International students have a wide variety of choices for studying in Australia. The quality of education, various courses to choose from, and post-study work opportunities make it one of the most desirable destinations among students. Australian universities are strong in research, excelling in areas such as arts and humanities, education, and sciences.
It is easier to get an Australian student visa than other countries. Students wanting to study in Australia must meet certain requirements to qualify for a visa. Once you are enrolled in a full-time study course, you can apply for a visa under Subclass 500.
With the Student visa (Subclass 500) visa, the visa holder can:
Looking to study in Australia? FAST can help you get an Australia Student Visa with the highest success. Our expertise in Australian immigration processes helps you navigate its tricky procedures. FAST helps students identify the right course and college in Australia that can set them on the path to a successful career.
| Course Duration | Australia Student Visa Validity |
| Longer than 10 months and ending in November/ December | For Instance, your course ends in December 2023, and your visa will be valid until March 15, 2024. |
| Longer than 10 months but finishing between January and October | Your visa would be valid for two months longer than the duration of your course. For e.g., if the course ends in Feb 2024, your student visa will be valid until April 2024. |
| 10 months or less | Your visa will be valid for one month longer than the duration of your course. |
However, few universities offer multiple intakes, even in September and November. Hence, starting your admission process around six months before the application deadline is highly advisable.
| Higher Study Options | Duration | Intake Months | Deadline to Apply |
| Bachelors | 3-4 Years | Feb, July (Major) & Nov (Minor) | 4-6 months before the intake month |
| Masters (MS/MBA) | 1.5-2 Years | Feb, July (Major) & Nov (Minor) |
| Higher Study Options | Part-time work duration allowed | Post-study work permit | Can departments work full-time? | Is schooling free for department children | PR option available for post-study and work |
| Bachelors | 20 Hours per week | 2 Years | Yes | No | Yes |
| Masters (MS/MBA) | 20 Hours per week | 3 Years | Yes | Yes |
Australia has some of the world’s best-ranked universities. Australian Universities offer a wide range of courses in various subjects. The tuition fees here are affordable compared to the UK and the US.
Students in Australian universities are eligible for a post-study work permit valid for up to four years. This can act as a pathway to Australia PR.
| Australia rank | University | World Rank |
| 1 | Australian National University | 30 |
| 2 | University of Melbourne | 33 |
| 3 | University of Sydney | 41 |
| 4 | University of New South Wales | 45 |
| 5 | University of Queensland | 50 |
| 6 | Monash University | 57 |
| 7 | University of Western Australia | 90 |
| 8 | University of Adelaide | 109 |
| 9 | University of Technology Sydney | 137 |
| 10 | University of Wollongong | 185 |
| 11 | RMIT University | 190 |
| 12 | University of Newcastle | 192 |
| 13 | Curtin University | 193 |
| 14 | Macquarie University | 195 |
| 15 | Queensland University of Technology | 222 |
| 16 | Deakin University | 266 |
| 17 | University of Tasmania | 293 |
| 18 | Swinburne University of Technology | 296 |
| 19 | Griffith University | 300 |
| 20 | La Trobe University | 316 |
| 21 | University of South Australia | 363 |
| 22 | Flinders University | 425 |
| 23 | James Cook University | 461 |
| 24 | Bond University | 481 |
| 25 | Western Sydney University | 501 |
| 25 | University of Canberra | 511 |
| 25 | Murdoch University | 561 |
| 28 | Edith Cowan University | 601 |
| 29 | University of Southern Queensland | 651 |
| 29 | CQUniversity | 651 |
| 31 | Victoria University | 701 |
| 31 | Southern Cross University | 701 |
| 31 | Charles Darwin University | 701 |
| 34 | Australian Catholic University | 801 |
| 34 | University of New England | 801 |
| 34 | Charles Sturt University | 801 |
| 37 | University of the Sunshine Coast | 1001 |
