Student visa Australia – Subclass 500 advice in Perth

Student Visa Australia - Subclass 500 Study Visa Advice

A Student visa application is not just a course enrolment upload. The Department of Home Affairs assesses the Confirmation of Enrolment, Genuine Student requirement, financial capacity, English evidence, OSHC, immigration history, family members and whether the study plan makes sense.

Subclass 500Genuine StudentCoEOSHCFinancial capacity48-hour work limit

Student Visa At A Glance

What it allowsSubclass 500 allows eligible international students to participate in an eligible course of study in Australia, travel in and out while the visa is valid, and work subject to visa conditions.

Core documentsA valid Confirmation of Enrolment, OSHC, identity documents, Genuine Student answers, financial capacity evidence where required, English evidence where required, and family documents if relevant.

Current government chargeThe Department of Home Affairs estimator check used for this draft showed the primary applicant charge as AUD 2,000.00 for the standard Student visa subclass 500 scenario. Lower costs may apply to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants.

Common Student Visa Study Pathways

English

ELICOS

English language study as a standalone course or as part of a packaged pathway into further study.

Check English and package logic

Practical skills

VET and TAFE

Certificate, diploma and advanced diploma pathways where course choice and career logic need to be clear.

Check provider and study progression

University

Higher Education

Bachelor, graduate certificate, graduate diploma and master by coursework applications.

Check CoE and GS alignment

Research

Postgraduate Research

Research masters and doctoral study, with different work-right settings and specific evidence needs.

Check research and family settings

For packaged courses, the Department of Home Affairs expects all intended CoE codes to be included. Course gaps and the main course in the package can affect visa duration and processing priority.

Student Visa Requirements Australia

Enrolment: you must generally be enrolled in a course of study in Australia and hold a valid Confirmation of Enrolment when the visa is decided.
Genuine Student: you must show that studying in Australia is the primary reason for applying and that your study plan is coherent.
Age: Student visa applicants must generally be 6 years or older.
Health insurance: you and family members must have and maintain adequate health insurance, usually Overseas Student Health Cover, unless an exception applies.
Student visa financial capacity: evidence may be required at lodgement or requested during processing. If required and not attached, refusal can occur without the Department of Home Affairs asking for more information.
Health and character: applicants and relevant family members must meet Department of Home Affairs health and character requirements.
Onshore lodgement: some visa holders cannot validly apply in Australia. Current visa conditions and bridging-visa consequences should be checked before lodging.

Genuine Student Framework

Current circumstancesFamily, community, employment and economic ties, plus why the course is a logical next step.

Course choiceWhy this course, provider and location fit your education level, employment goals and study history.

Immigration historyPrevious visas, refusals, compliance issues, gaps in study and any time spent in Australia.

Future plansHow the course improves skills or employment prospects. The GS test recognises that genuine students may later consider other lawful visa pathways.

Applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024 are assessed under the Genuine Student requirement. This draft uses the current Department of Home Affairs framework.

Student Visa Financial Capacity

Financial item	Current planning figure or evidence issue
Student living costs	AUD 29,710 for 12 months, plus course fees and travel costs where financial evidence is required.
Partner living costs	AUD 10,394 for 12 months if a partner is included.
Child living costs	AUD 4,449 for 12 months if a child is included.
School-age child	At least AUD 13,502 per year for schooling costs unless a Department of Home Affairs exception applies.
Annual income alternative	The Department of Home Affairs lists annual income evidence of at least AUD 87,856, or AUD 102,500 if family members are included.

These figures are Department of Home Affairs visa evidence figures, not a real-life Perth or Australia living-cost budget. Actual costs may be higher and should be checked separately.

Student Visa Processing Times And Priorities

Processing-time guideThe Department of Home Affairs publishes indicative student visa processing times based on recently decided applications. They are a guide only and are not specific to your application.

Offshore prioritiesStudent visa applications lodged outside Australia are processed under government policy priorities. Priority affects when processing starts, not whether the visa is granted or refused.

