Visa Update: Australia Student Visa Fee Increase

Effective July 1, 2024, the Australian government announced an increase in the cost of the student visa application fee from $710 AUD (approximately $490 USD) to $1600 AUD (approximately $1085 USD).

We encourage our home school advisors to take this fee increase into account when advising students, especially those with higher financial need. All students must be prepared to cover the following up-front out of pocket expenses:

• $1085 USD visa fee, 
• $500 USD nonrefundable program deposit (depending on billing agreement with your school), and 
• the round trip flight to Australia (inclusive of an international flight to Sydney for Arcadia orientation, then a domestic flight to their final destination city where applicable; i.e. Melbourne, Brisbane, Townsville)

While Australia has a very high cost of living, specifically in Sydney and Melbourne, it is also the only country where Arcadia Abroad operates that allows students to work while on a study visa legally. The minimum wage is high, and students can very easily find casual service jobs (cafes, restaurants, etc.) where they can pick up a few hours a week to help cover their cost of living. 

Arcadia Abroad offers multiple program options outside of Sydney and Melbourne that may be attractive for students looking for a lower cost of living:

We understand that the cost of the visa may still be prohibitive for students. In Oceania, New Zealand has a much lower visa fee (approximately $22 USD). Cities like Dunedin (University of Otago), Christchurch (University of Canterbury), and Wellington (Victoria University of Wellington) may be more affordable. 

We also encourage consideration of our in Namibia & South Africa, Mexico, and Costa Rica where the cost of living is low and visa fees (where applicable) are low and built into the program’s tuition. As always, we will work closely with students to guide them through the visa application process. If there are any questions or concerns about students managing this increased out-of-pocket cost, please let us know. All students are encouraged to apply for scholarships!