| 38 | University of Notre Dame Australia | 1201 |
| Universities | Programs |
| Australian National University | Bachelors, Masters, MBA, Btech |
| Monash University | Bachelors, Btech, Masters, MBA |
| University of Adelaide | Bachelors, Btech, Masters |
| University of Melbourne | Bachelors, Btech, Masters |
| University of New South Wales | Bachelors, Btech, Masters |
| University of Queensland | Bachelors, Masters, MBA |
| University of Sydney | Bachelors, Btech, Masters |
| University of Technology Sydney | Masters, MBA |
| University of Western Australia | Bachelors, Btech, Masters, MBA |
| University of Wollongong | Masters, MBA |
| Australian Graduate School of Management | MBA |
| RMIT University | Btech |
| Macquarie University | MBA |
| Melbourne Business School | MBA |
| University of South Australia | MBA |
| Scholarship Name | Amount (per year) |
| Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship | 40,109 AUD |
| BrokerFish International student scholarship | 1,000 AUD |
| The University of Sydney International Scholarship | 40,000 AUD |
| CQU International Student Scholarship | 15,000 AUD |
| CDU Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achievers Scholarships | 15,000 AUD |
| Macquarie Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships | 10,000 AUD |
| Griffith Remarkable Scholarship | 22,750 AUD |
Aspirants seeking to pursue graduate and master’s degree courses in Australia can check the educational requirements, required percentage, IELTS/TOEFL/PTE score requirements, and other requisite details from the following table.
| Higher Study Options | Minimum Educational Requirement | Minimum Required Percentage | IELTS/PTE/TOEFL Score | Backlogs Information | Other Standardized Tests |
| Bachelors | 12 Years of Education (10+2) | 60% | Overall, 6.5 with 5.5 in each band | Up to 10 backlogs (some private hospital universities may accept more) | NA |
| Masters (MS/MBA) | 3/4 Years of Graduate Degree | 65% | Overall, 6.5 with no band less than 6 |
| Visa subclass | Base application charge | Additional applicant charge | Additional applicant charge under 18 | Subsequent temporary application charge | |
| Student visa (subclass 500) | AUD650 | AUD485 | AUD160 | AUD700 | |
| Student visa (subclass 500) (subsequent entrant) | AUD650 | AUD485 | AUD160 | AUD700 | |
| Student visa (subclass 500) – Foreign Affairs or Defence sector | nil | nil | nil | nil | |
| Student visa (subclass 500) – Postgraduate research sector | AUD650 | nil | nil | nil | |
| Student Guardian (subclass 590) | AUD650 | nil | nil | AUD700 | |
| Fee increases from 01 July 2024 – Engineers Australia |
| Fee increases for the 2024-2025 financial year |
| From 1 July 2024, Australia migration skills assessment fees will increase by 3–4 percent to align with the wage, consumer, and producer prices. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has approved the changes. |
| Migration skills assessment fees |
| Our migration skills assessment fees for 2023 to 2024 are below. |
| Current | Current | From 1 July | From 1 July | |
| Item/s | AUD | AUD | AUD | AUD |
| Washington/Sydney/Dublin Accord qualification assessment | $460 | $506 | $475 | $522.50 |
| Washington/Sydney/Dublin Accord qualification assessment plus relevant skilled employment assessment | $850 | $935 | $875 | $962.50 |
| Washington/Sydney/Dublin Accord qualification assessment plus overseas PhD assessment | $705 | $775 | $730 | $803 |
| Washington/Sydney/Dublin Accord qualification assessment plus relevant skilled employment assessment plus overseas engineering PhD assessment | $1095 | $1204.50 | $1125 | $1237.50 |
| Current | Current | From 1 July | From 1 July | |
| Item/s | AUD | AUD | AUD | AUD |
| Australian Engineering Qualification Assessment | $285 | $313.50 | $295 | $324.50 |
| Australian engineering qualification assessment plus relevant skilled employment assessment | $675 | $742.50 | $695 | $764.50 |
| Australian engineering qualification assessment plus overseas engineering PhD assessment | $530 | $583 | $550 | $605 |
| Australian engineering qualification assessment plus relevant skilled employment assessment plus overseas engineering PhD assessment | $920 | $1012 | $945 | $1039.50 |
