Study destinations

Studying in Australia, explained honestly

Australia has a large international student sector, clear post-study work arrangements and campuses across every state. It is also expensive, and the visa rules changed twice in 2026. Whether it suits you depends on your course, your budget and what you want to do afterwards.

Talk to our team Read the visa rules

Every figure on this page shows the date we checked it against an official government source. Where no official source publishes a fixed number, we link to the official tool instead of guessing.

Language of study: English-language options; confirm the programme's teaching language
Student visa: Student visa (subclass 500)
Work rights while studying: Up to 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session, including study terms, semesters and exam periods. Unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks, during an approved deferral or suspension, after the CoE course is completed while the visa is still valid, and at any time after course commencement for master's by research and doctoral students. No work is permitted before the course starts unless another visa allows it. Conditions on an individual grant can differ and must be confirmed in VEVO. This is study-period work only and is separate from post-study work. Checked October 2026
Main student cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

Figures are indicative and shown with the date we checked them. Visa charges and requirements change, so confirm current figures with the official source before you budget or apply. See the official source (opens in a new tab)

Section 1

Is Australia the right fit for you?

Destination choice should follow your course, not lead it. These are the profiles Australia tends to serve well, and the ones where we would push back before you spend money on applications.

It tends to suit you if

You want a taught master's with a clear professional focus.
Post-study work rights matter to your plan, not just the degree.
Your budget can absorb a higher cost base than most of Europe.
Your academic profile meets Australian entry requirements directly, without a long pathway.
You are comfortable that the visa decision rests with the Australian Government, not your consultant.

Think again if

Your budget is tight. Australia is one of the more expensive destinations.
You need a very short programme to finish quickly.
Your profile would need a multi-stage pathway before degree entry.
You are counting on bringing family on your student visa. The rules changed on 2 October 2026.
You would be applying from inside Australia on another temporary visa. Most of those routes closed on 2 October 2026.

We will say plainly if we think Australia is the wrong destination for what you want. That conversation is cheaper than a rejected application.

Section 2

How the application process works

Seven stages, in the order they actually happen. Work backwards from visa processing time, not from the published application deadline.

Shortlist courses and institutions
Course choice drives everything else: entry requirements, fees, location and visa evidence. We work from your academic record, your budget and what you want to do after you graduate.
Check entry requirements per course
Requirements are set by each institution and differ by faculty, not just by university. Academic requirements, English requirements and prerequisite subjects all need checking individually.
Prepare and submit applications
Transcripts, English test results, a statement where required, and references where required. We review everything before it goes.
Review your offers
Compare conditions, fees and start dates. An offer is usually conditional on meeting specific requirements, so read what yours actually asks for.
Accept and pay the deposit
You receive a Confirmation of Enrolment, which your visa application needs. Your main course of study determines what finance and English evidence the Department of Home Affairs asks for at lodgment.
Apply for the student visa
The subclass 500. See the next section, which is where most of the 2026 changes landed.
Plan your arrival
Health cover, accommodation, flights and the first few weeks after you land. Our post-arrival support covers this stage.

Section 3

The student visa, subclass 500

Two things changed in 2026, so older guidance you may have read is out of date. The charge rose on 1 July 2026, and the application rules changed on 2 October 2026.

Visa application charge: From AUD 2,500 per application, unless you are exempt. Study Australia states student visa fees are from AUD 2,500 from 1 July 2026, up from AUD 2,000. Checked 18 October 2026.
Work rights while studying: A maximum of 48 hours per fortnight while your course of study is in session. Students in a masters by research or doctoral programme may work more than 48 hours per fortnight at any time during their studies, once the course has started. Checked 18 October 2026.
Applying from inside Australia changed on 2 October 2026: Most temporary visa holders can no longer apply for a student visa while in Australia, including Working Holiday Maker and Skills in Demand visa holders. If you already hold a student visa, you generally cannot apply for another one onshore unless an exemption applies. Exemptions include doctoral study, school study, provider default, and up to 12 additional months with the same provider. Checked 18 October 2026.
Family members changed on 2 October 2026: You can no longer include family members in a student visa application unless an exemption applies. Exemptions include doctoral students, nationals of Pacific and ASEAN countries, and fully funded foreign government scholarship holders. You cannot add family members after your visa has been granted, and Study Australia states there are no exemptions to that rule. Checked 18 October 2026.
Applications already lodged: Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 continue to be assessed under the rules in place when they were lodged, and the changes do not affect current student visas. Checked 18 October 2026.
Financial capacity: You must show funds that are genuinely available to you. The Department of Home Affairs sets the amount, revises it periodically, and does not publish it as a fixed figure on the pages we can verify, so we do not state a number here that could go stale. Use the official Document Checklist Tool for the current amount and the exact evidence accepted.
Health insurance: A visa condition requires you to maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia. Checked 18 October 2026.
English language: Your main course of study determines the English evidence Home Affairs requires at lodgment. Accepted tests and minimum scores are also set per course and per institution, so check the requirement on each course page rather than assuming one score covers your whole shortlist.
Changing provider: A new Transfer stream is planned for students who change education provider. Study Australia states the Australian Government is still developing the details, so do not plan a transfer around it yet. Checked 18 October 2026.

