Australia remains one of the more popular study destinations for Indian students; government data shows India accounted for roughly 16% of the 680,582 international students enrolled in the year to date through May 2026, or well over 100,000 Indian students. Quality education, part-time work rights, and a path to post-study work are the usual draws, but the cost side has shifted meaningfully in the past couple of years: visa fees have risen sharply, the financial-proof requirement has gone up, and the rupee has moved against the Australian dollar. This guide walks through what studying in Australia actually costs in 2026.
If you’re planning to take an education loan, you can use GradRight’s EMI calculator to get an approximate loan and EMI estimate once you have a target tuition figure.
Tuition fees: what Australian universities charge
Tuition varies by university, city, and course. The ranges below are a general planning guide, not a quote; always confirm the current fee directly on each university’s official fee page before budgeting, since fees are typically revised annually.
| Degree Level | Typical Annual Tuition (AUD) | Approx. INR (at ~Rs 68/AUD) |
| Bachelor’s | AUD 25,000-45,000 | Roughly Rs 17-30 lakh per year |
| Master’s | AUD 30,000-55,000 | Roughly Rs 20-37 lakh per year |
| Doctorate (PhD) | AUD 25,000-45,000 (many PhD candidates receive a fee offset or scholarship) | Roughly Rs 17-30 lakh per year, before any scholarship |
| Vocational / Diploma | AUD 15,000-30,000 | Roughly Rs 10-20 lakh per year |
Popular programs among Indian students include business and management, engineering, computer science and IT, data analytics, and health sciences. Costs at Go8 (Group of Eight) research universities such as the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and ANU tend to sit toward the higher end of these ranges, while regional and newer universities are often more affordable.
Also read: Most Affordable Universities in Australia for International Students
Cost of living in Australia for Indian students
Living costs vary a lot by city. Sydney and Melbourne are generally the most expensive; Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, and regional cities tend to be more affordable. As a broad planning figure, single students commonly budget somewhere in the range of AUD 1,700-2,500 a month for accommodation, food, transport, and other essentials, though this varies significantly by lifestyle and location.
Accommodation
| Housing Type | Typical Cost (AUD/week) |
| On-campus residence | AUD 250-550 |
| Homestay | AUD 280-450 |
| Shared rental (with flatmates) | AUD 200-400 |
| Private rental (own apartment) | AUD 400-700+ |
| Hostels / temporary stay | AUD 150-300 |
Costs above vary heavily by city and neighborhood; Sydney and Melbourne rents in particular have risen substantially in recent years. Always check current listings for your specific city before budgeting.
Food, transport, and other essentials
A modest grocery-based food budget commonly runs somewhere around AUD 350-550 a month if you cook most meals at home; eating out regularly adds significantly to this. Public transport costs vary by city, but many students budget roughly AUD 40-160 a month depending on how much they commute and whether they qualify for a student concession card. Utilities (electricity, gas, internet) for a shared household commonly run an additional AUD 40-120 a month per person.
Australia student visa (Subclass 500): current costs
The Subclass 500 is the standard student visa for full-time study at a CRICOS-registered institution. Visa costs have increased significantly over the past two years and continue to be revised, so treat the figures below as a snapshot, not a locked number.
| Item | Current Cost (2026) |
| Subclass 500 visa application fee (main applicant) | AUD 2,500 (increased from AUD 2,000 on 1 July 2026; was AUD 710 before July 2024) |
| Concessional fee (independent ELICOS / Non-Award courses) | AUD 2,050 (most higher-education applicants, including from India, pay the standard AUD 2,500 fee, not this concessional rate) |
| Minimum financial requirement (living costs, per year) | AUD 29,710 (up from AUD 20,290 previously) |
| Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), approx. per year | Varies by provider and family size; budget a few hundred AUD for a single student |
| Subclass 485 post-study work visa (Temporary Graduate), main applicant | AUD 5,750 (from 1 July 2026) |
Beyond the visa fee itself, applicants need to demonstrate the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, which replaced the older Genuine Temporary Entrant test in 2024, along with English proficiency evidence where required (commonly around IELTS 6.0 or the PTE Academic equivalent for direct entry, though exact PTE score mappings have been revised and vary by source, and requirements can differ for packaged pathway courses), a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), and health and character checks. Confirm the exact current score requirement on the Department of Home Affairs site rather than relying on a fixed number, since this has changed before. Processing for Indian applicants commonly takes several weeks, so it’s worth applying well ahead of your intake.
Also read: 485 Visa Australia Explained
Flights and one-time setup costs
A one-way economy ticket from India to Australia commonly runs somewhere in the range of Rs 30,000-70,000, depending on the city pair, season, and how far ahead you book; prices fluctuate significantly, so check current fares closer to your travel date rather than budgeting off an old figure.
Part-time work: how much can it offset?
International students on a Subclass 500 visa can generally work part-time during term (48 hours per fortnight is the commonly cited current limit; confirm the exact current cap on the Department of Home Affairs site, since work-hour rules have changed before and can change again) and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks. At Australia’s national minimum wage, part-time work can meaningfully offset living costs, though it should be treated as a supplement to your funding plan, not a substitute for it, since course workload, visa conditions, and job availability all affect how much you can realistically earn.
Also read: Education Loan for Studying in Australia
Putting it together: a rough annual budget
| Expense Category | Approx. Annual Cost (AUD) |
| Tuition (Master’s, mid-range) | AUD 35,000-45,000 |
| Accommodation and living costs | AUD 20,000-28,000 |
| OSHC (health cover) | A few hundred AUD, varies by provider |
| One-time visa and setup costs | AUD 2,500 (visa) plus flights and initial setup |
This is a planning illustration, not a fixed quote. Your actual cost depends heavily on your specific university, course, city, and lifestyle. Run your own numbers with current fee pages and a loan calculator before committing to a budget.
Explore education loan options for Australia: Compare Lenders on GradRight
Sources and methodology
This guide references the following for context, current as of the last-updated date above:
- Subclass 500 visa fee and financial requirement: multiple 2026-dated sources confirm the fee reached AUD 2,500 from 1 July 2026 and the financial requirement is AUD 29,710 per year; confirm the live figure on the Department of Home Affairs site (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) before applying.
- AUD to INR exchange rate: live market rates as of early September 2026 clustered around Rs 67-68.5 per AUD across multiple forex data providers; exchange rates fluctuate daily, so convert at the live rate when you actually budget or remit funds.
Disclaimer: Tuition fees, living costs, visa fees, and exchange rates referenced in this guide are illustrative planning figures that change over time. This article is for general information only and is not financial or immigration advice. Verify current fees directly with your university and current visa rules on the Department of Home Affairs site before making decisions.
Australia 
Canada 
France 
Germany 
India 
Ireland 
UAE 
United Kingdom 
United States 
