Cost of Studying in Australia for Indian

The figure most families miss is not tuition. For the Student visa (subclass 500), you must show ₹17L (AUD $29,710) for 12 months of living costs, plus first-year tuition and return travel. The funds must be genuine, traceable and available when you apply.

That means a realistic first-year plan is not simply the university fee. You need to budget for tuition of ₹15L – ₹26L (AUD $25,000 – $45,000), the ₹17L living-cost requirement, and the visa and compulsory health cover. Visa plus OSHC alone runs to roughly ₹2.3L before tuition. Return travel must also be covered, so confirm the current fare separately rather than leaving it out.

These figures should be treated as separate budget lines. Do not assume the ₹17L living requirement includes tuition or that your university deposit covers visa expenses. The deposit converts your offer into a Confirmation of Enrolment, which you need for the visa application.

Australia therefore has a front-loaded entry cost. Some of that money, particularly the visa fee, is non-refundable if the application is refused. Before paying, match the tuition quote on your offer with the required living funds and every compulsory charge.

Your degree choice can move the budget more than any small saving on rent. Master’s programmes in business, IT and engineering cost ₹17L – ₹29L per year (AUD $30,000 – $50,000 per year). Bachelor’s tuition is ₹15L – ₹26L per year (AUD $25,000 – $45,000 per year).

Course type	Verified annual tuition
Master’s — business, IT and engineering	₹17L – ₹29L / year (AUD $30,000 – $50,000 / year)
Bachelor’s	₹15L – ₹26L / year (AUD $25,000 – $45,000 / year)
Nursing and health	₹17L – ₹26L / year (AUD $30,000 – $45,000 / year)
Vocational (VET) diplomas	₹4.6L – ₹12L / year (AUD $8,000 – $20,000 / year)

VET diplomas have the lowest listed tuition range, but cost should not be your only test. Check whether the qualification fits your academic goal and intended career. Popular choices among Indian students include Master of Information Technology, Master of Professional Engineering, Master of Nursing, MBA, Master of Data Science and Master of Professional Accounting.

Use the fee on your actual offer when building the final budget. The broad ranges above help you compare options, but your visa evidence must account for your first-year tuition.

Sydney and Melbourne have the highest listed monthly living range. Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide are lower, while regional cities have the lowest range. This difference can matter across a full course, not only in your first year.

Location	Typical monthly living cost
Sydney and Melbourne	₹1.2L – ₹1.6L (AUD $2,000 – $2,800)
Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide	₹87,000 – ₹1.2L (AUD $1,500 – $2,000)
Regional cities	₹70,000 – ₹99,000 (AUD $1,200 – $1,700)

Do not replace the visa’s ₹17L living-cost requirement with a lower personal estimate. The visa figure is what you are required to show. The city ranges are useful for deciding whether your plan will remain affordable after arrival.

Location should also be part of your university comparison. The University of Melbourne and Monash University are in Melbourne. The University of Sydney and UNSW Sydney are in Sydney. The University of Queensland is in Brisbane, while the Australian National University is in Canberra. Compare the course and university with the relevant city budget rather than choosing on name alone.

The Student visa (subclass 500) fee is listed as ₹1.4L from 1 July 2026 (AUD $2,500 from 1 July 2026). It is charged per application and is not returned if you are refused. Immigration charges change, so confirm the current fee on the official visa page before transferring money.

Overseas Student Health Cover, usually called OSHC, costs ₹35,000 – ₹1.4L per year (AUD $600 – $2,500 per year). It is compulsory for the whole visa length, not merely your first academic year. Arrange it with the university deposit and ensure the coverage dates match the required visa period.

You may also face a later immigration cost. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) fee is ₹3.3L (AUD $5,750), with the listed fee applying from 1 July 2026. Do not place this inside your university budget, but include it in your longer financial plan if you hope to work in Australia after graduation. Check the current fee again when you become eligible to apply.

The other easy-to-miss item is return travel in your proof-of-funds calculation. No verified travel amount is provided here, so obtain a current fare rather than relying on an old estimate.

Your main options are a lower-cost course, a less expensive city and a scholarship. Destination Australia provides ₹8.7L per year (AUD $15,000 per year) for students at regional campuses. Australia Awards Scholarships cover full tuition, living and travel, but they are highly competitive and focused on development-related fields.

University international merit scholarships offer a 10 – 50% tuition reduction and are applied automatically at most universities. Check the conditions on each university’s official scholarship page. A percentage reduction affects tuition, not the separate visa living-funds requirement.

You can work for 48 hours per fortnight during term and without an hours limit during scheduled course breaks. The term-time limit is averaged across the fortnight, so you may work more in one week and less in the next. This can provide meaningful money towards living costs.

