Student Visas
Studying in Australia opens doors to a world-class education and, for many, a longer-term future in the country. The student visa allows you to enrol in a registered course of study, work limited hours, and bring eligible family members with you. Applications require a confirmation of enrolment, evidence of genuine study intentions, financial capacity, and health and character requirements. We help students choose the right pathway, prepare a thorough application, and understand their options for staying on after graduation through post-study work and skilled visa routes.
Student Visas (Subclass 500)
The Subclass 500 visa allows you to stay in Australia to study full time at a registered institution for the duration of your course. You can include eligible family members, work limited hours during your studies, and access a genuine pathway to further study or skilled migration. Applications require a Confirmation of Enrolment, evidence that you are a genuine student, sufficient funds, health insurance, and that you meet health and character requirements. We help you choose the right course and provider, prepare a strong genuine-student statement, and lodge a complete application.
The Genuine Student requirement
Since March 2024, applicants must satisfy the Genuine Student requirement, which replaced the older “genuine temporary entrant” test. Assessors weigh the applicant’s circumstances as a whole: the course’s relevance to their background and plans, their history of study and employment, circumstances in their home country, and the value of the qualification to their future. The written statement matters, but consistency matters more — the statement, the documents, and the study history need to tell the same story. A statement that reads as written to a template is noticed.
Financial capacity
Applicants must show genuine access to funds covering their first twelve months. The current benchmark is AUD 29,710 for living costs, plus AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 for each dependent child — on top of course fees and travel. “Genuine access” is the operative phrase: money that appears in an account shortly before lodgement, without a credible source, invites scrutiny. Bank deposits with history, approved education loans, and scholarship letters are the usual evidence.
English requirements
Most applicants need an English test result. The baseline is IELTS 6.0 or equivalent, with a lower threshold available when the course is packaged with an English program, and higher scores required for some courses. Bear in mind that a university’s own admission requirement is often above the visa floor — meeting the visa threshold does not mean the course will take you.
Work rights while studying
Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, and without restriction during scheduled course breaks. Postgraduate research students face no cap once their masters by research or doctorate has commenced.
Graduate Work Visas (Subclass 485)
The Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) lets recent graduates of Australian institutions live, work, and study in Australia temporarily after completing their qualification. It includes streams for graduates of eligible higher education and trade qualifications, and the length of stay depends on your qualification and circumstances. For many students it is a crucial bridge between study and a longer-term skilled visa. We advise on which stream applies, timing your application before your student visa expires, and how the Subclass 485 fits into your broader migration plan.
Planning beyond the 485
Applicants must generally be under 35 and apply within six months of completing their course. For many, the 485 is the runway to skilled migration: time to gain Australian work experience, complete a skills assessment, and build a competitive points score. Choosing a course with that endgame in mind — rather than retrofitting a pathway afterwards — is where early advice earns its keep.