Study in Australia

STUDY IN AUSTRALIA FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Study in Australia: Get Admitted to the Right University or College

You can study in Australia if a registered provider accepts you, you meet its English score, and you can show your first year of fees plus AUD 29,710 for living costs. AIA checks all three with you first, applies for you, and charges no fee for admission.

No admission fee. We apply for you.

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AIA supports your admission. Visa applications are separate and are made by you or a regulated adviser in Australia.

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Why Australia Admission English Money Work Start dates How it works Who we are Visa Questions Check my chances

The key facts at a glance

Study levels: English courses, vocational diplomas, bachelor, master and doctorate
English score (government floor): IELTS 6.0 overall for most courses. Your course may ask for more.
Money to show: First-year fees, plus AUD 29,710 for living costs and about AUD 2,000 for travel (October 2026)
Visa cost: From AUD 2,500, paid to the government
Work in term: Up to 48 hours every 2 weeks
Start dates: Semester 1 (February or March) and Semester 2 (July) at most universities
AIA fee for admission: None
Last updated: October 2026

Why do students choose Australia?

Students choose Australia because the rules are clear and you can work while you study. You can work up to 48 hours every 2 weeks in term on a Student visa, and the government publishes the exact money you must show. The country also plans room for 295,000 new international students in 2026 and 2027 (Study Australia, 2026).

Three reasons come up most often:

Clear money rule: Home Affairs lists the living cost, a travel guide and how to count your fees. No guessing.
Pathways: if your English score is a little short, an English course or a foundation program before your degree lowers the visa score you need.
Work in term: study hours and work hours both count, so plan them together. Master’s by research and doctoral students have no work limit.

Can I get admitted? What do I need for each study level?

To be admitted, you need the right education for the level, an English score the course accepts, and proof you can pay. Each university or college sets its own marks, so the course page has the last word. Use the table as a starting point.

Study level	Education usually needed	English score	What to know
English course (ELICOS)	Secondary school	Set by the provider	Packaged with a degree, it lowers the visa English score
Foundation program	Secondary school, finished or nearly finished	Set by the provider	Lowers the visa English score for the degree that follows
Diploma or vocational	Secondary school	Set by the provider	Shorter, job-focused courses. A diploma in some occupations can lead to a post-study visa.
Bachelor	Finished secondary school with good grades	Example: University of Sydney asks IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0. Some courses ask 7.0 to 7.5.	The provider sets the marks
Master	A bachelor degree, often with a minimum average	Often the same or higher than a bachelor. Some courses ask 7.0.	Some fields ask more
Doctorate	A master or strong honours degree and a research plan	Set by the provider	No work limit for doctoral students

The examples come from university pages read in October 2026. Your course page sets the final marks.

Popular program types

Engineering

Bachelor or master. Strong maths marks help.

Information technology and data

Bachelor or master. Many programs, so your marks and English score decide the fit.

Business, accounting and finance

Every level from diploma to master, with a wide choice of providers.

Health sciences and nursing

Bachelor or master. Check each course for extra entry steps.

Hospitality, cookery and trades

Diploma and vocational courses. Shorter and job-focused.

Foundation or English pathway

The way in when your marks or English score are just short.

Tuition varies by provider and course. We show your exact first-year fee when we match you.

What English score do I need to study in Australia?

For the Student visa, most applicants need IELTS 6.0 overall or an equal score on another approved test. Your course may ask for more. If you take an English course or a foundation program first, the visa score drops (Home Affairs, tests taken from 7 August 2025).

Test	Standard score	With 10 weeks of English or a foundation program	With 20 weeks of English
IELTS (Academic or General Training)	6.0	5.5	5.0
TOEFL iBT	67	51	37
PTE Academic	47	39	31
LANGUAGECERT Academic	61	54	46
MET	53	49	44
CELPIP General	7	6	5
C1 Advanced	161	Not accepted	Not accepted
OET	1210	1090	1020

Duolingo is not on the Home Affairs list. Whether you must give a score at all depends on your course and your passport, and the Home Affairs Document Checklist tool shows it for you. Tests usually need to be taken within 2 years of your application, and tests taken before 7 August 2025 follow an older table.

How much money do I need to show?

You must show your first year of course fees, AUD 29,710 for living costs and about AUD 2,000 for travel (Home Affairs, October 2026). The visa itself costs from AUD 2,500, paid separately. You can use savings, loans and scholarships, or show that a parent or partner earns at least AUD 87,856 a year.

What you must cover	Amount (October 2026)
First 12 months of course fees	Your course fee, less anything you already paid (keep the receipt)
Living costs, student	AUD 29,710 a year
Travel (guide, from most countries)	AUD 2,000
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)	A quote from a registered insurer. You must hold it for your whole stay.
Visa application charge	From AUD 2,500, paid to the government

Example only: a course with a first-year fee of AUD 30,000 means you show AUD 30,000 + AUD 29,710 + AUD 2,000 = AUD 61,710, plus health cover. The visa charge is paid on top. Living costs can change, so check the date on this page.