Do not build a visa plan that depends on future part-time earnings. The required funds must be available and traceable at application. Work rights can help after arrival, but they do not remove the upfront tuition, living-funds, visa or OSHC requirements.

Australia’s main intakes are February and July. The main Semester 1 intake runs from February – March, with applications due by September – November. Semester 2 runs from July – August, with applications due by April – May. A limited November intake has an August application deadline.

Intake	Study start	Apply by
Semester 1	February – March	September – November
Semester 2	July – August	April – May
Summer	November	August

For most master’s programmes, you need 65%+ in your bachelor’s degree. Group of Eight universities generally want 70–75%+. A 3-year Indian bachelor’s degree is accepted for master’s entry at most Australian universities.

The usual English benchmarks are IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each band, PTE Academic 58 – 64, or TOEFL iBT 79 – 94. The visa itself requires IELTS 6.0 minimum. Universities can still assess you against their own course requirements.

Apply early enough to compare tuition offers and scholarship outcomes before paying a deposit. For a broader shortlist and planning information, use our Australia country guide.

The Student visa (subclass 500) takes 4 to 12 weeks to process, varying by the institution risk rating. The safer sequence is to receive an offer, pay the deposit and obtain the Confirmation of Enrolment before lodging the application. This stage normally begins 4 – 8 months before your planned move.

You must arrange OSHC for the whole visa period and prepare financial evidence showing ₹17L plus tuition. Bank statements, loan sanctions and sponsor documents can all work when the funds are traceable.

You must also write a Genuine Student statement. The Genuine Student requirement replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant test in 2024. Explain why you selected the course, why you chose Australia, your study history, your ties to India and what you intend to do afterwards. Write it yourself. Generic answers are the most common refusal reason.

Lodge the application online and complete the medical examination at a panel clinic. Provide biometrics where requested. This step is normally handled 3 – 4 months before travel. Do not book flights until the visa is granted because the application fee is not refunded after a refusal.

After graduation, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) provides open work rights with any employer. It lasts 2 years after a bachelor’s or master’s by coursework and 3 years after a master’s by research, with longer rights for regional study. Age limits apply, so check the current cap before planning around this route.

Regional study can add an extra year of post-study work rights and extra points towards skilled migration. The possible pathway is the 485 visa followed by a points-tested 189, 190 or 491 visa. Occupation lists change, so confirm that your field remains eligible before choosing a course mainly for migration.

Verify current rules through Study Australia, the official Student visa page and the Temporary Graduate visa page.

Start with the tuition on your intended course, then add the ₹17L living-funds requirement, visa, full-period OSHC and return travel. Compare at least one lower-cost city or regional option, and verify current visa charges before paying a non-refundable application fee.

How much should an Indian student plan for the first year in Australia?

Plan for tuition of ₹15L – ₹26L, the visa-required ₹17L for living costs, and roughly ₹2.3L for the visa plus OSHC before tuition. You must also account for return travel. Use the exact tuition on your offer and confirm the current visa fee and travel fare before finalising the total.

Can I pay for my studies through part-time work?

Treat work as support for living costs, not as guaranteed funding for tuition. You may work 48 hours per fortnight during term and without an hours limit during scheduled breaks. Your visa funds must already be genuine, traceable and available when you apply.

Is a 3-year Indian bachelor’s degree accepted in Australia?

Yes. A 3-year Indian bachelor’s degree is accepted for master’s entry at most Australian universities. Most master’s programmes ask for 65%+, while Group of Eight universities generally want 70–75%+.

How much money must I show for an Australian student visa?

You must show ₹17L (AUD $29,710) for 12 months of living costs, plus first-year tuition and return travel. The funds must be genuine, traceable and available at the time of application.

Does studying in regional Australia reduce costs or improve work rights?

Regional cities have a listed living range of ₹70,000 – ₹99,000 per month. Regional study can also provide an extra year of post-study work rights and extra points in the skilled migration system.

Why are Australian student visas refused?

Generic Genuine Student answers are the most common refusal reason. Write the statement yourself and address your course choice, study history, ties to India and plans after study. Your financial evidence must also show that the required money is genuine, traceable and available.

Cost of Studying in Australia for Indian Students: Full Guide

Your first-year budget has three major layers

Tuition depends heavily on your course

Your city changes the living-cost calculation

The charges families often leave out

How to reduce the amount you fund yourself

Admission timing and scores affect your cash flow

The visa step that can put your money at risk

What to do next

Frequently asked questions

How much should an Indian student plan for the first year in Australia?

Can I pay for my studies through part-time work?

Is a 3-year Indian bachelor’s degree accepted in Australia?

How much money must I show for an Australian student visa?

Does studying in regional Australia reduce costs or improve work rights?

Why are Australian student visas refused?

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