Australia hikes student visa fee by 25% again, studying abroad just got costlier

The Australian government has increased the application fee for the Student Visa (Subclass 500) from AUD 2,000 to AUD 2,500, with the revised charges taking effect from July 1, 2026. The move comes just a year after Australia raised the same visa fee from AUD 1,600 to AUD 2,000, marking the second straight annual



increase.

The latest revision is expected to directly affect thousands of Indian students, who remain among the largest groups choosing Australia for higher education.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs updated the new visa application charges from July 1 as part of its annual fee revision.