Student visa - further stay / provider পরিবর্তন

What this visa is for#

A Student visa (subclass 500) further stay or change of provider application is a new subclass 500 application made in Australia. It is used when a student needs more time to continue study, wants to move to a different education provider, or needs a new student visa to cover a changed study arrangement.

This version of the subclass 500 also covers some situations linked to condition 8202. Condition 8202 is the visa condition about maintaining enrolment, course progress and attendance requirements in line with the education provider's rules and the visa holder's circumstances. A new application can arise after a provider reports a change, a course ends earlier than expected, or a student needs to regularise their visa position before continuing study.

This is in the student category and the Study stream. It is not a visa extension in the sense of adding time to an existing visa label. It is a fresh subclass 500 application, assessed on the law and policy in force at the time it is lodged.

Who it is generally for#

This visa is for people who are already in Australia and need a new Student visa to keep studying. That includes students whose current visa will end before their course or new course finishes.

This visa is for people who change education provider after starting a course or after receiving a release where one is required under the education rules. It also covers people who move between courses and need visa coverage for the new enrolment period.

This visa is for people whose study arrangements have changed in a way that affects their visa, including some condition 8202 issues. It can also apply where a course is discontinued, shortened, deferred or otherwise changed, and a new Confirmation of Enrolment, or CoE, is issued.

This visa is for primary applicants and, where applicable, family members included in the application. Family members can include a partner and dependent children if they are added and the application allows for them to be included.

What it costs#

The government visa application charge for this visa is:

• Main applicant: $2,500
• Additional applicant 18 or over: $1,870
• Additional applicant under 18: $610

These are government charges. The government charge is the same no matter who lodges the application, whether it is lodged by the applicant, a registered migration agent, or an Australian legal practitioner.

Professional fees are separate. A registered migration agent or lawyer may charge for advice, document review, preparing the application, drafting submissions, or corresponding with the Department. Those professional fees are set by the provider and are not part of the government charge.

Charges are indexed and usually change on 1 July. The amount payable is usually the amount in force on the date the application is lodged.

How long it takes#

Processing times change over the year. They can move up or down depending on application volumes, education sector trends, health and character checking times, and whether the application is complete when lodged.

A simple application with current documents and no follow-up requests may move faster than an application with missing evidence, identity issues, enrolment changes or health checks that take longer to finalise. If the Department asks for more information, the time taken to respond can also affect the overall processing time.

The practical point is that this is usually planned well before the current visa ends. A late application can create pressure around enrolment, work rights and travel, even where a valid application has been lodged in time.

What the process involves#

The process usually starts with getting the study paperwork into order. That often includes a current CoE for the course to be studied, passport details, evidence of any family members included, and other documents required for the Student visa application at the time of lodgement.

The application is generally lodged online through ImmiAccount while the applicant is in Australia. Because this is a new subclass 500 application, the Department assesses it as a fresh application rather than rolling over the old visa.

After lodgement, a Bridging visa may come into effect when the current substantive visa ends, if one is granted in connection with the application. A bridging visa is a separate visa with its own conditions. Its work rights, travel conditions and study permissions can differ from the substantive student visa it follows.

The Department may ask for more information after lodgement. That can include updated identity documents, a new CoE if the provider changes again, health examination results, overseas student health cover details, or clarification about study history and enrolment gaps.

If the application includes family members, the Department may also ask for identity, relationship and dependency evidence. Each person included must meet the legal requirements that apply to them, and delays often occur when documents for one family member are missing or inconsistent.

A decision is made after the Department has the information it needs. If the visa is granted, the grant notice sets out the visa period and conditions. If it is not granted, the notice explains the outcome and review rights, if any.

What commonly goes wrong#

The most common problem is lodging without complete and current evidence. A Student visa application often depends on matching details across the passport, CoE, health cover, relationship documents and study history. If names, dates or course details do not line up, the Department may ask questions or delay the application.

Another common problem is using documents that expire during processing. Passports can expire, health cover periods can end, and CoEs can become outdated if course dates change. When that happens, the applicant may need to upload replacements, and the file can stall in the meantime.

Condition 8202 issues are often handled badly because people assume the provider's academic process and the visa process are the same thing. They are not. A provider may allow a transfer, deferment or new enrolment, but the visa holder still needs the visa side of the change to be properly reflected in a current application and current documents.

People also miss messages from the Department because they do not keep contact details up to date. If an address, email or phone number changes and the Department is not told, requests for more information can be missed. Deadlines can then pass without a response.

Travel is another area where mistakes happen. A bridging visa granted after a further stay application usually stops on departure unless the person holds a Bridging visa B that allows travel. People sometimes leave Australia assuming they can return on the same bridging visa, then find they cannot board or re-enter as expected.

Some applicants assume a bridging visa carries the same rights as the substantive one. That is not always true. Work rights and travel rights can be different, so the visa conditions on the bridging visa notice need to be checked carefully.

Provider changes can also cause timing issues. A release from the old provider, a new CoE from the new provider, and the visa application documents all need to fit together. If the transfer is started before the paperwork is settled, there can be gaps or contradictions in the record.

Family member details are another source of delay. A relationship may be genuine and ongoing, but if the documents are inconsistent, not translated where required, or not uploaded correctly, the Department may not be able to finalise the family member part of the application.

Finally, some people lodge very close to visa expiry and assume that is enough by itself. A valid lodgement before the current visa ends is important, but late planning can still create practical problems. These include not having updated course dates, not having time to complete health steps, or discovering that a passport needs renewal at the last minute.

Frequently asked questions#

Can a student visa be extended in Australia?#

There is no simple extension added to the end of an existing subclass 500. A person in Australia generally makes a new Student visa (subclass 500) application if more time is needed to continue study or if study arrangements change. The new application is assessed on its own merits at the time of lodgement.

Do I need a new student visa if I change education provider?#

A provider change does not automatically create a new visa, but it can affect whether a new subclass 500 application is needed. The key practical issue is that the visa record, the CoE and the actual study arrangement need to match. Where study dates or enrolment arrangements change, a new application may be part of the process.

How much is the Student visa 500 further stay application?#

The government charge is $2,500 for the main applicant, $1,870 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over, and $610 for each additional applicant under 18. These are government charges and are the same no matter who lodges the application. Professional fees, if a registered migration agent or lawyer is used, are separate.

Can I work while waiting for a new Student visa decision?#

Work rights while waiting depend on the visa in effect at the time, including any bridging visa that starts after the current substantive visa ends. A bridging visa does not always carry the same conditions as the previous student visa. The actual work condition appears on the grant notice for the visa that is in effect.

What happens if my current student visa expires after I lodge a new one?#

If a valid further stay application is lodged in Australia before the current substantive visa ends, a bridging visa may be granted in connection with that application. That bridging visa usually comes into effect when the current substantive visa ceases. It is a separate visa, so its conditions need to be read carefully, especially for work and travel.

About this page. This is general information about how the Student visa - further stay / change of provider (subclass 500-extend) works. It is not immigration assistance and it is not advice about your situation. Under section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 only a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner can give you that. Charges are indexed and most change on 1 July, so check any figure against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you rely on it, and check any agent's registration on the OMARA register.