Loading page
Australia pairs a nationally regulated qualifications framework with large, diverse student cities. Here is how the system works and what the Student visa requires.
Australia is a large, highly urbanised country where most international students live in a handful of coastal cities. Courses must be registered on CRICOS to be offered to international students on a Student visa.
Qualifications sit within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which sets national levels from certificates to doctorates.
General examples only. Actual length depends on the course and institution.
Universities, vocational education and training providers, schools and English language colleges all enrol international students. To be eligible for a Student visa, your course must be registered on CRICOS, the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students.
Check the CRICOS entry for both the provider and the specific course before paying a deposit.
Each provider sets its own academic and English requirements and issues an offer. After you accept and pay, the provider issues a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), the document the visa application relies on.
Visa English evidence and provider English requirements are separate. Check both.
You can study two or more courses on one Student visa where there is clear progression. Changing providers or moving to a lower AQF level may require a new visa, so confirm with Home Affairs before enrolling in anything new.
Tuition varies widely by provider and course. Use the fee on the provider's course page. The Study Australia site has a cost-of-living calculator and a scholarships page.
Admission is not a visa. A CoE means a provider has accepted you. It does not mean the Department of Home Affairs will grant your visa.
Education sources: Study Australia: Student visa (subclass 500), Study Australia: Australia's education system, Study Australia: Scholarships
Australia's strengths are easiest to judge through the specifics of a course and a city.
The AQF gives each qualification a defined level, which helps when comparing courses and planning further study.
The Student visa allows work within set limits, covered in the visa section. Rules and conditions are checked through VEVO.
Several universities are research-intensive. Look at the specific school or lab for your field rather than the institution's overall reputation.
A post-study work pathway exists, but eligibility and duration change. Confirm before relying on it.
Examples only. This is not a ranking and not a list of our partner institutions.
Temporary Graduate visa and skilled migration options exist but are not guaranteed, and rules change regularly. Check Home Affairs before planning around them.
Student visa (subclass 500)
The subclass 500 covers higher education, VET, ELICOS, schools and postgraduate research. You generally need a valid CoE for a CRICOS-registered course before you apply.
Immigration rules change often. Each fact below shows when it was last checked and where. Figures we could not confirm from an official source are left out on purpose. This page is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice, and nothing here guarantees a visa, employment or post-study work. Most recent check: 23 October 2026.
Receive an offer and a CoE
Your CoE must still be valid when Home Affairs decides your application.
Arrange OSHC
Overseas Student Health Cover is required unless an exemption applies.
Check the document checklist
Use the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool for the evidence needed for your nationality and course, including English and financial evidence.
Apply online through ImmiAccount
Where you can apply from depends on the visa you currently hold. If you are outside Australia you can apply for a Student visa.
Confirm the current charge and processing time
Both change. Do not make travel plans assuming approval.
Australia assesses evidence requirements using your nationality and course. Use the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool with your own details instead of relying on a general summary.
Bring your academic profile, budget and target intake. We will help you shortlist courses and check your visa documents against the official requirements.