Planning to study in Australia? It has now become much more expensive for international students, especially those from India.
The Australian government has sharply increased visa fees for student and post-study work visas, raising the overall cost of studying in the country.
The revised fees came into effect on July 1, 2026, and are expected to directly impact Indian students planning to pursue higher education in Australian universities.
Student Visa Fees Increased Significantly
Under the new rules, the application fee for the Student Visa (Subclass 500) for higher education and vocational (VET) students has been increased from A$2,000 to A$2,500.
This means Indian students will now have to pay around ₹1.65 lakh for a student visa, compared to about ₹1.32 lakh earlier.
Students from ASEAN countries, however, will continue to pay a lower fee of A$2,050.
Since India is not part of ASEAN, Indian applicants will have to pay the higher amount.
The fee for English Language (ELICOS) students has also been increased to A$2,050 (around ₹1.35 lakh).
Post-Study Work and Other Visa Fees Also Go Up
The Australian government has increased fees for several other visa categories as well.
Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485): Increased from A$4,600 to A$5,750 (around ₹3.79 lakh).
Partner Visa: Increased from A$9,365 to A$11,710 (around ₹7.73 lakh).
The salary requirement for employer-sponsored skilled visas has also been raised.
Applicants will now need a minimum annual salary of A$79,499, up from A$76,515 earlier.
Universities Oppose the Decision
The fee hike has drawn criticism from universities and education institutions across Australia.
They argue that the sudden increase, introduced without prior consultation with the international education sector, could make Australia less attractive to international students.
Experts believe higher costs may encourage students to choose other countries that offer lower visa fees.
Australia Now Among the Most Expensive Study Destinations
With the latest increase, Australia has become one of the costliest countries for international student visas.
Here is how Australia’s student visa fee compares with other popular study destinations:
Australia: Around A$2,500
United Kingdom: Around A$935
New Zealand: Around A$790
United States: Around A$775
Canada: Around A$240
The comparison shows that Australia now charges significantly more than other major countries for a student visa.
Visa Fees Have Risen Sharply Since 2022
Australia has been steadily increasing visa charges over the past few years.
Since 2022, student visa fees have increased by 285%, while fees for post-study work visas have risen by 148%.
In comparison, countries such as Canada and the United States have largely kept their student visa fees unchanged, while the United Kingdom has introduced only modest increases.
The latest fee hike is expected to make studying in Australia more expensive for Indian students and could influence many applicants when choosing their study destination.