| Current | Current | From 1 July | From 1 July | |
| Item/s | AUD | AUD | AUD | AUD |
| Standard competency demonstration report | $850 | $935 | $880 | $968 |
| Competency demonstration report plus relevant skilled employment assessment | $1240 | $1364 | $1280 | $1408 |
| Competency demonstration report plus overseas engineering PhD assessment | $1095 | $1204.50 | $1130 | $1243 |
| Competency demonstration report plus relevant skilled employment assessment plus overseas engineering PhD assessment | $1485 | $1633.50 | $1525 | $1677.50 |
| Higher Study Options | Average Tuition Fee per Year | Visa Fee | Living Expenses for 1 Year/Proof of funds for 1 year |
| Bachelors | 22,000 AUD and Above | 710 AUD | 24,505 AUD |
| Masters (MS/MBA) |
| Degrees | No. of years |
| Bachelor’s degrees | 2 years |
| Master’s degrees | 3 years |
| All doctoral qualifications | 3 years |
FAST is the right mentor to advise you on studying in Australia. It helps you with
Australia is the most popular study destination for international students. Australia has seven top-ranked universities in the top 100 per the QS ranking 2024. Though Australia is known as the world’s most expensive country, international students can find some affordable universities in Australia for their education.
List of Affordable Universities in Australia 2024
| Name of the university | Fees per year |
| University of Queensland | AUD 45,000 – AUD 60,000 |
| University of Wollongong | AUD 40,000 – AUD 55,000 |
| University of Sunshine Coast | AUD 24,300 – AUD 35,000 |
| Griffith University | AUD 35,000 – AUD 50,000 |
| University of Divinity | AUD 15,000 – AUD 30,000 |
| University of Southern Queensland | AUD 22,500 – AUD 35,000 |
| Western Sydney University | AUD 21,000 – AUD 38,000 |
| Charles Sturt University | AUD 16,000 – AUD 30,000 |
| Edith Cowan University | AUD 25,000 – AUD 40,000 |
| Federation University Australia | AUD 21,000 – AUD 35,000 |
To get admission to Australian universities, you must score a minimum percentage of 60%. The recommended 12th percentile to get admission in diploma-level courses in Australia is at least 60%, and to get admission in graduate degree courses, your 12th percentile should be 65%.
Yes! Australian educational institutes allow international students to study without attending a university. Australia has many educational organizations from the primary school level to higher education. The country has many vocational schools and colleges for international students. Some universities in Australia even accept admissions without IELTS with some terms and conditions.
Yes! International students are allowed to work full-time in Australia while studying. The Australian Government has relaxed the working hours for international students. As per the new rules, international students can work 40 hours per fortnight during the semester and full-time during their breaks. A fortnightly period starts on Monday.
Students opting to work part-time/full-time in Australia must meet some conditions. They must be able to manage their study and work hours. They must ensure satisfactory attendance during their course.
In Australian schools, the academic year starts in late January or early February and ends mid-December. The entire year is divided into four terms. Each term has ten weeks. In universities, there are two study intakes in Australia. One is the autumn intake, and the other one is:
No, you are not eligible for an Australian post-study work visa if the course duration is one year. The course duration must be at least two years to get the PSW. The course duration must be two years, whether a single degree or multiple degrees. After that, international students are eligible to get PSW in Australia.
International students are encouraged to study in Australia with many scholarship programs. The Australian government and universities offer many scholarship programs annually. The scholarships cover tuition fees, medical insurance, traveling costs, and living expenses. Here is the information about Australian scholarships that cover the entire tuition fee.