The real cost of studying in Australia as an international student

The real cost of studying in Australia is made of four main parts: your tuition fees, your living costs, your overseas student health cover (OSHC), and the student visa itself. Tuition is the biggest single item and varies a lot by course and institution, so a vocational diploma and a postgraduate degree at a major university sit at very different price points. On top of tuition you need enough to live on, which the government expects you to show as genuine savings when you apply, plus compulsory health insurance for the length of your visa and the visa application charge. Once you’re here and working part-time, you’ll also deal with tax, but as a student you generally pay tax the same way any resident worker does, and you only pay it on what you earn. Because fees and thresholds change every year, treat the numbers you find online as a guide and confirm current figures before you budget.