Student Visa Living Costs and Evidence of Funds

International students are required to demonstrate and/or declare that they have genuine access to sufficient funds to be granted a Student visa. Applicants may have to demonstrate sufficient funds to cover these expenses for the first one or two years in Australia, depending on their assessment level.
See: Student Visa Assessment Levels

This helps to ensure students are better able to make the most of their studies and have a safe and enjoyable experience in Australia. Funds should be sufficient to contribute to the cost of travel, tuition, school costs of any dependents, and living costs.

The financial requirements per year outlined in the tables below apply from 1 July 2012.

Students

Expenses	Per Person	Amount required in AUD
Travel	Applicant	Return air fare to Australia
	Family members	One return air fare to Australia per person
Tuition	Applicant	Course fees
	School-age children aged 5-18	AUD8000 per year
Living	Applicant	AUD18 610 per year
	Partner	AUD6515 per year
	First child	AUD3720 per year
	Each other child	AUD2790 per year

Student Guardians

Expenses	Per Person	Amount required in AUD
Travel	Applicant	Return air fare to Australia
	Children aged under 6 years of age	One return air fare to Australia per person
Living	Applicant	AUD18 610 per year
	First child aged under 6	AUD3720 per year
	Each other child aged under 6	AUD2790 per year

Decision makers will consider a range of factors in determining whether funds demonstrated or declared will be genuinely available to contribute to the cost of studying and living in Australia. These factors may include:

• the applicant's previous financial and immigration history
• the employment history of the applicant or the person providing them with financial support
• the source of the income used (such as cash assets or a bank loan).

Where there is doubt about an applicant's ability to access their claimed funds in Australia, the applicant may be requested to provide further information.
Example: Applicants relying on a bank loan may need to show that these funds have been deposited into a bank account to which they have unrestricted access, and that they have the financial capacity to service the loan both before they depart for Australia and once they arrive.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most commonly asked questions about the changes to the Student Visa living costs are available in English and translated versions.

See:
Hindi Version ( 60KB PDF file)
Indonesian Version ( 31KB PDF file)
Korean Version (116KB PDF file)
Portuguese Version ( 31KB PDF file)
Thai Version ( 69KB PDF file)
Vietnamese Version (103KB PDF file)
English Version