Visa rules, charges and evidence requirements change, and they changed twice this year. Confirm every one of these against the official sources at the end of this page before you apply or budget. Linked Global prepares and reviews your application. The visa decision is made by the Australian Government, and no consultant can guarantee an outcome.

Section 4

What it actually costs

Study Australia does not publish a single tuition figure, because fees vary by provider, level of study and location. You will find tuition tables on aggregator sites. We do not reproduce them, because we cannot verify them against a primary source, and a wrong number in your budget is expensive.

Instead, here is how to get a figure you can rely on, and what to budget around it.

Tuition

Get the indicative total course cost from the official Study Australia course search, per programme on your shortlist. That is the only figure that reflects your actual courses rather than an average.

Living costs

Use the official cost of living calculator, which estimates by city. Study Australia notes its figures are an approximate guide and were last updated in November 2023, so treat them as a floor and check current rents yourself.

The visa minimum is not a budget

Study Australia states plainly that actual living costs vary across Australia and may be much higher than what is needed for the visa. Budget for the city you will live in, not for the evidence threshold.

One-off costs

The visa charge from AUD 2,500, health insurance for your full stay, flights, an initial accommodation deposit, and English testing. These land before you earn anything.

If funding is part of the decision, read our education loan guidance. We explain how lenders assess an application and help you prepare documents. The lending decision is the lender's.

Section 5

After you graduate: the subclass 485

Post-study work rights are a large part of why students choose Australia, so they deserve checking rather than assuming. The Temporary Graduate visa, subclass 485, is the usual route. Its rules tightened in 2024 and its charge rose in 2026.

Age limit: You must be aged 35 years or under when you apply. Exceptions apply. This was reduced from a higher limit in the 2024 reforms, so older guidance is wrong. Checked 18 October 2026.
How long you can stay, higher education: Post-Higher Education Work stream: usually between 2 and 3 years, depending on your qualification. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for 5 years. Checked 18 October 2026.
How long you can stay, vocational: Post-Vocational Education Work stream: up to 18 months. Checked 18 October 2026.
Work rights: Unrestricted hours in any sector. You are not limited to work related to your field of study. Checked 18 October 2026.
Visa application charge: AUD 5,750. Study Australia states the subclass 485 application charge increased to AUD 5,750 on 1 July 2026. Budget for this at the end of your degree, not at the start. Checked 18 October 2026.

A post-study work visa is not permanent residency and is not a job offer. Treat it as time to find work, not as an outcome. Anyone promising you a settlement route off the back of a student visa is overselling it.

Section 6

Intakes and when to start

Australian institutions generally run a main intake early in the calendar year and a second mid-year intake, with some courses offering additional start dates and some providers running trimesters. Intake availability is set per course.

We have deliberately not published a table of intake months and deadlines here. Deadlines are set per course and per institution, popular courses close earlier than the published date suggests, and a generic table would mislead you about your own shortlist. Confirm the start dates for each course you are applying to, then work backwards from visa processing time rather than from the application deadline.

Where intake data has been verified for a specific institution, it appears on that institution's card below with the date we checked it.

Section 7

How Linked Global helps with an Australian application

Shortlisting

We build a shortlist against your academic record, your budget and your goals, and tell you which applications are worth the fee.

Requirements

We check entry and English requirements course by course, because they differ by faculty and not just by university.

Application review

We review your application and documents before submission, and we tell you where it is weak.

Visa preparation

We prepare your visa documentation against the current rules, including the October 2026 changes, and your interview where one applies.

Funding evidence

We help you assemble financial capacity evidence in the form the Document Checklist Tool actually asks for.

Arrival

Health cover, accommodation and the first weeks after you land, through our post-arrival support.

We do not guarantee admission or a visa, and we will say plainly if we think Australia is the wrong destination for what you want.

Section 8

Institutions we can support you with

The institutions below are ones we work with for Australian applications. Where we have verified a detail, it appears with the date we checked it. Where we have not finished verifying, we leave the field out rather than publish a figure we cannot stand behind.

Destination: Australia

ACAP University College

SydneyPrivate

ACAP University College is an education provider in Sydney, Australia. Its published study offerings include psychology, counselling, social work, management and criminology. Programme availability and admission…

We are still reviewing details for this institution. Ask our counsellors what is confirmed today.

Is Australia the right fit for you?

It tends to suit you if

Think again if

How the application process works

Shortlist courses and institutions

Check entry requirements per course

Prepare and submit applications

Review your offers

Accept and pay the deposit

Apply for the student visa

Plan your arrival