We have noticed the Australian Government has tightened Subclass 500 student visa settings and refusals have increased. If you are considering a student visa, the latest change you must know is the new processing order for offshore applications.
Offshore Subclass 500 processing under Ministerial Direction 115
From 14 November 2025, Ministerial Direction 115 made under the Migration Act 1958 section 499 revokes and replaces Ministerial Direction 111 for the consideration of offshore Subclass 500 Student visa applications. The Direction sets processing priorities only and does not change the legal criteria for grant in the Migration Regulations 1994 Schedule 2 for Subclass 500. MD 115 applies to offshore Subclass 500 applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025. Applications lodged before the commencement of MD 115 continue to be considered under the earlier Direction. Source authority: Migration Act 1958 section 499 and Ministerial Direction 115.
Three priority tiers at lodgement
Priority 1
Faster commencement of processing is aimed at the following cohorts
• School students
• Non award sector students including short term exchange
• Standalone ELICOS students
• Students enrolled with a TAFE provider including specified TAFE courses at Charles Darwin University
• Students in recognised pilot training courses
• Postgraduate research PhD students
• DFAT sponsored students
• Defence sponsored students
• Foreign and Australian government scholarship students
• Transnational education students
• Students from the Pacific and Timor Leste
• Subsequent entrants where the application includes a minor under 18 years of age
Target commencement of processing is within one to four weeks of lodgement.
Priority 2
• Higher Education and VET students with providers that have reached their prioritisation threshold in 2025 that is eighty percent of their New Overseas Student Commencement allocation
• Subsequent entrants without a minor
Target commencement of processing is within five to eight weeks.
Priority 3
• Higher Education and VET students with providers that have exceeded their upper threshold that is NOSC allocation by fifteen percent
Target commencement of processing is within nine to twelve weeks.
What this means for you
• You cannot change tiers after lodgement, so getting your enrolment settings right before you file is critical.
• Processing priority does not determine the outcome. You must still satisfy the legal criteria in the Regulations, including the genuine student, financial and English requirements.
• Build in additional time if you are likely to fall into a lower priority tier.
