Study in Australia from Nepal

What Can You Study in Australia After +2 or a Bachelor’s?

After +2 you can start a bachelor’s degree, a diploma or a foundation course in Australia. After a bachelor’s, you can go on to a master’s and later a PhD.

Most Nepali students who study in Australia go at one of these two points. If you are going after +2, a bachelor’s degree in Australia usually takes 3 years, and some, such as engineering, take 4. If your GPA is a little low, you can begin with a foundation course of about 1 year or a diploma course in Australia. After that, you move into the degree. Our guide to diploma vs bachelor’s in Australia after +2 helps you weigh the two.

If you already have a bachelor’s from Nepal, you can apply for a master’s degree in Australia, which usually takes 1.5 to 2 years. If you enjoy research, you can choose a master’s by research or a PhD in Australia, and research students can apply for scholarships that pay the tuition.

The table shows each level, who usually takes it and how long it lasts.

The marks and English score you need change with each level. Our page on requirements to study in Australia from Nepal explains them level by level, so read it before you choose a course.

What Changed for Nepali Students in 2026?

The biggest change is that, since 2 October 2026, most students can no longer bring a partner or children on a student visa.

Home Affairs explains this on its page about the changes to student visa application rules. A partner or child cannot be added after the visa is granted either. PhD students and a few scholarship groups are exempt, and our guide to the Australia student visa with spouse or dependants explains who still qualifies. If you are married, talk to a counselor before you choose a course.

Three other changes matter for your file. English tests taken from 7 August 2025 use new visa scores, such as PTE Academic 47, and tests taken at home are not accepted. Visa applications lodged from outside Australia on or after 14 November 2025 follow a new order of priority. Home Affairs explains it on its student visa processing priorities page.

Home Affairs also reviews the Evidence Level of each country and university every March and September, and the September 2026 Evidence Level update is the latest. It does not publish each country’s level, but agents report that Nepal is at Level 3, the highest. In practice, this means you should send a complete set of documents from the start. Read more in our guides to the assessment level of Nepal for Australia and the Australia student visa rules for 2026.

Why Do Nepali Students Choose Australia?

Nepali students choose Australia because they can study a recognised degree, work part time while they study and stay on to work after they graduate.

Australia for Nepali students has a few practical strengths. Classes are in English, and every course for students from abroad is listed on a public government register. A large Nepali community also lives in the big cities. Many families like that the government writes down the rules for work, money and visas clearly, so you can check them yourself.

At the same time, Australia is one of the more expensive countries to study in. The visa also looks closely at your money and at why you chose your course. The five reasons below are the ones students and parents ask us about most. Each one has rules, so read the linked page before you decide.

What Is Life Like for Nepali Students in Australia?

Life is busy for most Nepali students in Australia, because they balance classes, part-time work and cooking at home, but it settles down after the first semester.

Most students share a house or a flat with other students to keep rent low, and many cook Nepali food at home to save money. Rent is the biggest cost, and the city changes it a lot: Sydney costs the most, while Adelaide, Brisbane and smaller cities cost less. Our guides to student accommodation in Australia and the best cities in Australia for Nepali students help you choose.

Your first week usually starts with orientation, where the university explains your classes, health cover and help services. Our guide to orientation week in Australia shows what to expect. In the first 2 or 3 weeks, most students open a bank account, get a tax file number and a phone plan. Only then do they start looking for work.

Australia’s weather, food and transport take a little time to get used to, and the Nepali community helps a lot in the early months. For a fuller picture, read our guide to life in Australia for Nepali students.

Which Courses Do Nepali Students Choose in Australia?

Nepali students most often choose IT, nursing, business and accounting, engineering, hotel work and child care.

Choose your course first, because it decides the university, the cost and how strong your visa file looks. The course should follow from what you studied before. It should also lead to the job you talk about in your Genuine Student answers. Our page on courses in Australia for Nepali students sorts them by level. The page on courses in Australia for international students sorts them by subject.

• IT and data: information technology courses, a Bachelor of Data Science or a Master of Business Analytics.
• Health and care: nursing and midwifery courses, with registration explained in our guide to nursing in Australia, and aged care courses.
• Business and accounting: accounting courses, the Master of Professional Accounting and an MBA in Australia.
• Engineering: civil engineering is a common choice. Engineering in Australia for Nepali students usually needs +2 science with maths.
• Hospitality and early childhood: hospitality and tourism courses, hotel management and early childhood education.
• Agriculture and social work: the Master of Agriculture and the Master of Social Work.

