Study in Australia

Why study in Australia?

A wide choice of universities and courses

Australia has 42 universities – 36 public and 6 private – with campuses in every state and territory. Many have more than one campus, in a capital city or a regional town.

Protection for international students

Every course you can study on a Student visa must be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). If your provider cannot fully deliver your course, the Tuition Protection Service is there to help, and higher education students can take unresolved complaints to the National Student Ombudsman.

Work during and after your studies

You can work part time while you study, and Indian graduates get a longer post-study work visa than the default under the Australia–India trade agreement (see “Working while you study and after graduation” below).

As of October 2026 — sources: Study Australia – list of Australian universities, Study Australia – Student visa application charge increase, CRICOS.

The Australian education system

AQF levels

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national system for tertiary qualifications, with 10 levels running from vocational certificates up to doctoral degrees. You can move from one level to the next, as long as you meet your Student visa requirements. Moving to a higher AQF level is also one of the few ways to apply for a new Student visa from inside Australia.

Universities, TAFE and colleges

• Universities and other higher education providers offer Bachelor’s, Master’s (coursework and research) and doctoral degrees, as well as Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas. Some private institutes and TAFEs also offer degrees.
• TAFE institutes are government-owned. Together with private registered training organisations (RTOs) they teach vocational education and training (VET) – practical courses from Certificate level to Advanced Diploma, many with work placements.
• Pathway, Foundation and English (ELICOS) courses help students who do not yet meet the academic or English requirements for direct entry.

Course lengths

As of October 2026 — sources: Study Australia – Australia’s education system, Study Australia – an introduction to Australian education, Home Affairs – applying for a Student visa in Australia.

Popular universities

Several of these popular universities – including UNSW, the University of Queensland, Monash and the University of Western Australia – belong to the Group of Eight (Go8), a group of research-intensive Australian universities.

States and cities

Australia has six states – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania – and two mainland territories: the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, home to the capital, Canberra. The most popular study cities are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.

Smaller cities can cost less to live in, and study in a designated regional area can bring extra benefits after graduation (see below). Australia is in the southern hemisphere, so its seasons are the reverse of India’s: summer runs from December to February and winter from June to August.

Entry requirements

Every university sets its own entry requirements for each course, so always read the course page. You will need a separate Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for each course you list in your visa application.

Master’s studies

• A recognised Bachelor’s degree, usually in a related subject, with the minimum marks the course asks for
• Proof of English (see below)
• Usually a CV and a statement of purpose; some courses, such as MBAs, also ask for relevant work experience

Three-year Indian degrees: each university decides whether a three-year Indian Bachelor’s (such as a BSc, BCom or BA) meets the entry requirement for a particular Master’s. Some courses accept it directly; others place you in a longer version of the Master’s or ask for a four-year degree. A Master’s by research usually expects an Honours degree or research experience.

Bachelor’s studies

• A good Class 12 result, with any subject prerequisites the course sets – for example, Mathematics for engineering and IT
• Proof of English
• If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry, a Foundation or other pathway course can prepare you for an undergraduate degree

As of October 2026 — sources: Study Australia – Australia’s education system, Home Affairs – Student visa (subclass 500).

English language requirements

For admission: each university sets its own minimum for each course, often higher than the visa minimum and sometimes with a minimum in each band. Check the score your course asks for.

For the Student visa: if the Document Checklist tool says you must provide English evidence, the minimum test scores are:

• Tests taken entirely online or at home – such as IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition and OET@Home – are not accepted for Australian visas.
• From 21 January 2026, TOEFL iBT candidates must choose “Taking TOEFL for Australia” when they register.
• If you must provide English evidence with your application, the test must have been taken within the two years before you lodge it.

Rules as of October 2026 — source: Department of Home Affairs – Student visa (subclass 500).

Scholarships

• Australia Awards – the Australian Government introduced a Master’s-level Australia Awards Scholarship program for India, but as of October 2026 applications for India are closed. Future opportunities will be announced on the Australia Awards India website.
• Destination Australia – the Australian Government announced in the 2024–25 Budget that there would be no further funding rounds of this program from 1 July 2024. Some regional universities still advertise scholarships under this name, usually limited to particular campuses and courses, so check the university’s own page.
• University scholarships – most universities offer merit-based scholarships or tuition fee reductions for international students, usually a percentage of fees or a fixed amount. Some are considered automatically with your application; others need a separate application, and deadlines vary.

Programmes as of October 2026 — sources: Australia Awards India – opportunities, Department of Education – Destination Australia.

