Australia increases student and temporary graduate visa fees

Colombo, July 02 (Daily Mirror) - Australia has increased student visa charges, a move set to affect thousands of Kenyan students planning to study in the country or already studying there.

The new charges, which took effect on July 1, as confirmed by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, cut across almost all visa categories, with most rising by roughly 25 per cent.

This is a sharp jump from the usual 3 per cent adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index that Australia typically applies each year.

The Student Visa, officially known as Subclass 500, has gone up from Ksh260,000 (USD2,000) to Ksh323,000 (USD2,500), piling more pressure on international student applicants.

Additionally, the Temporary Graduate Visa, Subclass 485, popular among students hoping to work after graduation, rose from Ksh594,000 (USD4,600) to Ksh743,000 (USD5,750).

Australian authorities also introduced a new (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) ELICOS visa rate set at Ksh265,000 (USD2,050), targeting students enrolling in English-language intensive courses.