- Australia's Department of Home Affairs announced a reduced student visa cost for citizens of 23 Pacific Island, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN countries applying for the subclass 500 visa
- The standard student visa costs AUD 2,500 for the main applicant, but eligible nationals from the listed countries qualify for a lower application charge
- New rules also changed who can apply for student visas inside Australia and whether family members can be included in applications
Australia's Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that citizens of 23 countries across the Pacific Islands, Timor-Leste, and the ASEAN region are eligible for a reduced application charge when applying for a Student visa (subclass 500), which ordinarily costs AUD 2,500 for the primary applicant.
The concession applies automatically during the online application process through ImmiAccount, with the system identifying eligible applicants by the passport they use.
Source: UGC
Family members included in an eligible applicant's application also benefit from the lower cost.
Countries Eligible for the Reduced Student Visa Cost
Citizens holding valid passports from the following Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste qualify for the concession:
1. Federated States of Micronesia
2. Fiji
3. Kiribati
4. Nauru
5. Palau
6. Papua New Guinea
7. Republic of the Marshall Islands
8. Samoa
9. Solomon Islands
10. Timor-Leste
11. Tonga
12. Tuvalu
13. Vanuatu
Citizens of the following ASEAN member states are also eligible, though Timor-Leste nationals in this group are assessed under the Pacific Island rate rather than the ASEAN rate:
1. Brunei Darussalam
2. Cambodia
3. Indonesia
4. Lao People's Democratic Republic
5. Malaysia
6. Myanmar
7. Philippines
8. Singapore
9. Thailand
10. Timor-Leste
11. Vietnam
A lower cost additionally applies to applications in the Independent ELICOS and Non-Awards Sector.
Key Changes to Australia Student Visa Rules From October 2026
Beyond the cost concession, Australia's Home Affairs department introduced significant changes to student visa rules from 2 October 2026.
Most student visa holders can no longer lodge a further student visa application from within Australia and must instead apply from outside the country, unless they meet a specific exemption category.
Similarly, most applicants can no longer include partners or dependent children under 18 in their student visa application.
Family members are also unable to apply as subsequent entrants separately from the primary applicant under any circumstance.
The student visa allows holders to study in Australia for up to six years, travel in and out of the country freely while the visa remains valid, and work up to 48 hours a fortnight during study sessions. Students enrolled in a master's by research or doctoral programme, along with their families, face no work-hour limit.
Applications lodged before October 2, 2026 continue to be assessed under the rules that were in place at the time of lodgement.
Australia speaks about assessing Medicare
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia published a list of 11 countries it holds Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with, covering medically necessary treatment during visits.
Citizens from the listed countries can receive emergency care and treatment for illnesses that cannot wait until they return home.
Source: Legit.ng