From first question to your first day in Australia
Studying overseas is a big family decision. Here is the whole journey, in order, with every fee stated plainly, so nobody in your family is guessing.
Assess your goals
First we understand why you want to come to Australia and what your goals are - permanent residency, a career back home, or the experience itself. Then we look at what you want to study, because this is not just a PR decision, it is a career decision. The right course serves both.
Check your eligibility
See where you stand for a student visa to come and study in Australia - your circumstances against the requirements published by the Department of Home Affairs, with the real numbers. Our checker walks you through it in about two minutes, and everything is confirmed properly with you before anything is lodged.
We work with you all the way
We go start to end with you: your plan mapped together, enrolment with the provider, departure, arrival and settling in. And we are here with you in Australia too - ongoing support for the two and a half to five years you may be here, until you reach the goal you set in step one. One team, the whole way.
Every fee, stated before you commit
These are all the costs of studying in Australia - ours, the government's and the provider's. Nothing is hidden and nothing is added later without telling you.
| What you pay | Standard | PEV countries† |
|---|---|---|
| Studyaway initial consultation | $199 | $199 |
| Studyaway full service fee | $2,500 | $1,800 |
| Visa Application Charge - Student (subclass 500) | $2,500 | $745* |
| Tuition | $12,000 - $38,000 per year, set by the provider and depending on the course | |
| OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) | ≈ $690 per year | |
| Medical & biometrics | ≈ $500, varies by home country | |
† Which are the 12 PEV countries?
Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The reduced Studyaway fee is our own concession for citizens of these countries.
All amounts AUD. *$745 is the government's citizenship-based visa-charge concession for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens, verified via the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator, July 2026 - a different country list from Studyaway's own PEV fee concession. Government fees change (typically each 1 July) and we re-confirm the current figure with you before anything is lodged.
A real example: Diploma of Nursing (18 months)
Verified with the provider and the Department, July 2026. Your own figures are confirmed in writing before you commit to anything.
| Item | Standard | PEV countries |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, first year (course total $36,000 - payment plan available) | $24,000 | |
| Studyaway full service fee | $2,500 | $1,800 |
| Visa Application Charge | $2,500 | $745 |
| OSHC, first year | ≈ $690 | |
| Medical & biometrics | ≈ $500 | |
| Initial consultation | $199 | |
| Indicative first-year outlay | ≈ $30,400 | ≈ $27,900 |
What each fee is - and what is refundable
The short version of each charge. The full Refund Policy comes with your written Service Agreement before you pay anything.
Studyaway initial consultation
The $199 pays for the consultation itself: a full session on your situation, your options and your numbers, and you keep the written outcome. You book and pay online, and the session is held on the spot you choose. If you need to move your booking, contact us before the session.
Studyaway full service fee
One fee for the whole engagement - $2,500, or $1,800 for citizens of the 12 PEV countries: course application and enrolment, CoE, OSHC arrangement, pre-departure guidance and support after you land. It is earned in stages as the work is done - if your matter ends partway, you are refunded the unearned portion under the milestone schedule in your agreement. And if you change your mind within 5 business days of signing, the fee is refunded in full.
Tuition and provider fees
Tuition is set by and paid to your education provider under its own written agreement with you - we show you the exact figure before you enrol. Providers also charge a once-off enrolment/admission fee (typically $250 - $750) for issuing your Confirmation of Enrolment; that part is not refundable once your enrolment is processed. Tuition itself is refundable under the provider's written agreement - and if your visa is refused, the refund is instead calculated under the ESOS Act and is payable within 4 weeks.
Visa Application Charge
The government's fee - $2,500 standard, or $745 under the concession for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens - paid to the Department of Home Affairs only at the moment a valid application is lodged. Once lodged it is not refunded by the Department, including if the visa is refused. If your matter ends before lodgement, the amount is returned to you in full - it was never paid to the Department.
OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover)
Health insurance every student visa holder must hold - around $690 per year, paid to the insurer for the length of your visa. It is refundable by the insurer: in full if the cover has not started, pro-rata after that, and on visa refusal.
Medical & biometrics
Around $500, paid directly to approved clinics in your home country for your visa medical examination and biometrics collection. The exact cost varies by country. These are not refundable once performed - they pay for work already done.