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Can Indian Students In Australia Pay for Their Own Expenses? The Harsh Truth No One Tells You
"Can I survive without asking my parents for money?"
If you're one of the thousands of Indian students in Australia, this question has probably been eating at you for weeks, if not months. I’ve been there. And let me tell you, it's not just a question. It’s a fear, a dream, and a dare all rolled into one.
Before I boarded my flight to Melbourne, I had the same dream to work hard and never ask my parents for a rupee. I watched countless YouTube videos, joined Reddit threads, and even chatted with alumni. Everyone had one foot in hope and the other in brutal reality.
So… can you actually pay for your tuition and expenses in Australia without burdening your family?
Well, there’s no correct answer for this, and it’s what inspired me to write this. If you’re planning to study in Australia or are already here and wondering if you can survive without calling home for money every month, this is the reality check you were missing.
Cost of Studying in Australia: What You’ll Actually Pay?
First, let’s look at what you’re up against.
A typical bachelor’s degree for an international student can cost around AUD 15,000 per semester, while most master’s programs cost closer to AUD 20,000 per semester. Over two to three years, you’re looking at AUD 60,000 to AUD 90,000 in total, which is around 45 Lakhs INR. And we’re not even counting rent, groceries, transport, and emergencies.
Now, the next logical question is: Can you work your way through it?
Can You Cover Living Expenses with Part-Time Jobs in Australia?
If you're heading there on a Subclass 500 visa, you're officially allowed to work up to 48 hours per fortnight (that’s 2 weeks) once your classes begin. This rule is effective from July 1, 2023. But don’t get disheartened just yet because during your university breaks or holidays, you can work unlimited hours. There’s one more catch: you can’t start working the moment you land. Your job hustle begins only after your course has actually started.
Even if you're working part-time, your income will be taxed. You’ll need to get a Tax File Number (TFN) and expect a portion of your earnings to go toward taxes, depending on how much you make. It’s definitely something you need to factor in while budgeting your living and tuition expenses.
Most part-time jobs in Australia pay around AUD 24-26 per hour. So, even if you get lucky like I did and consistently earn around AUD 2,200–2,400 per month, the cost of living in Australia is expensive. My rent alone was AUD 900 a month (shared with two others), groceries took another 250, transport chewed up 150, and then there were phone bills, random course supplies, and the occasional doctor visit.
At the end of every month, I had maybe AUD 700–800 left, and that’s if nothing went wrong. One time, I had a dental emergency and that meant goodbye to an entire month’s savings.
What About Full-Time Work During Breaks For Indian Students in Australia?
Now here’s where things get interesting and where real hope lies.
During official semester breaks, international students get full working rights.
I knew a guy from Delhi who worked at a warehouse during his summer break. His shift started at 6 AM and ended at 7 PM, sometimes longer. He worked six days a week, every week, for three months. At AUD 26 per hour, with around 13 hours a day, he was pulling in nearly AUD 9,500 a month.
By the time uni started again, he’d saved over AUD 28,000, which was enough to cover nearly two semesters of tuition if spent wisely.
What Part-Time Jobs in Australia Can Actually Help You Make Real Money?
Well enough about the expenses and average pay per hour now; let’s talk about something that truly matters. What jobs can you get in Australia and how much will you earn?
In my experience and from what I’ve seen other students do, these are the categories you’ll encounter:
There are the entry-level gigs: fast food, cleaning, and supermarket checkout. These pay around AUD 23–28 per hour. They’re easy to get, but hard to survive on if that’s your only income.
Then there are high-effort but higher-paying roles: warehouse packers, night shift cleaners, and construction assistants. These can pay anywhere between AUD 30–40 per hour if you find the right employer.
The last but probably one of the most important categories is skilled jobs, like disability support work, aged care, tech internships, or tutoring. I knew a girl from Chandigarh who worked part-time as a carer after completing a short course in disability care. She was earning AUD 42 per hour and even saved enough to send ?1 lakh a month back home. That’s not luck; that’s pure strategy and you can do that too.
Top 10 Best-Paying Part-Time Jobs in Australia for Indian Students – 2025
So, after researching a lot, I’ve come up with this list of the most lucrative part-time job options to consider in 2025 that can help you cover both your cost of studying in Australia and your living expenses:
|
Job Role |
Estimated Hourly Earnings (AUD) |
|
Freelance Graphic Designer |
80 |
|
Mental Health or Healthcare Support Counsellor |
50 |
|
Accounting or Finance Clerk |
46.88 |
|
Preschool or Early Childhood Educator |
41.73 |
|
Remote Online Assistant |
35 |
|
Café Barista (Part-Time) |
34.63 |
|
Delivery Personnel (Food/Packages) |
32 |
|
Retail Sales Associate |
26 |
|
Shop Floor Assistant (Retail) |
26 |
|
General Store Crew Member |
25.68 |
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Is It Really Possible to Pay All Your Fees in Australia?
If you rely only on 24-hour part-time work during semesters, no, it’s not enough. You’ll barely cover the cost of living in Australia, let alone tuition.
But if you plan smart, get higher-paying work, and maximize your full-time work window during breaks, then yes, it’s actually possible. Tough, but possible.
Let’s do the math one more time. (Last one, I swear)
If you work 13 hours a day at, let’s say, even AUD 26/hour during a 3-month break.
That’s AUD 338 a day × 6 days a week ? AUD 2,028 per week.
In 4 weeks, that’s over AUD 8,000, and in 3 months, about AUD 24,000–30,000.
That can fully cover a semester’s tuition and even leave you with something extra for emergencies. And if you upskill and get a high-paying job, then well, you can do the math.
The Burnout, Pressure, and the Mental Toll on Indian Students in Australia
In all this number crunching, people forget to mention the human side.
Working 13-hour shifts during summer while your friends travel or chill? It’s tough. Missing classes because your night shift went too long? It’s not great for your grades. Feeling guilty when you call home asking for help? That surely hits hard.
There were weeks I thought about giving up. Times when I’d call my parents and say, “I’m trying, but I don’t know if I can do this alone.”
But every time I made it to the end of the month without asking for money, I felt like I’d won a battle. Always remember that if you are stressed out, it’s okay to ask for help. Talk to your family or your friends; trust me, it actually helps.
So, What’s the Final Verdict?
If you’re reading this wondering if you’ll make it, it depends.
If you treat Australia like a vacation, party every weekend, and hope the money will somehow come, you’re in for a shock.
But if you’re willing to grind during breaks, live modestly, chase better job opportunities, and maybe even upskill with a short course, then yes, you can manage. Many Indian students in Australia have managed to find balance by working smart, budgeting wisely, and staying focused.
You might not pay your entire tuition just from part-time jobs in Australia, but when you combine it with savings, scholarships, or smart planning, then it’s not a dream; it’s a plan.
I’ve seen students burn out. I’ve seen students build wealth. And I’ve seen students cry on video calls with their parents because life felt like too much. But the one thing they all had in common? They showed up, they tried, and they figured it out along the way.
So if you're about to step into this journey, my advice is this—come prepared and come realistic. Between all this, it’s obvious you wouldn’t be able to give time to university or assignments; for that, remember that India Assignment Help is just a click away. We have experts who understand the curriculum of Australian universities and the challenges that indian students face, so you can trust that your work will be in the right hands.
And yes, Anything you put your mind to is possible.
And if anyone tells you otherwise, send them this.
