The Subclass 500 has tightened on three fronts, and the common thread is integrity — the department wants clearer evidence that an applicant is a genuine student with the means to study.
What changed
- Genuine Student (GS) requirement: the old Genuine Temporary Entrant test gave way to the Genuine Student requirement, focused on proving the applicant is genuinely studying to advance their career.
- English: the Subclass 500 generally now requires around IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent), up from 5.5; the Temporary Graduate 485 sits higher again.
- Financial capacity: the minimum was lifted to align with 75% of the national minimum wage — roughly A$29,710 in living costs for the primary applicant.
Exact figures move with indexation, so treat the numbers as a guide and confirm the current requirement before advising.
What this means for your practice
The GS requirement moved the real work earlier in the matter. A refusal risk that used to surface late now depends on documentation you gather at intake — study rationale, career logic, finances, ties.
That rewards a structured intake. Smart questionnaires that prompt the right GS evidence, a client portal that collects documents and IDs without an email chase, and a single file that holds it all mean you’re building the genuine-student case from day one — not assembling it under deadline. That intake-to-evidence flow is a core part of Centrio.
This is general information, not migration or legal advice. Requirements and figures were accurate at publication and change with indexation — always confirm against the primary source before advising a client.
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