Study in Australia: Fees, Intakes, Universities, Jobs for Filipino Students

Filipino students studying in Australia get access to 9 universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2027 top 100, the right to work up to 48 hours per fortnight during term, and a direct post-study route to residency through the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485), which allows 2 to 6 years of work depending on qualification level.

Undergraduate applicants need a completed Senior High School Certificate (Grade 12) under the Philippines' K-12 curriculum, generally with a GPA equivalent of 70 to 80%, plus an accepted English test score (IELTS 6.0 to 6.5, PTE Academic 50 to 58, or equivalent). Postgraduate applicants need a recognised Bachelor's degree, a higher English score, and relevant work experience for some courses.

Tuition for a Bachelor's degree costs AUD 20,000 to 45,000 a year, a Master's degree AUD 22,000 to 50,000, and a Diploma AUD 4,000 to 8,000. Living costs add roughly AUD 29,710 a year, the figure the Department of Home Affairs uses to assess visa financial capacity.

The process has four steps: choose a course and university, submit academic transcripts and an English test score to receive a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), lodge a Subclass 500 student visa application with proof of funds and OSHC, then wait for a decision, which the Department of Home Affairs typically processes within 4 to 6 weeks for the Philippines. AECC provides this guidance free of charge.

No course is entirely free, but the Australia Awards Scholarship, a fully funded Australian government award for Filipino applicants, covers tuition, living expenses, return airfares, and an establishment allowance for the full duration of study. University-specific awards, such as Macquarie University's AUD 10,000 scholarship, can also cover a substantial share of tuition.

There's no single fixed amount published by the Department of Home Affairs. Instead, applicants must show enough funds to cover 12 months of living costs (around AUD 29,710), plus tuition and travel, through savings, an education loan, or a scholarship letter. AECC's counsellors help calculate the exact figure based on your course and city.

Yes. Subclass 500 student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, and unlimited hours during official semester breaks.

Yes. Most Filipino graduates first move onto a Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485), which grants 2 years of work rights for a Bachelor's degree, 3 for a Master's, and 4 for a PhD (extended by 2 years under current settings), before applying for a skilled independent visa (Subclass 189), a state-nominated visa (Subclass 190), or employer sponsorship.

Most graduates take 2 to 4 years from finishing their course to being granted permanent residency, using the Subclass 485 visa period to build the work experience and points needed for a skilled visa.

Skilled visa application charges currently run from around AUD 4,640 to 5,795 for the primary applicant (Subclass 189/190/491), on top of costs for a skills assessment (AUD 500 to 1,000) and English test fees. Migration agent fees, if used, are separate and vary by agent.

Graduating in an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List, commonly nursing, engineering, and ICT for Filipino graduates, and securing employer sponsorship under the Subclass 186 or 494 visa is typically the quickest route, since it avoids competing in the points-tested general skilled migration pool.

Yes, through the points-tested Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189), which requires no job offer or state nomination but does require a minimum of 65 points across age, English proficiency, qualifications, and work experience, assessed against Australia's Skilled Occupation List.

Permanent residents can live and work in Australia indefinitely, access Medicare, and sponsor eligible family members. After 4 years of lawful residence in Australia, including at least 12 months holding PR, they become eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.

For most Filipino students, yes. It combines 9 QS top-100 universities, legal part-time work rights, an established Filipino community of around 400,000 people, and one of the clearest study-to-PR pathways of any major destination, through the Subclass 485 to Subclass 189/190/186 route.

Yes. The Australia Awards Scholarship is fully funded and specifically open to Filipino applicants with a strong academic record. University-funded scholarships, including awards from Monash, UQ, and Macquarie, are also open to Filipino applicants and typically range from AUD 7,000 to full tuition coverage.

Most describe the adjustment as easier than expected, citing Australia's established Filipino communities of 50,000 or more in cities like Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. See our student success stories for first-hand accounts from Filipino graduates.