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Evidence of financial capacity

To be granted a student visa in Australia, you usually have to provide evidence that you have enough money for your stay. At a minimum, you must have enough money to pay for:

  • Travel to Australia
  • Course fees for the first year or the full amount if your course is less than 12 months long
  • 12 months of living costs, including additional costs to cover family members if you are bringing them
  • School fees for any school-aged children that are coming with you

Annual income

If you personally don't have enough money for your stay, you can provide evidence that your parents or your partner had a personal annual income of at least AUD $72,465 in the 12 months immediately before submitting your visa application1.

This amount increases if you are bringing family members and dependants.

Acceptable funding sources

Evidence of your financial capacity should come from genuine and acceptable funding sources. The evidence for this could be deposits of money held at a financial institution like a bank, or a loan from a bank or government institution. Sources of finance could include personal savings, scholarships, loans, support from your parents or family, and other legitimate sources.

It is important that the documentation you provide meet the criteria outlined by the Australian Government. In the case of providing evidence of annual income, this means proof of income needs to be an official government document like a tax document.

It is best to check with the Department of Home Affairs for specific requirements and to determine what is best for you and your personal situation.

To be granted a student visa in Australia, you usually have to provide evidence that you have enough money for your stay. At a minimum, you must have enough money to pay for:

  • Travel to Australia
  • Course fees for the first year or the full amount if your course is less than 12 months long
  • 12 months of living costs, including additional costs to cover family members if you are bringing them
  • School fees for any school-aged children that are coming with you

Annual income

If you personally don't have enough money for your stay, you can provide evidence that your parents or your partner had a personal annual income of at least AUD $72,465 in the 12 months immediately before submitting your visa application1.

This amount increases if you are bringing family members and dependants.

Evidence of your financial capacity should come from genuine and acceptable funding sources. The evidence for this could be deposits of money held at a financial institution like a bank, or a loan from a bank or government institution. Sources of finance could include personal savings, scholarships, loans, support from your parents or family, and other legitimate sources.

It is important that the documentation you provide meet the criteria outlined by the Australian Government. In the case of providing evidence of annual income, this means proof of income needs to be an official government document like a tax document.

It is best to check with the Department of Home Affairs for specific requirements and to determine what is best for you and your personal situation.

Travel costs

This includes things like flights and accommodation to get to Australia. There are many direct flights to Adelaide from places like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to name a few, but you may also wish to look at transiting through other cities like Denpasar, Sydney or Melbourne to save on flights costs.

Tuition fees

The tuition fees you pay will be dependent on the course you are studying. You generally have to show financial capacity to cover at least the first year of your tuition fees, or the full amount of tuition fees if your course is less than 12 months.

This includes things like flights and accommodation to get to Australia. There are many direct flights to Adelaide from places like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to name a few, but you may also wish to look at transiting through other cities like Denpasar, Sydney or Melbourne to save on flights costs.

The tuition fees you pay will be dependent on the course you are studying. You generally have to show financial capacity to cover at least the first year of your tuition fees, or the full amount of tuition fees if your course is less than 12 months.

Living costs

The 12 month living costs for students or guardians is currently AUD $24,505. If you are bringing a partner, you will need an additional AUD $8,574, and you will need an additional AUD $3,670 per child.1

Actual living costs

The financial evidence required for your student visa may be less than what actual living costs will be, so it is important to do research about exactly how much money you are going to need while studying in Australia.

We've created a handy guide to the cost of living in Adelaide which provides real student insights about the cost of study abroad in Adelaide. This includes information about student accommodation in Adelaide as well.

School fees for dependent children

If you are bringing school-aged children, you will need to add schooling costs of at least AUD$9,661 per year per child.

Health insurance

When applying for a student visa to Australia, you must have adequate health insurance cover for the duration of your stay in Australia. This is called Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), and can cost anywhere fromAUD $580 to AUD $4,000 depending on the level of cover you take out. Health insurance is not included in the living costs, and will need to be factored in separately.

Managing your finances while studying

It is essential to manage your finances effectively while you study abroad in Australia. 

In Adelaide, there are hundreds of part-time and casual jobs available for you to work while you are studying. StudyAdelaide also offers loads of free events and guides to help you with things like budgeting, getting a job, making friends, networking and much more.

1 Source: Department of Home Affairs, January 2024

The 12 month living costs for students or guardians is currently AUD $24,505. If you are bringing a partner, you will need an additional AUD $8,574, and you will need an additional AUD $3,670 per child.1

Actual living costs

The financial evidence required for your student visa may be less than what actual living costs will be, so it is important to do research about exactly how much money you are going to need while studying in Australia.

We've created a handy guide to the cost of living in Adelaide which provides real student insights about the cost of study abroad in Adelaide. This includes information about student accommodation in Adelaide as well.

School fees for dependent children

If you are bringing school-aged children, you will need to add schooling costs of at least AUD$9,661 per year per child.

Health insurance

When applying for a student visa to Australia, you must have adequate health insurance cover for the duration of your stay in Australia. This is called Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), and can cost anywhere fromAUD $580 to AUD $4,000 depending on the level of cover you take out. Health insurance is not included in the living costs, and will need to be factored in separately.

It is essential to manage your finances effectively while you study abroad in Australia. 

In Adelaide, there are hundreds of part-time and casual jobs available for you to work while you are studying. StudyAdelaide also offers loads of free events and guides to help you with things like budgeting, getting a job, making friends, networking and much more.

1 Source: Department of Home Affairs, January 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about how much it costs to study in Australia

Yes. International students in Australia are able to work up to 48 hours per fortnight during semester, and unlimited hours during semester breaks.

A fortnight is a 14 day period commencing on Monday and ending on Sunday.

The Department of Home Affairs has created a handy visa pricing calculator to help you estimate the cost of applying for a visa. 

Children of full fee-paying international students

If you don't have a South Australian endorsed scholarship, then you will need to pay tuition fees. In 2024, the tuition fees for dependants of full fee-paying international students at a government school are AUD $6,720 per child for primary school to AUD $7,920 per child for high school.

Children of SA Government endorsed scholarship holders