What proof works: bank deposits, a government or bank loan, a scholarship, or official papers such as tax assessments (less than 12 months old) for your parent’s or partner’s income.

Bringing family: from 2 October 2026, most Student visa applicants cannot bring a partner or children unless they meet an exemption. Plan to study alone unless you check your case first.

Can I work while I study and after I graduate?

Yes. On a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours every 2 weeks while your course is in session. Master’s by research and doctoral students have no work limit (Home Affairs, October 2026). After eligible study, you may qualify for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).

Do not plan to pay your living costs from work. You must show the full amount before you arrive.

The Temporary Graduate visa lets you live and work after study. You must be 35 or younger when you apply (exceptions apply) and have held a Student visa in the last 6 months. A diploma or trade qualification gives up to 18 months, a degree usually gives 2 to 3 years, and the visa costs from AUD 5,750.

When can I start studying in Australia?

Most universities start in Semester 1 (February or March) and Semester 2 (July). Some providers run trimesters or other start dates, and not every course has a July start (Study Australia, 2026). Check your course for its dates, and apply early, because each provider has a yearly share of new student places.

Intake	Typical start	When to apply	What to know
Semester 1 (main intake)	February or March	Opens months ahead, and each school sets its own deadline. Apply early.	Most courses start here. The academic year runs from February or March to November.
Semester 2 (mid-year)	July	Usually opens around April, and each school sets its own deadline.	Many providers offer it, but not every course does. Check yours.
Trimesters and other start dates	Varies by school	Set by the school	Some providers use trimesters or term-based start dates instead of semesters.

Dates change every year, so check your school’s current dates before you plan.

What is the Genuine Student requirement?

Every Student visa applicant must show they are a genuine student and that studying is the main reason for the visa. The visa form asks four questions, you answer each in English in up to 150 words, and you attach evidence (Home Affairs). Planning to apply for permanent residence later does not count against you.

The four questions cover:

Your circumstances: ties to family, community and work, and your money situation
Your course: why this course, in Australia, with this provider
The benefit: how the course helps you
Anything else: other information you want the officer to know

Good evidence includes transcripts, employment details, and tax papers or bank statements.

How does admission work with AIA?

We find programs that fit your marks, English score and budget, apply for you, and follow each application until you have an offer. There is no fee for this. You only pay what the institution charges, such as an application fee or a tuition deposit.

Step 1: Check your admission chances

Answer seven short steps. You see where you are strong and what to fix first.

Step 2: Send your documents

If you look admissible, we ask for your passport, transcripts and English score through a private link, and send you a short agreement to sign.

Step 3: We apply for you

We submit your applications, follow each task and tell you when an offer arrives. A conditional offer is not final enrolment, so we show you what you still need to meet.

Ready to see where you stand?

Two minutes. Seven short steps. No fee.

“Know where you stand first. Then choose the school.”

Amir Ismail · Founder, Amir Ismail & Associates

Why students choose Amir Ismail & Associates

Since 1991, AIA has guided 25,000+ clients from offices in Toronto, Dubai and Karachi. We help you find programs that fit your marks, English and budget, and we apply for you at no fee. Schools make the decisions, and your visa stays a separate step that you handle yourself or through a regulated adviser.

Honest admission check

We tell you when a plan does not fit, before you spend money.

Programs that fit you

We match your marks, English and budget, not a template.

Free for you

Our admission help costs you nothing. You pay only the school’s own fees.

Clear on who does what

AIA supports your admission. You handle the visa yourself or through a regulated adviser.

A real application

We prepare your documents and submit your applications for you.

Since 1991

35+ years in immigration and 25,000+ clients guided.

What about the Australian student visa?

You apply for a Student visa (subclass 500) online after you receive an offer and a Confirmation of Enrolment from your provider. AIA supports your admission. The student visa is a separate application you submit to the government yourself or through a regulated adviser in that country.

The government asks for a valid Confirmation of Enrolment, Overseas Student Health Cover, English evidence if your checklist asks for it, proof of money and a Genuine Student statement. Most applicants must apply from outside Australia. Read the full list on the official page: Home Affairs, Student visa subclass 500.

Each provider has a yearly share of new student places. Applications for providers that have reached it are processed more slowly (Study Australia, 2026).

Frequently asked questions

What marks do I need to study in Australia?

Each university or college sets its own marks, so the course page decides. Bachelor courses usually ask for finished secondary school with good grades, and master courses ask for a bachelor degree with a minimum average. Check your chances with AIA to see where you stand.

What IELTS score do I need for Australia?

The government sets IELTS 6.0 overall for most Student visa applicants, and your course may ask for more. A foundation program or an English course first can lower the visa score to 5.5 or 5.0 (Home Affairs, 2026).

How much money do I need to study in Australia?

You must show your first year of fees, AUD 29,710 for living costs and about AUD 2,000 for travel, plus health cover (Home Affairs, October 2026). The visa costs from AUD 2,500 and is paid separately. A parent’s or partner’s income of at least AUD 87,856 a year is another way to show money.

See where you stand

Two minutes. Seven short steps. No fee. We tell you honestly if you are ready to apply or what to fix first.