays the same AUD 2,500 main-applicant charge. PhD students are, however, among those still allowed to include family members after the 2 October 2026 rule change.

What English score do Indian students need for an Australian student visa?

If English evidence is required, the standard minimum for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 is IELTS 6.0, PTE Academic 47 or TOEFL iBT 67. IELTS 5.5 is accepted with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, and 5.0 with at least 20 weeks.

Is OSHC included in the AUD 2,500 student visa fee?

No. Overseas Student Health Cover is bought separately from an approved Australian insurer and must cover your whole stay from the day you arrive. Home Affairs publishes no OSHC price because insurers set the premiums.