Subclass 500 Student Visa: Processing Times and Costs

The official median processing time for Student visa applications is 21 days as of July 2026, but this figure is a category-wide median and does not tell you how long your particular subclass 500 application will take. The Department of Home Affairs publishes this median for the Student visa category as a whole, and processing times vary between different visas within that category. For the subclass 500 specifically, you need to check the visa processing times guide for recently decided applications. On fees, the official guidance confirms that the subsequent temporary application charge can apply to a subclass 500 application in certain circumstances, but it does not state the base application charge for a subclass 500 visa — you must verify that figure on the official Visa Pricing Table before lodging.

What the official processing time figure actually means

The Department of Home Affairs reports a median processing time of 21 days for the Student visa category as of July 2026. This is the most accurate single figure available for showing how long it is taking most applications to be finalised, but it is a median for the whole Student category, not a specific figure for the subclass 500. The Department’s own guidance states that processing times vary between different visas within these categories, and in some cases it may take longer for those visas to be finalised.

The median is not a promise or a guarantee. The Department lists several reasons why processing times vary, including whether applications have all necessary supporting documents, whether they are lodged online or on paper, how quickly responses to requests for further information are provided, and how long it takes to receive information from external agencies relating to health, character and national security requirements. For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program also affects processing times, though this does not apply to the temporary subclass 500.

How to check the processing time for your specific application

The Department provides a visa processing times guide tool that shows processing times for recently decided applications. This is the tool you should use if you want an indication of how long subclass 500 applications are currently taking. The Department states clearly that this is a guide only and not specific to your application. You should not treat the published median or the guide tool figure as a date by which your visa will be granted.

If you have already lodged your application, you can check the status of your visa application and whether you have provided all supporting documents through ImmiAccount. The Department advises applicants not to contact them if the application is still within the standard processing time, as they cannot provide further updates on the application’s progress. To see current standard processing times for the visa you are applying for, the Department directs applicants to the Global processing times page.

Factors that can delay a subclass 500 application

The Department identifies several factors that affect processing times across visa categories. Applying online helps streamline processing, so a paper application may take longer. If the Department requests further information, how quickly you respond will affect the overall processing time. Delays can also arise while the Department waits to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character and national security requirements. The complexity of a visa application and the volume of applications received can also affect how long a decision takes.

For student visas specifically, the Department recommends lodging applications well in advance of course commencement and with all supporting documentation. Lodging a complete application helps avoid delays. If you are applying outside Australia, your application is processed in accordance with a Ministerial Direction — applications lodged before 14 November 2025 are processed according to Ministerial Direction 111, and applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025 are processed according to Ministerial Direction 115. The Department recommends you review the Student visa processing priorities page for more information.

The subsequent temporary application charge and subclass 500

The subsequent temporary application charge is a charge that applies to certain temporary visas, and the subclass 500 Student visa is one of the visa subclasses listed in Table 1 of the Department’s guidance on this charge. This means that when you apply for a subclass 500 visa, you may be liable for the subsequent temporary application charge in addition to the base application charge and any other visa charges that apply at the time of lodgement.

The charge is payable by each person in the application and is based on their individual visa history. It is not paid for bridging, criminal justice or enforcement visas, nor for permanent visas. The charge applies only if you are in Australia when you make the application and you meet a series of conditions relating to your previous visa history.

How the subsequent temporary application charge is calculated

The Department sets out a four-step calculation for the subsequent temporary application charge. First, you must be in Australia applying for a visa of a kind specified in Table 1 — the subclass 500 is listed there. If you are not in Australia, the charge is $0. Second, you must hold, or have last held, a substantive visa of a kind specified in Table 2. Table 2 includes the subclass 500 Student visa, along with many other temporary visas such as Visitor (subclass 600), Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482), Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462). If you do not hold or have not held a Table 2 visa, the charge is $0. Third, you must have applied for that Table 2 visa while you were in Australia. If you applied for it outside Australia, the charge is $0. Fourth, if none of the five listed exceptions apply, the subsequent temporary application charge applies to you.

The five exceptions are: the Table 2 visa was for a new-born child born after the primary applicant applied for the visa; the visa was granted by operation of law; the visa was granted as a result of the Minister exercising ministerial intervention powers; the visa was granted without the applicant making an application; or the Table 2 visa was a student visa you were required to apply for because an education provider defaulted and was no longer able to deliver a course. If any of these apply, the charge for that applicant is $0.

Example of when the charge applies

The Department provides an illustrative example of how the charge works. In the example, an applicant applies for and is granted a Visitor (subclass 600) visa in their home country, then applies for a further Visitor visa while in Australia, and then applies for another Visitor visa while still in Australia. On the third application, the applicant must pay the base application charge plus the subsequent temporary application charge, because they are applying for a temporary visa while in Australia and the visa they currently hold was also applied for while they were in Australia. The example shows a subsequent temporary application charge of AUD700 for that second application made in Australia. The Department notes that if the applicant had left Australia before the first in-Australia visa expired and applied for a further visa outside Australia, the subsequent temporary application charge would not have applied.

This example is given as a general illustration only. The Department states that there are a number of variations in the fees and charges, and you should consult the Visa Pricing Table to verify which charges apply to you. The example does not tell you the base application charge for a subclass 500 visa, and the official guidance does not state that figure.

What the official guidance does not tell you

The official guidance does not state the base application charge for a subclass 500 Student visa, nor does it state the amount of the subsequent temporary application charge for a subclass 500 application beyond the illustrative AUD700 figure in the Visitor visa example. It also does not state the current processing time for the subclass 500 specifically, only the category-wide median of 21 days as of July 2026. If you need these figures, you must check the official pages named below.

What to do next and what to verify

Before you lodge a subclass 500 application, verify the base application charge and any subsequent temporary application charge that may apply to you on the official Visa Pricing Table. The Department’s guidance is explicit that you should consult this table to verify which charges apply to you, because there are a number of variations in the fees and charges. Check whether you are in Australia or outside Australia at the time of application, because this affects both the subsequent temporary application charge and the Ministerial Direction that governs processing of your application.

For processing times, use the visa processing times guide tool to see recently decided applications for the subclass 500, and review the Global processing times page for current standard processing times. Lodge your application online through ImmiAccount with all supporting documents attached, and lodge well in advance of your course commencement date. If the Department requests further information, respond promptly, and if you need additional time, request it before the original timeframe expires. The Department cannot guarantee additional time will be given, and it will only consider a request made before the original timeframe for response expires.