What slows files downIncomplete documents, unclear GS answers, financial evidence gaps, identity checks, health, character, family members and provider/course issues can all affect timing.

For offshore applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025, Department of Home Affairs processing priorities are covered by Ministerial Direction 115. Processing priority and visa eligibility are separate issues.

Student Visa Work Hours And Conditions

Condition area	What to plan for
Work rights	Student visa holders and family members generally cannot work before the student’s course starts. During study periods, the usual limit is up to 48 hours a fortnight, with different settings for some postgraduate research and family-member scenarios.
Study requirement	You must maintain enrolment and comply with course progress, attendance and provider requirements.
OSHC	You must maintain adequate health insurance for the required period, including family members where relevant.
Under 18 welfare	Students under 18 need appropriate welfare and custody arrangements, including consent documents where required.

Strategic Issues To Resolve Before Lodging

Student visa refusals often come from weak Genuine Student answers, poor course logic, missing financial evidence, unexplained study gaps, provider/course inconsistency, previous refusals or assuming enrolment alone is enough.

Check whether the course is a genuine progression from previous study and employment.
Prepare financial evidence before lodgement if the checklist requires it.
Explain immigration history, gaps, refusals or previous non-compliance clearly.
Confirm OSHC dates, CoE details, packaged-course sequence and under-18 welfare if relevant.
Review onshore eligibility before lodging from Australia.

Our Student Visa Process

Strategy check
Review course, provider, visa history and lodgement location.

GS planning
Build a clear study and career logic before drafting answers.

Evidence map
Organise CoE, OSHC, financial, English, identity and family documents.

Application build
Prepare forms and supporting material with quality control.

Lodgement and follow-up
Lodge when ready and respond to any Department of Home Affairs requests.

Student Visa Fees And Costs

Item	What to budget for
Department of Home Affairs charge	Primary applicant charge for the standard Student visa subclass 500 scenario was checked as AUD 2,000.00. Check the official estimator before lodging.
Family members	Additional applicant charges may apply for family members included in the application or joining later.
Course and living costs	Budget for tuition, living costs, travel and school-age child costs where relevant.
Third-party costs	OSHC, health examinations, police checks, biometrics, English tests, translations and document costs may apply.
Professional fees	Pacific Visa Group professional fees depend on complexity, prior refusals, family members, onshore issues and the evidence work required.

Student Visa FAQs

What Genuine Student test applies now?

For applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024, the Department of Home Affairs applies the Genuine Student requirement. Older pre-2024 wording should not be used as the main framework for a current subclass 500 application.

Is a CoE enough for a Student visa?

No. A CoE is essential, but the Department of Home Affairs also assesses Genuine Student, financial capacity where relevant, OSHC, English evidence where relevant, health, character and immigration history.

Can I work on a Student visa?

Student visa holders and family members generally cannot work before the course starts. During study periods, the usual limit is up to 48 hours a fortnight, subject to visa conditions and exceptions.

Can family members be included?

Eligible family members can be included or may apply later as subsequent entrants, but they must be declared and must meet relevant evidence, health, character, OSHC and financial settings.

Can I apply in Australia?

You can apply in Australia or outside Australia in many cases, but some visa holders cannot validly lodge onshore. Your current visa and conditions should be checked before lodging.

Why Pacific Visa Group

GS-focused strategyWe structure the application around the study logic the Department of Home Affairs needs to assess, not generic education-agent wording.

Risk identificationWe check prior refusals, study gaps, financial evidence, onshore lodgement limits, family members and course/provider issues before lodgement.

Clear Perth adviceYou get practical student visa advice from a registered migration agent with a clear document plan and decision-ready evidence structure.

Ready To Plan Your Student Visa?

Book a consultation to review your course choice, Genuine Student answers, financial capacity, OSHC, visa history and lodgement strategy before you apply.

Official fee and source links

Use these official Department of Home Affairs and Australian Government links to verify current Student visa eligibility, fees, processing guidance, Genuine Student settings, document checklist requirements, under-18 welfare and CRICOS course information before relying on any visa detail.