Australia vs UK
For Indian students — costs, work rights, visas and what we actually list, side by side.
| Australia | UK | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgrad tuition / year | AUD 22,000–50,000/yr (Group of Eight MBA/medicine can reach AUD 60,000–95,000+) | £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine) |
| Undergrad tuition / year | AUD 20,000–45,000/yr | £11,000–£33,000/yr |
| Living cost / month | AUD 1,800–2,800/month (varies by city; visa proof-of-funds is set at AUD 29,710/yr living costs) | £1,171/month outside London, £1,529/month in London (UKVI maintenance rates) |
| Work while studying | Up to 48 hours per fortnight while course is in session; unlimited hours during official course breaks | Up to 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official holidays |
| Post-study work | Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream: around 2 years after a Bachelor's or coursework Master's, 3 years for a research Master's and 4 years for a PhD, wi... | Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed |
| Main intakes | February (Semester 1) and July (Semester 2); some courses also offer a smaller November intake | September/October (main); January/February (secondary) |
| English (typical) | IELTS 6.0–7.0 overall (6.5 with no band below 6.0 is common) | IELTS 6.0–7.0 overall (course-dependent) |
| Student visa | Student visa (subclass 500) | Student visa (the UK's points-based Student route, set out in Immigration Rules Appendix Student; it replaced the old Tier 4 (General) student visa) |
| Visa fee | From AUD2,500.00 for the main applicant, as published at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au (charge increased from 1 July 2026). "There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa.... | £558 application fee, as published at gov.uk/student-visa — the same £558 applies whether you apply from outside the UK or extend/switch inside the UK, and £558 is also charged for each depe... |
| Visa processing | Home Affairs publishes no single figure — it publishes a stream-by-stream guide based on recently decided applications. Checked on the Department's visa processing times guide tool on 14 Aug... | As published at gov.uk: "You'll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks" when applying from outside the UK (i.e. from India). If you are already in the UK and extending or switchi... |
| Funds to show | As published at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au (Student visa 500 — Gather your documents), you must show enough money for travel + 12 months of course fees + 12 months of living costs (pro rata for... | Two parts, as published at gov.uk/student-visa/money. (1) Course fees: enough to cover your course for 1 academic year (up to 9 months) — the exact amount is the figure stated on your CAS, m... |
| Universities we list | 39 | 103 |
| Programmes we list | 29 | 81 |
| Scholarships we list | 48 | 57 |
Costs and visa figures are the published ranges from official sources — your exact fee depends on the university and programme, and we confirm it free. Universities, programmes and scholarships are live counts of what we currently list, not the size of the country's whole sector.
Where Australia comes out ahead
- Post-study work: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream: around 2 years after a Bachelor's o...
Where UK comes out ahead
- More programmes with a fee we have checked against the university (45 vs 23).
- More universities live on Vibedu (103 vs 39).
- More scholarships we can point you at (57 vs 48).
- Post-study work: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027)...
Australia vs UK — FAQs
5 questions
Compare the tuition and living rows above: Australia postgrad tuition is AUD 22,000–50,000/yr (Group of Eight MBA/medicine can reach AUD 60,000–95,000+). UK is £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine). Living costs and the funds you must show for the visa matter as much as tuition — we work out the all-in number for your city and course, free.
Australia: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream: around 2 years after a Bachelor's or coursework Master's, 3 years for a research Master's and 4 years for a PhD, with extra time for study in regional areas UK: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed
Australia: Up to 48 hours per fortnight while course is in session; unlimited hours during official course breaks UK: Up to 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official holidays
Neither is automatic. What actually decides it is documentation: funds held for the required period, a genuine study plan and a clean application. See our Australia and UK visa guides for each official process, fee and document list.
No. Shortlisting, applications, SOP/LOR/Resume and visa guidance are free — we are paid by partner universities, not by you.
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