Australia student visa holders can work unlimited hours during course breaks

Australia is emerging as a popular destination for international students. 9 of the world’s top 100 universities are in Australia, while 95% of Australian universities are ranked globally, according to QS World University Rankings 2024.

Once you have selected the university and the course, it is time to apply for the Australian study visa. The student visa (subclass 500) allows you to study in one of the Australian universities or colleges of your choice.

It is important to understand what the conditions attached to your student visa are, the cost involved, and how many hours of work are allowed to foreign students holding the subclass 500 student visa in Australia.

Before applying for the Australian student visa, you will need to enrol in a course at an Australian education or training provider and get a confirmation of enrolment (CoE) from the provider. Then, you need to apply for a student visa.

Whether you are going for higher education, Vocational and Education Training (VET), pathway courses or English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS), you will need the subclass 500 student visa.

With the subclass 500 student visa, you can stay in Australia for the duration of your course, or a maximum of five years and travel in and out of Australia.

From 1 July 2025, Subclass 500 student visa fees have been increased from AUD$1,600 to AUD$2,000 per visa application. Subclass 500 is the student visa that allows international students to visit Australia to study in an Australian university or college for up to five years.

For overseas students wishing to enroll in Australian universities, the cost of an Australian student visa has gone up by 25%. The increase, however, is much smaller than the 2024 fee hike. In 2024, the cost of international student visas was raised from $710 to $1,600, a 125% increase.

There is an additional applicant fee of AUD$1,225 for those aged 18 and over, and AUD$400 for those under the age of 18. This is on top of the base application fee of AUD$2,000. The AUD 700 subsequent temporary application charge (STAC) may be due if you are in Australia at the time of application submission.

The subclass 500 student visa allows students to bring their family members, including their partner or child.

The most important part is to comply with the rules and conditions of a student visa. If you fail to comply with any of the visa conditions, you may have your student visa cancelled.

Foreign students can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while their course of study is in session. Students who have started a master’s degree by research or Doctoral degree have no work hour limits.

International students are allowed to work during their studies and also after completing their course, as student visa holders have working rights while in Australia. The number of work hours allowed on a Student visa in Australia is a maximum of 48 hours per fortnight.

This limit of a maximum of 48 hours per fortnight on work hours applies to hours worked during study terms and semesters, including when exams are being held and before your course starts, unless you hold a different visa that permits you to work prior.

At other times, you can work unlimited hours on a Student visa, for example, during scheduled course breaks.

Students in a Masters by Research or Doctoral degree program may work more than 48 hours per fortnight at any time during their studies, after the course has started.