🇨🇴Study in Australia from Colombia

For a university degree, apply through the university's international portal or an authorised agent, with certified Spanish-to-English translations of your Bachiller certificate and any degree documents.

For English (ELICOS) or vocational (VET) courses, you usually apply through the college or an agent. These sit on the same subclass 500 visa but have lighter English and academic entry requirements.

Most universities run February and July intakes and assess on a rolling basis. English and vocational colleges have monthly or bi-monthly start dates. Use the universities directory and the deadline calendar for degree study.

Tuition runs from the low A$30,000s at regional and newer universities to the high A$40,000s and beyond at the Group of Eight. Living costs depend on the city: budget around A$30,000 a year, more in Sydney and Melbourne, less in Adelaide, Perth, and regional centres.

On top of that: the A$2,500 student visa, roughly A$500 to A$700 a year for single Overseas Student Health Cover, flights, and initial setup. See the cost-of-living breakdowns by city and the most affordable universities.

For undergraduate entry, universities take the Bachiller certificate, often with a foundation year, or a completed first year of a Colombian university program for direct entry.

A Colombian professional degree (titulo profesional), usually four to five years, is accepted for direct entry to Australian master's programs. Universities publish entry tables mapping your average to their requirement.

English is shown with IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL. Degree courses want around 6.5 overall for a master's; English and vocational courses accept lower. The student visa has its own floor.

International students hold the subclass 500 student visa. You apply after you receive and accept an offer and the university issues a Confirmation of Enrolment. You must meet the Genuine Student requirement, which replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant test in March 2024, and show genuine access to funds.

Home Affairs does not publish a public evidence level for Colombia. Use the Document Checklist Tool for your chosen provider and course type. You should be ready to show funds for tuition, travel, and 12 months of living costs, an English test result, and a Genuine Student statement.

Because many Colombian applications are for lower-cost English or vocational courses with work rights, case officers look hard at whether study or work is the real purpose. A study plan that connects the course to your career, and funds that are not solely dependent on working in Australia, are what carry the application.

Full detail on the visa itself, conditions, and family members is on the subclass 500 page.

Most bachelor’s and master’s graduates qualify for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), which gives two to three years of full work rights. That skilled work is the usual step toward permanent residence through the points-tested visas.

Check where you stand with the points calculator and track demand in the SkillSelect invitation rounds.