Study in Australia cost for Pakistani students in 2026

For an Australian Student visa you must show at least AUD 29,710 for a year of living costs, plus your first 12 months of tuition and AUD 2,000 for travel, and pay a visa application charge starting at AUD 2,500. You also need Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay. Tuition is the biggest variable, because every university sets its own fees, so your real total depends on the course you choose.

How much money is required to study in Australia from Pakistan

The Department of Home Affairs sets a minimum you must be able to pay for: your travel, 12 months of course fees, 12 months of living costs for you and any family members coming with you, and school fees for any school age children. These are the official amounts as of October 2026.

Here is how that works using the Home Affairs example of a course costing AUD 50,000 over three years. The 12 month tuition figure is AUD 16,666. Add AUD 29,710 for living costs and AUD 2,000 for travel, and the minimum you would show is AUD 48,376. If you have already paid part of the first year's fees, you deduct that amount, as long as you can prove it with a receipt or your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).

For stays shorter than 12 months, Home Affairs divides the annual cost by 365 and multiplies by the number of days you will be in Australia. Rupee totals depend on the exchange rate on the day, so build in a margin.

Australia student visa fee for Pakistani students

The visa application charge for the main applicant starts from AUD 2,500, with a separate charge for each family member who applies. Lower charges apply to some Pacific Island, Timor Leste and ASEAN passport holders, and to applications in the standalone ELICOS and non award sector. Pakistani passport holders applying for a degree pay the standard charge. Use the Visa Pricing Estimator on the Home Affairs site to confirm your exact amount.

How much bank statement is required for Australia student visa

If the Document Checklist tool says you must provide financial evidence, you can show the amounts above through:

• money deposited with a financial institution
• a government loan or a loan from a financial institution
• scholarships or similar financial support.

There is also an income route. You can instead show that your parents or partner had a personal annual income of at least AUD 87,856 in the 12 months before you apply, or AUD 102,500 if family members are coming with you. Both parents' income can be combined. Home Affairs only accepts official government documents, such as tax assessments less than 12 months old, for this route. It will not accept bank statements or letters from an employer.

Your money also supports the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, which has applied to applications lodged since 23 March 2024. The application form asks about your circumstances in Pakistan, why you chose this course and provider, and how the course will benefit you, with a limit of 150 words per answer. Home Affairs gives more weight to answers backed by evidence, such as income tax returns, bank statements and 12 months of employment or business records.

Study in Australia cost of living

The AUD 29,710 figure is the visa minimum, not a promise of what life will cost. Home Affairs says actual living costs vary across Australia and may be much higher, and that you should not rely on work to support yourself.

The government's Study Australia website offers a Cost of Living Calculator for comparing rent, transport and lifestyle choices in different cities. Its prices were last updated in November 2023, so treat them as a rough guide. Study Australia also notes that some smaller cities have more affordable rent, transport and entertainment than the major cities.

A few practical points from Study Australia on housing:

• Managed student accommodation usually includes electricity and internet in the rent.
• University managed housing is usually furnished, with bills included.

You can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session. Students on a master's by research or doctoral degree have no work limit.

OSHC and English requirements

Overseas Student Health Cover is compulsory for you and anyone included in your application, from an approved Australian insurer. If you apply from outside Australia, cover must start on the day you arrive, not the day your course starts, and you must keep it until you leave Australia. Home Affairs will refuse an application that does not include OSHC details.

English depends on your test and course package. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the minimum scores for a course without an English language course (ELICOS) attached are:

Lower scores are accepted if at least 10 or 20 weeks of ELICOS are packaged with your main course. Fully online tests such as IELTS Online and TOEFL iBT Home Edition are not accepted. Our English test preparation classes cover IELTS, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT, and our guide to the IELTS fee in Pakistan covers test costs.

What changed for Australian student visas in 2026

Family members. From 2 October 2026, most Student visa applicants can no longer include a partner or children. Exemptions include PhD students, students sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Department of Defence, and students on a foreign government scholarship that fully funds their studies. Family members cannot join later as subsequent entrants.

Where you apply. From 2 October 2026 most applicants must apply from outside Australia.

Planning levels. The government set a National Planning Level of 295,000 new overseas student commencements for 2026. Under Ministerial Direction 115, offshore applications are prioritised by how close your university is to its allocation. Home Affairs aims to start processing Priority 1 applications within 1 to 4 weeks, Priority 2 within 5 to 8 weeks and Priority 3 within 9 to 12 weeks, based on 2025 lodgements. It states this is not a visa cap and does not decide whether you are granted or refused.

After graduation. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) Post Higher Education Work stream usually allows 2 to 3 years, depending on your qualification, for applicants aged 35 or under. It costs from AUD 5,750. If permanent residence is your long term aim, see our Australia PR guidance.

If you want your funds, GS answers and course choice checked before you lodge, talk to a Via Nova counsellor through our Australia study and visa service or call +92 316 4448062. To compare Australia with the UK, Canada and Germany, read our guide to the best country for a study visa from Pakistan.