Document Checklist
Australia Student Visa (Subclass 500) Document Checklist (2026)
The Australian Student visa (subclass 500) lets you study a registered full-time course for the length of your enrolment. Your case rests on four pillars: a valid enrolment, evidence you can fund your stay, health cover, and a convincing Genuine Student statement. Gather everything before you lodge online through ImmiAccount, and confirm every figure against the Department of Home Affairs, because thresholds and fees change.
Enrolment and identity
- Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE)Issued by your education provider after you accept your offer and pay any required deposit. You must have a CoE for each course before you apply — lodging without one makes the application invalid.
- Valid passportYour passport bio-data page; it should stay valid for the duration of your intended stay.
- Academic transcripts and completion certificatesCertified copies of your previous qualifications and results that support your enrolment in the chosen course.
- Curriculum vitae / work history (if relevant)Helps explain study gaps and how the course fits your background — useful supporting evidence for the Genuine Student assessment.
Genuine Student (GS) requirement
- Genuine Student statement responsesThe GS requirement replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant test for applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024. You answer targeted questions (each capped at around 150 words) about your circumstances, why you chose this course and provider, and how it fits your future plans.
- Evidence of ties and circumstancesDetails of your ties to family, community, employment and economic situation that support a genuine intention to study.
- Study plan / explanation of course choiceWhy this course and institution in Australia over options at home, and how it relates to your past study or career.
- Immigration and visa historyPrevious visas, refusals or cancellations for any country — disclose them honestly, as omissions can cost you the visa.
Financial capacity
- Evidence of living costs — AUD 29,710 for 12 monthsThe benchmark for the primary student from 10 May 2024. You generally show this plus your first year's tuition and travel costs. Confirm the current figure before you apply.
- First-year tuition and travel costsMoney to cover course fees for the first 12 months and your travel to (and, where relevant, from) Australia, on top of the living-costs amount.
- Funds for accompanying familyAdditional living costs apply for dependants — roughly AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 for a child, plus school costs for school-age children. Check the latest amounts.
- Source and genuine access to fundsBank statements, loan approvals, scholarship letters or a sponsor's evidence. Funds must be genuine, traceable and available to you — not a one-off balance shown only at application time.
- Annual income evidence (alternative route)Some applicants instead show a parent's or partner's annual income above the Department's threshold. Confirm the current income figure and acceptable evidence.
Health and character
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)Mandatory for the full duration of your visa, usually starting about a week before your course begins. Without proof of OSHC, the visa is refused.
- Health examinationYou may be asked to complete a medical or chest x-ray with a Department-approved panel physician, depending on your country and course.
- Police / character certificateRequired in some cases to meet the character requirement — obtain it from each country where you've lived for the relevant period if asked.
English language proficiency
- Approved English test resultAn in-person test such as IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced or OET. Minimum scores vary by course and provider — many require an overall IELTS 6.0 (or 5.5 with a packaged ELICOS course).
- Evidence of an exemption (if applicable)Some applicants are exempt — for example, citizens of certain English-speaking countries or those who completed prior study in English. Check whether an exemption applies to you.
Dependants, under-18s and supporting documents
- Certified translationsAccredited English translations of any document not already in English.
- BiometricsFingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre where required for your location.
- Welfare arrangements for students under 18Approved accommodation, support and general welfare (often a CAAW letter from the provider) plus parental or guardian consent.
- Family relationship evidenceMarriage or relationship documents and children's birth certificates for any dependants included in the application.
Tips
- Secure your eCoE first — the application is invalid without a Confirmation of Enrolment, so this is the gateway document.
- Show the story behind your money, not just a snapshot: source, history and genuine access matter more than a balance that appears the day you apply.
- Buy OSHC that starts before your course and runs to its expected end date; a gap in cover can sink an otherwise strong application.
- Treat the Genuine Student questions seriously — answer each one specifically and within the word limit, focusing on why this course and your real plans.
- Budget for the Student visa application charge, which rose to AUD 2,000 for primary applicants from 1 July 2025, on top of OSHC, biometrics and any health checks.
- Lodge early: processing priorities and provider deadlines mean a late, incomplete application is the most common avoidable cause of delay.
Requirements change — always confirm the current list with the official source before you submit.
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