Requirements
- 1
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from a CRICOS-registered course
- 2
Genuine Student requirement: your study plan, ties to India and reasons for Australia must be credible and consistent
- 3
English test result at the visa threshold (IELTS 6.0 overall for most courses; lower with a packaged English course)
- 4
Evidence of funds for 12 months of living costs plus first-year tuition and travel, at Evidence Level 3 standards
- 5
Overseas Student Health Cover for the full stay
- 6
Health and character requirements, including a medical with a panel physician in India
India is Australia's second-largest source of students and, since January 2026, its highest-scrutiny market. In 2025-26 the grant rate for Indian applicants was 64 percent overall and 62 percent for offshore primary applicants, so roughly one file in three was refused. The visa fee is non-refundable, so the file must be right before it is lodged: funds that are genuinely yours and traceable, a Genuine Student statement that matches your profile, and an English result that meets both the visa and the provider threshold.
Questions
Can I appeal if my offshore student visa is refused?+
No. Student visas refused outside Australia have no merits-review right at the Administrative Review Tribunal. Your options are a Freedom of Information request for the decision record and a stronger reapplication.
How long does an Indian student visa take in 2026?+
Under Evidence Level 3 the department verifies financial documents manually, and reported processing has moved from about three weeks to about eight weeks. Lodge at least three months before your course starts.
Can I bring my spouse and children on a student visa?+
For applications made on or after 2 October 2026, partners and children can no longer be included unless you are a doctoral student, a foreign-government scholarship holder, or hold a Pacific or ASEAN passport, among narrow exemptions. Existing family visa holders are protected. Plan on travelling alone unless you fit an exemption.
Is the A$2,500 fee refunded if I am refused?+
No. The visa application charge is not refunded on refusal, which is why we check the file before you pay it.