Effective July 1, the Australian government has increased the student visa application fee to AUD$2,000. The move follows an 125% fee increase implemented just one year earlier, from AUD$710 to AUD$1,600 in July.

“In line with the government’s election commitment, from 1 July 2025, the Visa Application Charge (VAC) for primary student visas applicants will be increased from $1,600 to $2,000,” a Home Affairs spokesperson confirmed to The PIE.

“The international education sector is important to Australia, and the Australian government is committed to managing the international education sector at a sustainable level while ensuring its equity, quality and integrity,” they continued.

The Australian government is committed to managing the international education sector at a sustainable level while ensuring its equity, quality and integrity

Home Affairs spokesperson

Existing arrangements for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste primary applicants, who are eligible for a reduced VAC, will remain the same.

While the increase is intended to strengthen the integrity of the student visa program by ensuring visas are granted to genuine students who support Australia’s sustainable economic growth, it is bound to draw criticism – particularly from the ELICOS sector, where recent discussions have focused on the mounting challenges faced by providers.

The ELICOS sector has been particularly affected by the visa fee increases, with stakeholders noting that students looking to enrol in shorter courses are less willing to pay the higher costs. As a result of the 2024 visa fee hike, ELICOS providers experienced a 50% decline in English language enrolments across the board.

Just weeks ago, the sector learned that Perth International College of English (PICE) had closed its doors, with owner and director John Paxton attributing the shutdown primarily to financial difficulties caused by declining enrolments and rising visa fees.

The closure follows the shutdown of fellow ELICOS provider, IH Sydney, which also cited rising costs of visa fees as contributing factors.

The Language Academy, with campuses in Gold Coast and Sydney, is another provider to recently cease operations after more than 10 years.