Australia has significantly increased student visa application fees for Australia from AUD 710 to AUD 1,600 in July 2024 and further up to AUD 1,808 on April 1, 2025. This visa fee hike is expected to lead to higher overall costs for Indian students applying for Australian student visas. The proposed fresh visa hike to AUD 2,000 in July’25 would further set Australia apart from countries like the United States and Canada, where student visa fees remain at about $185 and CAD 150, respectively.
This significant increase in the visa fee hike, along with other visa-related costs will lead to financial challenges for the applicants and increased expenses for those already studying in Australia.
These continuous hikes would also restrict the number of international students who can enrol in public universities annually to 115,000 AUD, and significantly raise the application fees for student visas, particularly for those attending Group of Eight (Go8) colleges.
The Australian Government has justified this move stating that the visa fee increase will bring in additional revenue. The increase, which is up to 13% for all visa categories, is a component of Australia’s larger plan to deal with the housing and local economic difficulties.
However the critics have a totally different perspective to it and they say that the housing crisis is not because of the growing immigrants and students but due to the slow housing development in Australia.
The last increase saw applications fall significantly, except for students applying to the big universities. The English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) sector has been hit especially hard by previous fee increases. Following the 125% visa fee hike implemented in July 2024, ELICOS providers reported an immediate 50% decline in student visa applications for English language programs.
English Australia, the national peak industry body for the English language teaching sector has opposed these sorts of moves considering the economic and social setback it would cause to the Australian economy. They have also stated that that these moves would cost tens of thousands of Australians their jobs impacting a vital sector of the Australian economy. This hike will badly impact tourism, hospitality, retail, aged-care, child-care sectors.
The Australian visa fee hike for students increased by 181.7% over the past twelve months was also criticised by the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA). “A non-refundable visa application charge of $2,000 in the “visa approval lottery” makes Australia a far less attractive destination for students,” read a statement by ITECA.
International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), Council of International Students Australia (CISA), National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and a few other renowned educational bodies also criticised the fee hike as it will put a big financial burden on the international students.
NTEU has raised concerns about the impact of increased visa fees on international students and the broader implications for the Australian education system. The NTEU has previously raised concerns about the impact of increasing fees on international students, particularly given the rising cost of living and education in Australia. The union also has a broader focus on advocating for fair and equitable conditions for all students, including international students.
However amid all the opposition the ruling party has pledged to go ahead with the increase and implement the visa fee hike from July 1st’’25 onwards
A good part of it is that the Indian travellers and students planning to visit or study in Australia will not be affected by the recent visa fee hikes implemented on April 1, 2025.
Students who are passionate to study and dream of a career in Australia, it is undoubtedly still the best destination. The Permanent residency pathways and job opportunities post study positions Australia as the best place for them. However for students who are concerned about the cost factor, we advise countries such as Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and UAE as alternative destinations.
In the current scenario where the Australian government is determined to hike the visa fees for international students, the best solution to avoid higher application costs is to consider filing your visa before 1 July’25.
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ACET Migration Services is the right migration partner for your Australian PR and Visa. With offices in Darwin (3), Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth ACET is the largest MARA registered firm in NT, with a team of 8 registered migration agents.
Contact us: 1300 00 8601 (Australia) , +91 889 1315 999 (India), +971 56 502 3499 (UAE)admissions team for more information.