The Australia Student Visa: What It Actually Takes
The visa decides everything. Get it and the rest follows. Get refused and you lose the AUD 2,500 fee, several months of work, and usually a full intake.
So this page includes the number most consultancy websites leave off: how many Pakistani applicants are actually approved.
Free, four minutes, with the reasons behind your result written out.
The number left off most sites
Australia student visa approval and refusal rate for Pakistani applicants
In the first quarter of 2026, about 37% of Pakistani applicants for the subclass 500 student visa were refused. Put the other way round, the success rate was roughly 63%. More than one in three files did not make it.
Compare that to the way this is usually presented. Agencies quote their own “98% approval rate”, which is a number about the cases they chose to submit, not about your chances. Ours is the market figure, and it is the one you should plan against.
The useful part: refusals follow a pattern. Two causes account for most of them, and both are visible before you lodge, which is exactly why checking first is worth four minutes of your time.
The basics
What the subclass 500 is
The subclass 500 is Australia's student visa. It lets you study a registered full-time course, work up to 48 hours per fortnight in term time, and bring dependents in some circumstances. It generally runs for the length of your course plus a short buffer.
There is one student visa, not a separate one per level of study, so the same visa covers a diploma, a Bachelor's, a Master's or a PhD.
No hidden numbers
What it costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa application fee | AUD 2,500, non-refundable |
| Living funds you must prove for year one | AUD 29,710 |
| Tuition | AUD 20,000 to 45,000 a year, course dependent |
| OSHC health cover | roughly AUD 800 to 1,000 a year |
The AUD 2,500 does not come back if you are refused, and it does not come back if you withdraw. That single fact is why the order of operations matters: check your chances, then build the file, then pay.
Full breakdown in rupees on the cost of studying page.
Five things, in order of weight
What you need to qualify
- 01A confirmed offer and a CoE.
Your Confirmation of Enrolment comes after you accept an offer and pay the deposit. You cannot lodge without it. See OSHC and CoE explained.
- 02Proof of funds with a traceable source.
AUD 29,710 in living funds plus tuition, and the money needs a history, not just a balance. See the financial requirements guide.
- 03An English test result.
IELTS 6.5 overall for most courses, 7.0 for nursing, teaching and several health courses. PTE Academic and TOEFL are also accepted. Details and the individual-band traps are on the IELTS guide.
- 04A Genuine Student statement that holds together.
Answered inside your ImmiAccount application, capped at 150 words per question. This is where most files fail. See the Genuine Student guide.
- 05OSHC for the full length of your stay,
and health and character requirements.
Paper trail
The documents you will need
Your offer letter and CoE, HEC-verified transcripts and degree certificates, your IELTS or PTE result, bank statements covering a meaningful period, sponsor documents including FBR tax returns where the sponsor is self-employed, and passport-related identity documents.
Having every document is not the same as having a file that survives scrutiny. Names spelled differently across two papers, dates that do not line up, a figure in your statement that does not match your bank statement: these are what get files flagged. The document checklist and verification guide covers what actually gets checked.
Step by step
How to apply for an Australia study visa online
You lodge through ImmiAccount, the Department of Home Affairs online portal. In outline:
- 1Create your ImmiAccount and start a subclass 500 application.
The Department of Home Affairs' online portal.
- 2Answer the Genuine Student questions, each within the 150-word limit.
This is where most files are won or lost.
- 3Upload your CoE, financial evidence, English result, academic documents and identity documents.
Everything needs to agree with everything else.
- 4Complete health examinations with a panel physician and provide biometrics if asked.
In person, not through ImmiAccount.
- 5Pay the AUD 2,500 fee and submit.
Non-refundable from this point, whatever the outcome.
- 6Respond quickly if the Department requests more information, and prepare in case you are asked to attend an interview.
Not everyone is interviewed. If you are, something usually needs clarifying.
The full step-by-step process covers everything from choosing a course through to landing, with timing.
Timing
How long processing takes
Most straightforward applications tied to universities with a strong compliance record are decided within roughly 4 to 8 weeks. Files that need further checks, or that are attached to institutions under closer scrutiny, run considerably longer.
That variation is not random either, and almost nobody explains it. The university risk rating guide covers why your choice of institution changes your processing experience.
Work backwards from your intake and give yourself 6 to 9 months in total.
In order
Why Australia student visas get rejected
Two reasons dominate, and they are worth stating in order:
- First, and by a distance: a weak Genuine Student narrative. Your course does not clearly follow from what you studied, or lead to anything specific afterwards. Generic phrasing that could describe any applicant. Answers that contradict your documents.
- Second: money that cannot be traced. A large deposit with no history behind it, sponsor income that does not match the balance, or funds spread across distant relatives with no explanation.
After those: undisclosed previous visa refusals from any country, course changes that do not add up, and documents that are inconsistent with each other.
The refusal reasons guide has the full ranked list and what to do about each one.
Free, no sign-up to start. It will not invent a story for you, only help you say a true one well.
Common questions
01What is the Australia student visa success rate for Pakistani applicants?
Roughly 63% in the first quarter of 2026, meaning about 37% were refused. Your own odds depend mostly on your Genuine Student statement and your funds trail.
02How much is the Australia student visa fee?
AUD 2,500, non-refundable, whether you are approved or refused.
03How long does an Australia student visa take?
Commonly 4 to 8 weeks for straightforward files at well-rated universities, longer where further checks are needed.
04Can I apply for the Australia student visa online from Pakistan?
Yes. The whole application is lodged through ImmiAccount. You will still need in-person health examinations and possibly biometrics.
05Can I work on a subclass 500 visa?
Yes, currently up to 48 hours per fortnight during term time and unlimited during scheduled breaks. Your visa funds must be provable without counting that income. See work rights.
06What happens if my student visa is rejected?
The fee is not refunded and the refusal stays on your immigration history, which you must disclose in future applications. You can usually reapply, but only after genuinely fixing what caused the refusal.
07Do I need IELTS for the Australia student visa?
For most applicants, yes. Narrow exceptions exist, covered on studying without IELTS.
The AUD 2,500 is gone either way
Before you pay the fee, find out where you stand
Four minutes now is a reasonable trade.
Or, for a counsellor to read your actual file: book a free assessment, written answer in one to two working days.