Some students choose a course only because they hope it leads to PR, which means permanent residency. No course can promise PR. A course that does not fit your past study can also weaken your visa file. Our page on PR courses in Australia explains how the skilled job lists work.

How Do You Choose a University or College in Australia?

Choose a university for a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD, and a college or TAFE for a diploma or trade course. Then compare the cost, the city and the marks they ask for.

The University of Melbourne, UNSW Sydney, Monash University and the University of Queensland are all in the Group of Eight universities in Australia. These are large research universities. They ask for high marks and charge high fees. Others, such as Griffith University and Macquarie University, are also popular with Nepali students.

For practical diplomas, TAFE institutes and colleges such as TAFE NSW, Box Hill Institute and William Angliss Institute teach hotel work, cookery, early childhood and trade courses. There is no single best university in Australia for Nepali students. The best one is the one that fits your course, marks and budget. Each one has a profile on our universities in Australia for international students and colleges in Australia for international students pages. If cost matters most, see the cheapest universities in Australia.

Before you apply, also look at the university’s level. Our page on level 1 universities in Australia explains what its Evidence Level means for the documents you send.

How Much Does It Cost to Study in Australia from Nepal?

For most Nepali students, the first year of a bachelor’s or master’s costs about AUD 71,000 to 83,000, which is about Rs 64 to 75 lakh.

That total covers tuition, living costs, health insurance, the visa fee and your flight. Tuition is the part that changes most: in 2026 a bachelor’s usually costs about AUD 35,000 to 47,000 a year, and a master’s about AUD 38,000 to 48,000. Diplomas and regional universities cost less, and big-city universities cost more. Our page on the total cost to study in Australia from Nepal shows the figures from each university’s 2026 fee schedule.

Living expenses in Australia for Nepali students are usually AUD 1,600 to 4,000 a month, about Rs 1.4 to 3.6 lakh, depending on the city and your room. The cost of living in Australia page breaks this down city by city. Study Australia also warns that real costs can be higher than the amount the visa asks for.

Most Nepali families pay about Rs 21 to 29 lakh before the flight, mostly for the first semester’s fees. Many use an education loan from a Nepali bank. Our guide on how much money Nepali students should carry to Australia covers the first weeks after you land.

Can You Work While You Study in Australia?

Yes, you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is running, and as many hours as you like during official breaks.

A fortnight means two weeks, so this is about 24 hours a week on average. From 1 July 2026, the lowest legal wage is AUD 26.44 an hour, says the Fair Work Ombudsman. So 48 hours at that rate earns about AUD 1,270 a fortnight before tax. That helps a lot with rent and food, but it will not pay your tuition, which is why the visa asks you to show the money first.

Plan to cover your first 3 months from savings, because finding a job takes time. Our page on working hours for students in Australia explains the rules and what counts as a break. Many Nepali students start in cafes, shops, delivery or restaurant and hotel work. Our list of the best part-time jobs in Australia for international students shows the other jobs students often find.

Amounts on this page are in Australian dollars (AUD). Rupee amounts are rounded and change with the exchange rate.

What Do You Need for an Australian Student Visa?

You need a Confirmation of Enrolment from your university, proof of money, an English test, health cover and honest Genuine Student answers.

The visa for study is the Student visa (subclass 500), and it lets you stay for the length of your course, up to 6 years. The fee starts at AUD 2,500, which is about Rs 2.3 lakh, and you pay it when you apply online. Your university sends the CoE after you accept the offer and pay the deposit, and you cannot apply for the visa without it.

For money, you show your first-year tuition, AUD 29,710 for living costs and AUD 2,000 for travel. Home Affairs checks where the money came from, so your family’s savings or loan need income and tax documents behind them. See our guide to Australia student visa financial documents from Nepal. You also need Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your whole stay.

The Genuine Student requirement asks why you chose this course, this university and Australia. Write your own answers with documents behind them, as our GS requirement guide shows. Our page on Australia student visa requirements covers every item, and the Australia student visa fee guide shows the other charges.

Why Are Some Australian Student Visas Refused?

Most refusals come from money that cannot be explained, a course that does not fit the student’s background, or weak Genuine Student answers.

Officers often see three problems. A large sum lands in the bank just before the visa. A sponsor’s income does not match the savings. Or the course is a step down from the last study. Because Nepal is reported to be at Level 3, an officer may decide without asking you for more documents, so send a complete file the first time. Our list of Australia student visa rejection reasons explains each one and how to avoid it.

Australia has not banned Nepali students, and genuine students from Nepal still get visas every month. What officers check closely is whether each document is real. Home Affairs warns on its page about providing accurate information that a false or edited document can lead to refusal, a cancelled visa and limits on future applications. So never change a bank statement or marksheet, and never use a paper that someone offers to arrange for you.

