Student Visa (Subclass 500): Requirements and Process

What is the subclass 500 visa?

The subclass 500 visa — the Student visa — lets you come to Australia to study full-time at an education provider registered on CRICOS. It is the official study visa for long-term study in Australia (unlike a visitor visa, which does not allow full-time study).

A subclass 500 visa is usually granted for the full length of your course plus a short buffer after completion. Many students then move on to a subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa if they are eligible.

Who can apply for a subclass 500 visa?

The basic requirements to apply:

1. A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from a valid CRICOS provider. The CoE confirms you have been accepted into a course and have paid the required tuition.

2. Adequate English. English requirements depend on your course — the level a provider asks for (to enrol) is often higher than the level the Department of Home Affairs asks for (for the visa). Check directly with your provider and at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Some providers accept English from their own internal programs.

3. Meeting the Genuine Student (GS) requirement — this is the most important and most complex part of the application. See the dedicated article on the Genuine Temporary Entrant and Genuine Student requirements for detail.

4. Health. A health examination through a panel physician arranged with the Department of Home Affairs. Most applicants book this online before lodging the visa.

5. Character. No serious criminal record. Some applications require a police clearance from your home country and any country you have lived in for a long period.

6. Finances. Evidence that you can cover your first year (tuition plus living costs). See the dedicated article on financial capacity evidence for the subclass 500 visa.

7. OSHC. Purchase Overseas Student Health Cover for the full length of your study before lodging the visa — it cannot be skipped.

The application process

Step 1 — Receive your CoE from the provider After applying to a provider and being accepted, pay the first-term tuition to receive your CoE. Keep the CoE number safe.

Step 2 — Book your health examination Book through the eMedical system or directly with an arranged panel physician. Results are usually ready within a few days.

Step 3 — Buy OSHC Choose an OSHC provider approved by the Department and buy cover starting from your expected arrival date in Australia.

Step 4 — Prepare your financial documents Bank statements covering several recent months, a confirmation letter from your bank, or documents showing financial support from your family.

Step 5 — Write your Genuine Student statement This is the part that takes most people the most time. The statement explains why you want to study in Australia and your plans after the course. It cannot be skipped and should not be done carelessly.

Step 6 — Lodge online through ImmiAccount Create an ImmiAccount, choose the subclass 500 visa, complete the form, upload your documents, and pay the visa application charge. The charge is not refunded once you have lodged.

Step 7 — Wait for processing The Department notifies you by email. Processing times vary — check the current processing time on the Department’s website (it is an estimate, not a commitment).

What does the subclass 500 visa let you do?

Work: A subclass 500 visa allows some work while you study. The limit on work hours can change with Department policy — check the conditions current when your visa is granted.

Study: You must maintain enrolment and satisfactory course progress under Condition 8202. Breaching this can lead to your visa being cancelled.

Bringing family: In some cases you can bring a spouse and children with you on a secondary visa — eligibility depends on the level of your qualification and your financial capacity.

Important things to watch

Maintain enrolment: You cannot simply change providers or stop studying without a formal process. To change providers you must follow the ESOS framework — the new provider must be CRICOS-registered and there must be a proper transfer process.

Conditions 8202 and 8516: The two most important conditions of the subclass 500 visa. Condition 8202 requires you to maintain full-time study and good progress. Condition 8516 requires you to maintain OSHC.

When the visa ends: You cannot extend a subclass 500 visa yourself — when your course finishes, the visa ends with it. You need to lodge a subclass 485 or another visa before your subclass 500 visa expires.