On a subclass 189 visa you can study at any level in Australia without a student visa. At undergraduate level you pay the subsidised “domestic student” rate, and for a PhD or a Master’s by research you will usually pay no tuition at all. However, until you obtain citizenship you have no access to HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loans, which means tuition must be paid up front, in cash, before the census date.
This precise and unambiguous picture comes from Dr Sirous Ahmadi, Australian migration lawyer, MARA registration number 0854826, drawn from years of case-by-case work in the skilled visa space, where the most common misunderstanding among clients lies not in the “right to study”, but in “how tuition is actually paid”.
The subclass 189 visa is a permanent visa, and its holder is a permanent resident from the moment of grant. Accordingly, no student visa and no study-related condition applies to you. The key point Dr Ahmadi always emphasises is the separation of two entirely distinct mechanisms: the government subsidy delivered through a Commonwealth Supported Place under section 36-10 of the HESA, which permanent residents do receive; and the HELP family of loans, which they do not. Conflating the two is the main source of the mistaken belief in “free education”.
At undergraduate level your status is that of a domestic student, and you benefit from the general subsidy in the same way as Australian citizens. A CSP, however, does not cover the full cost of the course, and the student contribution remains payable. The citizenship/residency requirements for HECS-HELP are limited to Australian citizens, holders of a permanent humanitarian visa (and eligible former holders), Pacific Engagement visa holders, and eligible New Zealand SCV holders who meet the long-term residence requirement. A subclass 189 holder must therefore pay the student contribution directly to the university by the census date. The “four years” figure often heard in general conversation is the general residence requirement for citizenship — those who became permanent residents on or after 1 July 2007 must be present in Australia for four years — and what unlocks access to HELP is citizenship itself, not the passage of four years of permanent residence.
FEE-HELP is likewise unavailable to subclass 189 holders, with one exception: a bridging course for overseas-trained professionals. The practical consequence is clear: coursework programs charging the full domestic fee must be funded from your own resources. By contrast, a Master’s by research, like a PhD, falls within the Research Training Program, and its fees offset generally applies for up to two years full-time for a research Master’s and four years for a PhD, provided the university grants an RTP place. Note that the SSAF remains payable in any event.
On the question of fees for coursework Master’s programs, Dr Ahmadi avoids quoting definitive figures: these fees are set by each university, and the size of the gap compared with international fees varies by institution and by field of study; in some fields the number of CSPs is limited. No fixed rule such as “one third” or “one quarter” is supported by official sources, and financial planning should be based on the published rate of the particular university.
If you have a specific study pathway in mind — from a bachelor’s degree through to a PhD — a short, focused conversation before you enrol can give you a realistic picture of the costs and of your own status. For personal guidance and peace of mind in your decision-making, please contact the office of Dr Sirous Ahmadi.
This answer reflects the law and policy as verified on September 29, 2026. Immigration rules change frequently — confirm the current position before acting.
Dr. Sirous Ahmadi Registered Migration Agent 0854826
This article is general information only, current at the date shown, and is not legal advice. Do not rely on it for your own situation — immigration law and policy change frequently. Seek advice from a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer about your circumstances.