The overall grant rate for Nepali students changes every month, and our page on the Australia visa success rate from Nepal tracks the latest Home Affairs figures. Your own chance still depends on your marks, course, money and documents, and a counselor can tell you where your file is weak. Processing times change too, so check the Home Affairs processing-time tool and follow your application with our guide on how to check your Australia student visa status.

Which English Test Do You Need for Australia?

For the visa you need at least IELTS 6.0, PTE Academic 47 or TOEFL iBT 67, but most universities ask for a higher score.

These are the visa minimums for tests taken from 7 August 2025, and the test must be taken at a test centre, not at home. Universities usually ask for IELTS 6.0 for a bachelor’s and 6.5 for a master’s, and courses such as nursing and teaching ask for more. A short English course before your degree, called ELICOS, can lower the visa score you need, and the visa requirements page shows that table.

Which test is best depends on you. PTE is taken fully on a computer and results usually come quickly, while IELTS has a face-to-face speaking test that some students prefer. Read our guides to IELTS, PTE and TOEFL, the minimum IELTS and PTE for Australia, and how to study abroad without IELTS.

When Are the Intakes in Australia?

Most universities start courses in February and July, and some also take students in November.

February is the biggest intake, with the most courses and scholarships, and July is the second. Start about 6 months before your intake, because the offer, the CoE, the money documents and the visa all take time. For a February start, that means applying around August. Because +2 results in Nepal usually come out in the middle of the year, February is the natural intake for most students going straight after +2.

If you have not taken IELTS or PTE yet, start about 8 to 12 months before your intake instead. Money documents also take time in Nepal. The sponsor’s income and tax papers, a property valuation if your family uses one, and an education loan can each take weeks. So collect them while you prepare for your test.

Deadlines differ by university and by course, and some courses open only once a year. Our page on Australia intakes lists what each intake offers and when to apply.

Which Scholarships Can Nepali Students Get in Australia?

Most scholarships for Nepali students cut part of the fee. Only a few, mostly from the government, pay for everything.

University scholarships are the ones most students get. They take part of the fee off, and many come with the offer when your marks are good, so apply early. For research degrees, the Research Training Program can pay your fees and some living costs through your university.

The government’s Australia Awards pay the full cost of study after a bachelor’s, such as a master’s. There is an Australia Awards intake for Nepal starting in 2027. They are for people who will go back to work in Nepal, and only a few get them. See all the options on our page on scholarships in Australia for Nepali students, and on Study Australia’s scholarship search.

Can You Stay and Work in Australia After You Graduate?

Yes, after your course you can apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) and work full time, usually for 2 to 3 years after a degree.

A bachelor’s or a master’s by coursework usually gives you 2 years, and a master’s by research or a PhD gives you 3 years. A diploma that matches a job on the skilled list gives you 18 months. You must be 35 or under and apply from inside Australia within 6 months of finishing. The fee starts at AUD 5,750, as the Home Affairs 485 visa page explains. Studying at a regional campus can add more time.

Permanent residency is a separate step. It depends on your occupation, skills assessment, age, English and points, so no course guarantees it. Some graduates later move to a regional visa such as the 491 visa, which our guide explains.

Is Australia Better Than Canada, the UK or the USA for Nepali Students?

Australia is a good choice if you want strong work rights during and after study. But it asks you to show more money up front than most other countries.

Australia lets you work 48 hours a fortnight during term and gives 2 to 3 years of work after a degree. It asks you to show AUD 29,710 a year for living costs. Canada and the UK have their own work limits and post-study visas, while students in the USA mostly work on campus during their studies.

The best country is the one where your course, budget and career plan fit together. Compare them in our Australia vs Canada vs UK vs USA guide, which also answers USA vs Australia for Nepali students. You can also read our guides to study in Canada, the UK and the USA from Nepal.

How Do You Choose a Consultancy in Nepal for Australia?

Choose a consultancy that explains your real costs and documents, lets you check the university yourself, and never promises a visa.

You can apply on your own, but many students use a consultancy in Nepal for Australia to save time and avoid mistakes. A good counselor checks your marks and money before you pay anything. They show you the course on the CRICOS register and tell you plainly when a plan is weak. Be careful with anyone who promises a visa, because only Home Affairs decides.

Wherever you live in Nepal, you can get advice from Goreto. Our counselors work in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara, and students in other towns can talk to us by phone or online. Book a free session to check your plan, or see why students choose Goreto as their consultancy for Australia.

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