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How Australia Prioritizes Student Visa Applications – What You Need to Know
When applying for an Australian Subclass 500 (Student) visa, how fast your application is processed depends a lot on where you apply from, what kind of course you’re studying, and which institution you’re enrolled in. According to the Department of Home Affairs, applications are not simply handled in the order they’re lodged — there’s a priority system.
Processing Priorities for Student Visas
If you’re applying for a student visa from inside Australia, the Department generally processes applications in the order they are received. But for offshore student visa applications, there’s a more formal system laid out under “Ministerial Directions.” Depending on when you apply, different priority rules apply:
For applications lodged before 14 November 2025, the processing follows Ministerial Direction 111.
For applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025, priorities are determined by Ministerial Direction 115.
What are the Priority Tiers?
Under MD 111, student visas are grouped into two priority levels: Priority 1 – High and Priority 2 – Standard.
Priority 1 (High) includes school students; non-award (short-term) students such as exchange students; students in ELICOS programs; TAFE students (in certain courses); pilot-training students; PhD/research postgraduates; government-sponsored students (DFAT, Defence, scholarships); transnational education students from Pacific countries and Timor-Leste; and “subsequent entrants” if their application includes a minor.
Priority 2 (Standard) typically applies to higher education and VET (Vocational Education and Training) students when their provider has already reached its prioritisation threshold.
Under MD 115, there are three priority levels: Priority 1, Priority 2, and Priority 3.
Priority 1 still covers most of the categories under MD111 (school, short-term, PhD, etc.), plus higher education or VET students whose provider hasn’t reached its “priority threshold.”
Priority 2 is for students (HE or VET) whose provider has hit a certain level of its “New Overseas Student Commencement” (NOSC) allocation.
Priority 3 applies when a provider has exceeded its “upper threshold” (i.e., more than 115% of its NOSC allocation).
Expected Processing Times
The Department provides guideline timeframes for how quickly applications in each priority tier may begin processing:
Priority 1: usually within 1–4 weeks of lodgment
Priority 2: about 5–8 weeks
Priority 3: roughly 9–12 weeks (or more, depending on volume)
These “weeks” are targets based on 2025 lodgments and available processing resources. They are not guarantees — actual times may change, especially in high-lodgment periods or when additional checks (identity, character, health) are needed.
Why Your Provider Matters
Which “tier” your application falls into depends heavily on the provider of your main Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) — especially if you’re doing a package of courses. For packaged courses, the Department determines your priority based on the main provider (usually your final course’s provider).
Under MD111, the provider’s status (how much of their quota they’ve used) at the time of lodgment is what matters.
Under MD115, your priority is based on the provider’s progress toward their quota (NOSC) for the calendar year when you lodge.
What this means for you as an International Student:
Apply strategically: If your institution is under-enrolled (less than its quota), there’s a good chance your application will be Priority 1 and processed faster.
Time your application: Because priority is locked in when you lodge, while waiting might push you into a slower tier (if your provider’s status changes).
Prepare your docs early: Incomplete applications can delay your processing — make sure you submit everything (health, character, identity checks) properly.
Stay updated: Processing “targets” can change depending on how many applications Home Affairs receives and how complex each case is.
