VISA
The student visa, subclass 500
What it costs, what you have to prove, and what changed while other websites were not looking.
The GTE test no longer exists. On 23 March 2024 Australia replaced the Genuine
Temporary Entrant requirement with the Genuine Student (GS) test. It is answered in writing,
in your own words, and it asks about your circumstances at home, why this course, and what you intend to do
afterwards. If a website is still preparing you for GTE, everything else on it is the same age.
What it costs
| Amount | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application charge — English course | AUD 2,050 | From 1 July 2026 |
| Visa application charge — everything else | AUD 2,500 | Up from AUD 2,000 on 1 July 2026 |
| OSHC health cover | AUD 500-600 / year | Compulsory for the whole stay |
| Funds you must be able to show | AUD 29,710 | Living costs for 12 months, plus tuition and travel |
Charges as published by the Department of Home Affairs and summarised by Fragomen and IDP Education. The charge is not refunded if your application is refused.
What you have to prove
- A CoE — a confirmation of enrolment from a registered Australian provider. You enrol first, then apply.
- The Genuine Student statement — your own answers, not a template. This is where applications fail.
- English — at the level your course requires, unless you are exempt.
- OSHC — health cover for the entire period of your stay.
- Money — tuition for the first 12 months, AUD 29,710 of living costs, and travel. You prove it; you do not have to spend it.
What the visa lets you do
Study full time, and work 48 hours per fortnight while your course is running — unlimited during scheduled course breaks. Your partner and children under 18 can come with you, on conditions that depend on your course level. You may not start work before your course starts.
You cannot arrive on a visitor visa and change to a student visa inside Australia. That route closed
in 2024. The application is lodged before you fly.
How long does the decision take?
Most straightforward applications are decided in weeks rather than months, but the published processing times move, and a request for more information restarts your patience. Apply with months in hand, not weeks.
What happens if I am refused?
You lose the charge and you have a refusal on your record, which makes the next application harder. That is exactly why the Genuine Student statement is worth taking seriously, and why complicated cases go to a registered MARA agent.
Are you a migration agent?
No. We are an education agency: we handle the school, the enrolment and the preparation, and when a case needs a registered migration agent we hand it to a MARA agent here in Cairns. Anyone who tells you the difference does not matter is being careless with your money.
Can I work before my course starts?
No. Work rights begin when the course begins.
Talk it through with us. It costs nothing.
Write or call. We will go through the course, the dates, the budget and the visa with you — and tell you straight if it does not add up in your case.