Education and living costs

Tuition fees

Tuition fees for international students vary by provider, level of study and location, and some courses have extra costs such as learning materials or safety equipment. Compare courses and fees on Study Australia’s course search and on each university’s website, and check what deposit you must pay to receive your CoE.

Money you must show for the visa

Instead of showing funds, you can show that your parents or partner had a personal annual income of at least AU$87,856 in the 12 months before you apply; if both parents work, their combined income can count. Use official government documents such as tax assessments less than 12 months old – Home Affairs does not accept bank statements or direct evidence from an employer for this.

Other costs

• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay, from an approved insurer. The basic cover usually includes GP visits, some hospital treatment, ambulance and limited medicines, but not dental, optical or physiotherapy.
• Your real living costs – Study Australia notes that actual living costs vary across Australia and may be much higher than the visa amount, so research rent, food and transport in your city.

Figures as of October 2026 — sources: Home Affairs – Student visa (subclass 500), Study Australia – Student visa application charge increase, Study Australia – living and education costs, Study Australia – OSHC.

Working while you study and after graduation

While you study

• You may work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours when it is not in session.
• Students in a Master’s by research or a doctoral degree have no work limit.
• Do not count on part-time earnings to pay your fees or living costs.

After you graduate: the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)

The Post-Higher Education Work stream lets recent graduates of a CRICOS-registered degree live and work in Australia temporarily. Under the Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), Indian nationals get longer stays for some qualifications:

Key conditions:

• You must usually be 35 or under when you apply (under 50 if you use a Master’s by research or a PhD).
• You must apply in Australia and have held a Student visa in the last six months.
• You need English of at least IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (or an equivalent score in another accepted test), health insurance and evidence that you have applied for an Australian Federal Police check.
• The visa application charge is AU$5,750 from 1 July 2026.

If you studied and live in an eligible regional area, you may later apply for a Second Post-Higher Education Work stream visa of 1 or 2 more years, depending on the area. Study in a designated regional area can also earn 5 points on the skilled migration points test, where 65 points is the minimum to be invited.

Rules as of October 2026 — sources: Department of Home Affairs – Student visa (subclass 500), Post-Higher Education Work stream, Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Points calculator; Study Australia – Student visa application charge increase.

Student visa

International students need the Student visa (subclass 500). It lets you stay for up to 6 years, in line with your enrolment.

Key requirements

• A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for each CRICOS course you plan to study
• The Genuine Student (GS) requirement – you answer questions in the online form (up to 150 words each, in English) about your current circumstances, why you chose this course and provider, and how the course will benefit you, and attach supporting documents. Planning to apply for permanent residence later does not count against you.
• Enough money for your stay (see “Education and living costs” above)
• English evidence, if the Document Checklist tool says you need it
• OSHC from the day you arrive in Australia
• Meeting the health and character requirements, and signing the Australian Values Statement if you are 18 or over

Evidence levels (SSVF)

Under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF), the combined evidence level of your country of citizenship and your education provider decides whether you must attach evidence of your funds and English with your application. Enter your passport country and provider in the Home Affairs Document Checklist tool to see exactly what to attach – the result can differ from one university to another.

How to apply

1. Create or log in to your ImmiAccount, attach your documents and pay the visa charge. You must apply from outside Australia unless you hold an eligible visa and meet an exemption.
2. If Home Affairs asks for biometrics, you will see the request in ImmiAccount and have 14 days to give them, following the instructions in the letter.
3. If you did not have health examinations before you applied, ImmiAccount tells you whether you need them and gives you a referral letter with your HAP ID.
4. Wait for the decision. If you applied from outside Australia because you were not eligible to apply inside, you must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

Changes from 2 October 2026

• Applying from inside Australia: most Student visa holders can no longer apply for another Student visa in Australia. Exemptions include needing up to 12 more months to finish your main course with the same provider, moving to a course at a higher AQF level, starting a PhD, being sponsored by DFAT or Defence, and your provider defaulting. Dependants who want to become primary students must apply from outside Australia, with no exemptions.
• Family members: most new applicants can no longer bring partners or children. Exemptions include PhD students, DFAT- or Defence-sponsored students and holders of a foreign government scholarship that fully funds their studies.
• Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the earlier rules.

The National Planning Level

The Government sets a National Planning Level for new international student commencements: 295,000 for 2026, staying at 295,000 for 2027. It is not a cap. Visa applications are processed as high priority until a provider reaches 80% of its allocation; after that they are still accepted but processed more slowly. Any genuine student who meets the visa requirements can still be granted a visa.

Rules as of October 2026 — sources: Department of Home Affairs – Student visa (subclass 500), Genuine Student requirement, Simplified student visa framework, applying for a Student visa in Australia; Study Australia – international education settings for 2027.