Migration and education agency RACC Australia has refreshed its comprehensive Student Visa (subclass 500) guide, time-stamped 8 July 2026, to reflect the post-1 July fee schedule and policy tweaks. The base VAC for most higher-education applicants is now AUD 2,500, with dependants aged over 18 paying AUD 1,530. ELICOS and non-award applicants face slightly lower charges of AUD 2,050.
![Student-visa guide updated as base charge climbs to AUD 2,500 and work-hour rules settle]()
For applicants seeking an easy way to navigate these new fees and requirements, VisaHQ’s online portal streamlines the Australian Student Visa (subclass 500) process with real-time fee updates, personalised document checklists and expert support—see more at
The update also consolidates changes introduced over the past two years: students may work 48-hours a fortnight during term, a limit reinstated after temporary pandemic relaxations. Financial-capacity thresholds – now AUD 29,710 for a single applicant – are explained with examples, as are English-language score requirements following the 2025 test-instrument overhaul. Of note to education providers and mobility teams, the guide clarifies that offshore applicants are prioritised under Ministerial Direction 115, with 90 % of higher-education cases decided within 16 days when lodged decision-ready. On-shore applicants switching from Visitor visas remain barred, curbing the “on-shore course shopping” once common in metropolitan hubs. For corporate HR departments that second employees on postgraduate programmes, the higher fees and evidence thresholds mean sponsorship budgets must rise. Universities recruiting from South-East Asia should adjust marketing collateral to highlight the new costs and remind prospective students that Overseas Student Health Cover remains mandatory for the entire stay. With international education contributing more than AUD 35 billion a year to Australia’s economy, sector watchers expect Canberra to maintain tight work-hour caps and cost-recovery fees, while focusing future reforms on post-study skilled-migration pathways to retain graduates in areas of critical shortage.
For applicants seeking an easy way to navigate these new fees and requirements, VisaHQ’s online portal streamlines the Australian Student Visa (subclass 500) process with real-time fee updates, personalised document checklists and expert support—see more at
The update also consolidates changes introduced over the past two years: students may work 48-hours a fortnight during term, a limit reinstated after temporary pandemic relaxations. Financial-capacity thresholds – now AUD 29,710 for a single applicant – are explained with examples, as are English-language score requirements following the 2025 test-instrument overhaul. Of note to education providers and mobility teams, the guide clarifies that offshore applicants are prioritised under Ministerial Direction 115, with 90 % of higher-education cases decided within 16 days when lodged decision-ready. On-shore applicants switching from Visitor visas remain barred, curbing the “on-shore course shopping” once common in metropolitan hubs. For corporate HR departments that second employees on postgraduate programmes, the higher fees and evidence thresholds mean sponsorship budgets must rise. Universities recruiting from South-East Asia should adjust marketing collateral to highlight the new costs and remind prospective students that Overseas Student Health Cover remains mandatory for the entire stay. With international education contributing more than AUD 35 billion a year to Australia’s economy, sector watchers expect Canberra to maintain tight work-hour caps and cost-recovery fees, while focusing future reforms on post-study skilled-migration pathways to retain graduates in areas of critical shortage.
