Can I move from a Student visa (500) to a Temporary Graduate visa (485) in 2026?
Yes — the pathway exists, and one sentence sets the condition. The Department of Home Affairs' Student visa (subclass 500) page (as of the August 2026 official page) states that if you hold or held a Student visa and completed specific qualifications in Australia in the last six months, you might be eligible for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). The move is not an automatic extension of your student visa: it is a fresh application whose clock is tied to when your Australian qualification was completed, and the window the department names is six months.
What does the Student visa (500) page say about the 485?
The 500 page treats the 485 as one of several answers to "how do I stay longer", each matched to a different situation. Only one of them is tied to finishing a course.
| Your situation | Option named on the Student visa (500) page |
|---|---|
| Continuing to study in Australia | Apply for a new Student visa (subclass 500) |
| Your 500 will expire before your graduation | Might be eligible for a Visitor visa (subclass 600); needs a letter from the education provider with the date of your graduation |
| You hold or held a 500 and completed specific qualifications in Australia in the last six months | Might be eligible for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) |
| Staying longer for other reasons | A new visa that suits your circumstances |
The consistent hedge in the official wording is "might be eligible" — the 500 page points you to the 485, it does not grant it.
When does the six-month window start?
The anchor is completion of the qualification, not your graduation ceremony and not the expiry date printed on your visa grant. The official phrasing is "completed specific qualifications in Australia in the last six months", so the qualifying date is the one your education provider records as completion.
The 500 page does not spell out exactly how completion is evidenced for the 485. For the neighbouring Visitor visa case, the department asks for a letter from the education provider stating the date of your graduation — the same kind of provider-issued date, rather than a date you choose, is what these timelines turn on.
One limit worth naming: the page says "specific qualifications" without listing them. Which Australian qualifications qualify is not defined here, so that question has to be settled against the official 485 criteria rather than assumed.
Do I need to still hold a Student visa when I apply?
No. The wording is "hold or held a Student visa", so a 500 that has already ceased does not by itself close the pathway — what matters is that the qualification was completed in Australia and inside the six-month window.
What finishing your course does change is your ability to remain on a 500. The eligibility page states that a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is no longer valid if it is cancelled or the course is complete, and that you must maintain enrolment in a course of study to be eligible for a student visa. In practice, completing the course closes the door on extending the 500, which is why the 485 application becomes the practical priority rather than a later step.
How long can I stay on a Student visa while I plan the switch?
It is a temporary visa to study for up to 6 years, with the actual length of stay determined by the type of course and its length. Travel outside Australia is allowed as many times as you want while the visa is valid, but time spent outside Australia does not extend it.
Work rights run alongside enrolment: you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight when your course of study or training is in session, while students studying a masters by research or doctoral degree — and their families — have no work limit.
What fills the gap if my Student visa expires before I finish?
The 500 page names the Visitor visa (subclass 600): if your Student visa will expire before your graduation you might be eligible, and you will need a letter from your education provider with the date of your graduation. It is presented as a way to remain in Australia until graduation, and it does not change how the six-month window for the 485 is counted.
Is the move reversible — can I go back to a Student visa after a 485?
Not from inside Australia while you hold the 485. The Student visa eligibility page lists the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) among the visas that stop you applying for a Student visa in Australia: you can apply in Australia if you hold a substantive visa except for 485 and a short list of other temporary visas.
Sequencing therefore matters. If further study is part of your plan, it needs to happen while a 500 is still obtainable, because the 485 is a one-way door for onshore student applications. The page does allow a narrow 28-day window for applicants without a substantive visa who have recently held a Student visa, a special purpose visa or a dependent Diplomatic (temporary) visa, or who have had a cancellation set aside by the Tribunal — and it warns that a valid application is not possible in some repeat scenarios where an earlier visa was granted on an application made without a substantive visa.
What the Student visa page does not decide for you
The 500 page establishes that the route exists and when the window opens. It does not set out the 485's streams, evidence requirements, English language rules, health and character requirements, duration or cost, and it publishes no processing-time figure for either visa; the only timing guidance on the page is to allow plenty of time, lodge well in advance, and expect delays at peak periods or when documents are missing. Those criteria sit in the official Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) page and the migration legislation behind it, and they are what actually decide an application.
This article is general information about how the official page frames the pathway, not personalised advice about your circumstances — because criteria and settings change, treat the current official publication as authoritative, and rely on a registered professional for anything that turns on your own record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to apply for the 485 within six months of graduating?
The Student visa page frames eligibility around completing specific qualifications in Australia "in the last six months", so the window runs from completion rather than from your visa's expiry date. The page also covers applicants who hold or have held a Student visa, so an expired 500 does not by itself end the pathway. Which qualifications qualify is not defined on that page, so confirm it against the official 485 criteria.
Do I need to still hold a Student visa when I lodge the 485 application?
No — the official wording covers applicants who hold or previously held a Student visa, provided the Australian qualification was completed inside the six-month window. What you cannot do is keep extending the 500 after the course ends, because a CoE stops being valid once the course is complete and enrolment must be maintained to be eligible for a student visa.
Can I apply for another Student visa after holding a 485?
Not from inside Australia while you hold the 485, which the Student visa eligibility page lists among the visas that prevent an onshore Student visa application. If further study matters to you, sequence it before the 485 rather than after. A narrow 28-day exception exists for some applicants who recently held a Student visa, but it is not a general workaround.
What if my Student visa expires before my graduation?
The 500 page names the Visitor visa (subclass 600) as a possibility, and says you will need a letter from your education provider with the date of your graduation. It is a way to remain in Australia until graduation, and it does not change how the six-month window for the 485 is counted.
How long can a Student visa last, and how much can I work?
It is a temporary visa to study for up to 6 years, with the length of stay determined by the type and length of the course. You can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course or training is in session; masters by research and doctoral students, and their families, have no work limit. Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.
Does the official page give a fee or processing time for the move?
The Student visa page publishes no visa application charge figure here — it directs applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator and notes possible extra costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics. It also gives no processing-time figure, advising only that applications can take longer during peak periods and that incomplete applications slow things down. For current figures, rely on the Department of Home Affairs' Student visa (subclass 500) and Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) pages.