Subclass 500 — Student Visa — immi.wiki

The Subclass 500 Student visa allows foreign nationals who have been accepted into a full-time course at a registered Australian education provider to study in Australia. It was introduced on 1 July 2016 and consolidated several earlier student visa subclasses (Subclasses 570–576).

The course must be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). The Subclass 500 covers primary, secondary, vocational, higher education, English language intensive courses (ELICOS), and other registered courses.

The visa is granted for the duration of the principal course of study, plus an additional period (which varies by course type) to allow for travel and transition. The visa may be granted while the applicant is onshore or offshore.

To be eligible for a Subclass 500 visa, an applicant must:

• Enrolment — have been accepted into a full-time course registered on CRICOS at a registered education provider
• Genuine student (GS) requirement — for applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024, the GTE (Genuine Temporary Entrant) test was replaced by the Genuine Student (GS) requirement under Direction No. 106. The GS assessment focuses on whether the applicant's purpose is genuinely to study and whether they will comply with visa conditions. Factors include the student's immigration history, nature of the course and institution, and whether study is consistent with the applicant's background.
• English language — demonstrate sufficient English proficiency for the course (the required level varies by course and institution)
• Financial capacity — demonstrate adequate funds to cover tuition fees, living costs, and travel for the applicant and any accompanying dependants
• Health insurance — hold or obtain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of the visa
• Health and character — meet standard health and character requirements (public interest criteria)

1. Obtain a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) — the registered education provider issues a CoE once the applicant has been accepted into the course and the required fees have been paid.
2. Gather supporting documents — English test results, evidence of financial capacity, passport, OSHC evidence, and any GTE supporting documents.
3. Lodge visa application — applications are lodged online via ImmiAccount; the applicant may be onshore or offshore at the time of application.
4. Attend biometrics and health checks if required by the Department for the applicant's nationality and circumstances.
5. Decision — the Department assesses the application against all primary and secondary criteria.

Processing times vary significantly by nationality. Some applicants may be eligible for streamlined processing if their education provider holds a high trust rating with the Department.

Key conditions applying to the Subclass 500 visa:

• Condition 8202 — the holder must maintain enrolment in a registered course and must not change course or institution without satisfying requirements relating to the new course; the holder must achieve satisfactory course attendance and academic progress (monitored by the education provider under the National Code of Practice)
• Work rights (Condition 8105) — the holder may work up to 48 hours per fortnight while the principal course is in session; unlimited work rights apply during course breaks; the 48-hour limit was reinstated in July 2023 (it had been temporarily removed during COVID)
• Health insurance — the holder must maintain OSHC for the duration of the visa (Condition 8501)
• Notify address changes — the holder must notify the education provider of address changes

Accompanying family members

Spouses or de facto partners and dependent children of Subclass 500 holders may be included as secondary applicants. Accompanying family members receive a Subclass 500 visa with conditions appropriate to their relationship to the primary applicant. Work rights for accompanying partners have been modified periodically — check current conditions at the time of application.