Processing times · Subclass 500
How long does the subclass 500 visa take? (November 2026)
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
As at 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 75% of Student visa (Subclass 500) applications (Higher Education Sector stream) were finalised within 61 days, and 90% within 7 months. In September 2026 the 75% figure was 49 days. The 500 has 7 streams with different times, listed below. These are official global processing times for applications decided in the previous month, not a promise for any individual case.
Subclass 500 processing times by stream
| Stream | 75% of applications | 90% of applications | 75% in September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector | 5 days | 25 days | 10 days |
| Postgraduate Research Sector | 48 days | 66 days | 50 days |
| Independent ELICOS Sector | 29 days | 49 days | 34 days |
| Schools Sector | 6 months | 7 months | 57 days |
| Vocational Education and Training Sector | 7 months | 7 months | 7 months |
| Higher Education Sector | 61 days | 7 months | 49 days |
| Non-Award Sector | 4 days | 23 days | 18 days |
What to expect when you apply for the subclass 500
How the application moves
- You lodge with a Confirmation of Enrolment, Overseas Student Health Cover, English evidence and financial capacity, and answer the Genuine Student questions.
- Home Affairs assesses genuineness, finances and English, then health; applicants from some countries and in some sectors face more detailed checks, which is why the stream figures differ so much.
What most often slows a 500 application
- Genuine Student statements that do not explain the choice of course, provider and Australia, or that conflict with the applicant's history.
- Financial evidence that is recent, unexplained or not clearly accessible to the applicant.
- Since 2 October 2026, applications lodged onshore by people who must now apply from outside Australia, which are invalid rather than slow.
What to have ready before lodging
- A clear Genuine Student statement, bank statements covering the required period, English test result, health cover, and health examinations completed before lodging.
What the 75% and 90% figures mean
Home Affairs publishes the time within which it finalised 75% and 90% of the applications decided in the previous month. Three in four applicants got a decision faster than the 75% figure; one in ten waited longer than the 90% figure, almost always because the application was incomplete, needed health or character follow-up, or sat outside the current processing priorities. The figures move every month, which is why we keep a history on the processing-times tracker.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the 500 visa take to process in November 2026?
Home Affairs reports that 75% of Student visa (subclass 500) applications in the Higher Education Sector stream were finalised within 61 days and 90% within 7 months, as at 2 November 2026. Other streams differ; see the table on this page.
What do the 75% and 90% figures mean?
They are the times within which Home Affairs finalised 75% and 90% of the applications it decided in the previous month. Three in four applications were decided faster than the 75% figure; one in ten took longer than the 90% figure, usually because the application was incomplete or needed extra checks.
Can a 500 visa be processed faster?
There is no paid priority service for the 500. The things that reliably shorten processing are lodging a complete, decision-ready application (identity, health, character and every eligibility document attached at lodgement), responding to any request for information quickly, and avoiding avoidable requests for further information.
Related visas: processing times and costs
Source: Department of Home Affairs — global visa processing times, as at 2 November 2026. Cost: subclass 500 visa fees. Eligibility and steps: Student Visa 500 (2026): Requirements, Work & Fee. General information only, not migration advice.