How much can you earn as a student in Australia?

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Thinking of going to Australia for studies but no clue how the part-time thing works :sob: like how much do students actually earn? Is it enough to manage rent and everything? Also if anyone’s doing Masters in Australia for Indian students or been there recently?

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Hi @rina_kumari, So in Australia, as an international student you can work up to 48 hours every two weeks during the semester, and full-time during breaks. Most part-time gigs (like retail, hospitality, or admin jobs) pay around AUD 22–28 an hour. That’s enough to cover your day-to-day expenses like groceries, transport, and maybe part of your rent.

But rent in big cities like Sydney or Melbourne can be pretty high, so part-time work alone usually won’t cover everything most students still rely on savings or family support, at least at the start. I’ve got a couple of friends from India doing their master’s there, and they say it’s totally doable if you budget well and pick up extra hours during holidays.

You can check out this guide on part-time work in australia it breaks down earning potential, job types, and how to balance work with studies.

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hey @rina_kumari In Australia, if you’re on a student visa you can work 48 hours a fortnight during classes and full-time during breaks.

Pay – minimum wage is about AUD 23–24/hr but weekend/casual shifts can go up to AUD 28–30/hr. If you get something in your field (like tutoring, IT, lab work), you could make AUD 30–40/hr+.

Costs – rent is the big one:

  • Sydney/Melbourne: AUD 250–350/week for a room in a shared place.
  • Smaller cities: AUD 150–250/week.
    Food + transport + other stuff = another AUD 100–200/week.

Basically part-time work can help cover living costs if you budget well, but it won’t pay your tuition. Most students use it just for rent, groceries, and hanging out money.

you can check these links as well

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So you can work 48 hrs every 2 weeks during semester & full-time during breaks. Most students do cafe, delivery, retail jobs etc. Hourly pay’s like AUD 23–30 depending on where you are. You can manage rent & groceries if you budget smart but saving is tough.

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@rina_kumari Part-time work in Australia pays decently (about 23 AUD/hr), and with the 24-hour/week limit during semesters, most students earn enough to cover food, transport, and part of the rent if they share. But it won’t cover tuition or all living costs, so think of it as a support, not the main plan. Many Indian students manage fine with budgeting and shared housing.