Anjali is 29, has worked as an accountant for six years, and applies for a Master of Information Technology in Melbourne. Her statement says the course will help her career. It does not say how, why now, or why Australia. The refusal cites the genuine student requirement. Nothing in her file was false. It was simply generic, and generic is what case officers are trained to refuse.
The genuine student requirement replaced the old genuine temporary entrant test in March 2024. It is now the main reason subclass 500 applications fail. This guide explains what the requirement asks, what officers read for, the 2026-27 charges, and what happens after a refusal.
Short answer: The student visa charge is $2,500 for the main applicant, and the genuine student requirement decides most refusals. Officers assess your circumstances, your reasons for the course and provider, the value of the course to your future, and your immigration history.
What the requirement actually asks
The requirement is not an essay. The application form asks a set of targeted questions, and the answers are read against a ministerial direction. The themes are consistent. What are your current circumstances, including family, community, employment and economic ties? Why this course, this provider and Australia? How will the course benefit your future? What is your history of study and visas, in Australia and elsewhere? Is there anything else the officer should know?
Importantly, an intention to stay in Australia after study is no longer disqualifying by itself. The requirement asks whether you are a genuine student, not whether you promise to leave. However, a course that makes no sense for your history still fails, because it suggests the course is a vehicle rather than the purpose.
What officers read for
Officers look for a coherent story. Your past study and work should lead to this course. The course level should build on what you have, not repeat or downgrade it. The provider should be a considered choice, not the cheapest option. And your finances should be real, traceable and consistent with your stated circumstances.
The common failures are predictable. Template statements copied between applicants. A course with no link to prior work. Unexplained deposits that appeared weeks before lodgement. A previous refusal in another country left unmentioned. Inconsistencies between this application and an earlier visitor or student application. Each one alone invites a refusal.
A checklist for your answers
Our student visa page sets out the other criteria, including financial capacity, English, health cover and the confirmation of enrolment.
Charges in 2026-27
| Applicant | Charge |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | $2,500 |
| Additional applicant aged 18 or over | $1,530 |
| Additional applicant under 18 | $500 |
| Subsequent temporary application charge, onshore applicants | $700 |
Health cover, English testing, health examinations and tuition sit on top. The charge is not refunded on refusal, which is one more reason to get the genuine student answers right the first time.
Onshore and offshore are different games
An onshore applicant usually receives a bridging visa while the application is decided. If refused, you can generally apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal, which charges $3,727 and reassesses the requirement afresh. The deadline runs from notification and cannot be extended. Your visa history in Australia will be read closely, especially any move to a lower level course.
An offshore refusal normally carries no review right. The realistic path is a fresh application that answers the refusal reasons directly. Because the earlier refusal must be disclosed, the new file has to explain what has changed. A second generic statement produces a second refusal.
Where a refusal has already arrived, the options are set out on our refusals and review page.
Course changes after arrival
The requirement does not end at grant. A student who moves from a degree to a lower level diploma soon after arriving invites scrutiny at the next application. So does a string of short courses that keep a visa alive without progressing anywhere. Consequently, any change of course should be planned with the next visa in mind. A change that makes sense academically, with a written reason and provider support, is defensible. A change that only extends the stay is not.
Working with a lawyer on the file
Most of our student visa work is on files that have already been refused once. The pattern is the same each time. The answers were short, the evidence was thin, and the course choice was never explained. Preparing the application properly the first time is cheaper than a review. Our fees and process page explains how we scope that work, and you can contact us with your course offer to start.
Figures verified against Home Affairs visa pricing as at 1 July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the genuine student requirement the same as the old GTE?
No. The genuine temporary entrant test focused on whether you intended to leave. The genuine student requirement, in force since March 2024, asks whether you are genuinely here to study. It weighs your circumstances, course choice, its value to you and your immigration history.
Can I say I hope to stay in Australia after my course?
You can, provided the course itself is genuine and the rest of the file supports that. Officers are told that a wish to migrate later is not disqualifying on its own. What fails is a course that only makes sense as a route to a visa.
What happens if I am refused from overseas?
Offshore student refusals generally cannot be reviewed at the Tribunal. The practical option is a new application that discloses the refusal and answers each reason with new evidence. The $2,500 charge is payable again.
Does changing to a lower level course cause problems?
It can. A move to a lower level course soon after arrival is a recognised warning sign for the genuine student requirement. If the change is academically sound, document the reasons and keep the provider’s advice, because the next application will be asked about it.
Do I have to disclose a visa refusal from another country?
Yes. The application asks about refusals anywhere, and an undisclosed refusal is treated as a serious integrity problem. Disclose it, explain the circumstances briefly, and show why this application is different.
General information as at 2 September 2026. Not legal advice. Student visa settings and charges change, and each application turns on its own facts, so obtain advice before lodging.