What is the approximate annual budget I should expect for studying a bachelor's degree in Australia, including tuition fees, living expenses, health cover, and visa application costs?
A bachelor's degree in Australia typically costs AUD 55,000 to 75,000 a year in total. This includes AUD 25,000 to 45,000 in tuition, AUD 29,710 in living costs as required for your visa, AUD 600 to 1,200 for health cover, and a AUD 2,500 student visa application fee for 2026.
Your total annual budget for a bachelor's degree in Australia depends mostly on your tuition, since living costs, health cover, and the visa fee are fairly standard across universities. Plan for roughly AUD 55,000 to 75,000 a year including everything.
Annual Budget Breakdown For A Bachelor's In Australia
| Expense | Approximate Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | AUD 25,000 to 45,000 |
| Living costs (visa requirement) | AUD 29,710 |
| Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) | AUD 600 to 1,200 |
| Student visa (Subclass 500) application fee | AUD 2,500 |
| Approximate total | AUD 55,000 to 75,000 or more |
What Affects Your Actual Costs
- Course type: engineering, medicine, and other specialised courses often charge above the AUD 25,000 to 45,000 range
- City: the AUD 29,710 living-cost figure is a visa minimum, and actual spending in Sydney or Melbourne often runs higher
- Accommodation choice: sharing housing is the biggest lever for reducing your real annual spend
- First-year extras: airfare, books, and initial setup typically add another AUD 2,000 to 4,000
My Advice
Get the exact tuition figure from your specific course page before finalising your budget, since the AUD 25,000 to 45,000 range hides a big gap between a business degree and an engineering one. Treat the AUD 29,710 living-cost figure as a floor, not your actual spending target.
More expert answers
Studying in Australia typically costs between AUD 57,800 and 83,700 a year in total, once you add up tuition, living expenses, mandatory health insurance, and the student visa fee.
Estimated Annual Study Budget in Australia
| Expense | Approximate Annual Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | 25,000 to 45,000 |
| Living expenses | 29,700 to 35,000 |
| OSHC health insurance | 600 to 1,200 |
| Student visa fee | 2,500 |
What Drives the Range
- Tuition: Fees vary substantially by provider, study level, and location, so professional degrees like medicine can cost considerably more.
- Living costs: The Australian government currently requires student visa applicants to show at least AUD 29,710 for living costs, though your actual expenses depend on your city.
- City choice: Sydney and Melbourne tend to be more expensive, while Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide are generally cheaper.
- Visa fee: From 1 July 2026, the Student visa subclass 500 application charge is AUD 2,500 for most applicants.
My Advice
Budget an additional buffer of AUD 3,000 to 5,000 on top of these figures for airfare, application fees, English test fees, and an initial rental bond, since these one time costs are easy to underestimate and are not included in the standard tuition and living expense breakdown.
Got a budget of 40 to 50 lakhs? See what Australia costs.
Full tuition and living breakdown, plus universities that fit your number.
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