The Australian government has announced a substantial increase in student visa application fees, effective from July 1, 2024. The fee will rise to AUS$1,600, marking a 225% increase from the previous rate of AUS$710.
In an official statement, the government emphasized that the fee hike underscores the growing value of education in Australia and aligns with the government’s efforts to enhance the integrity of the international education sector.
“This increase reflects the increasing value of education in Australia and reflects the Government’s commitment to restoring integrity in the international education sector,” the release stated.
The additional revenue generated from the fee increase will support various initiatives in education and migration, including the ongoing implementation of the Migration Strategy. Minister for Home Affairs Clare O’Neil commented on the changes, stating, “The changes coming into force today will help restore integrity to our international education system, and create a migration system which is fairer, smaller, and better able to deliver for Australia.”
The new fee schedule for the Student visa (subclass 500) is now available on the Australian Department of Home Affairs website. In addition to the increased fee for the primary applicant, the government will charge AUS$1,445 for each accompanying applicant aged 18 and over, and AUS$390 for accompanying family members under 18 years of age.
This move follows a recent increase in the minimum funds requirement for international students, which was implemented less than two months ago. While rumors of a significant fee increase had been circulating, there was no mention of this in the government’s budget tabled on May 14, 2024. At that time, it was understood that visa fees were likely to rise “at a later date.
Today’s announcement confirms that the “later date” is now July 1, 2024.
Notably, this fee increase comes amid historically high rejection rates for student visa applications during the first four months of this year.