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Student visa (500) - Higher Education Sector processing time from Kenya
Processing times for Kenya passport holders applying for the Student visa (Subclass 500), based on real decided applications.
Data: July 2026
Applying from outside Australia (offshore)
50 days
Median for Kenya applicants: half decided faster, half slower.25% decided within34 days
75% decided within2 months
90% decided within3 months
Applying from inside Australia (onshore)
5 months
Median for Kenya applicants: half decided faster, half slower.25% decided within4 months
75% decided within6 months
90% decided within6 months
Applications from Kenya take about 34 days longer than the all-nationality median for the Student visa.Kenya ranks #61 of 65 countries for Student visa processing speed.
About Student visa processing times for Kenya
Why processing times vary by nationality
Every Student visa application goes through the same process, regardless of nationality. What varies between countries is verification workload: how many supporting documents typically need checking, how quickly a country's civil and identity documents can be verified, and how many Kenya applications the Department is processing at any given time.Where this data comes from
This data is derived from approximately 4.5 million visa grants obtained from the Department of Home Affairs via Freedom of Information request (Reference: DA25/10/00449), covering July 2024 to September 2025. View the released document.Methodology
Processing times shown are monthly averages for this visa subclass and stream, aggregated across all countries and application locations.Times are presented as percentiles (25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) showing what proportion of applicants received decisions within each timeframe.Data is updated monthly when new information becomes available from the Department of Home Affairs.
Get a personalised estimate
The figures above are averages across everyone. Your citizenship and location can make a big difference. Our Visa Time Checker gives you a personalised estimate based on your specific situation, not just these aggregated figures.Check other visa types
Looking for a different visa? Use our visa processing time checker to see estimates for any Australian visa type.Common questions
How long does the Student visa take from Kenya?
As of July 2026, the median processing time for the Student visa for Kenya passport holders is 50 days, meaning half of applications are decided within that time and half take longer. This is based on real Department of Home Affairs data, but it's indicative only, not a guarantee for any individual application.
Can my application be processed faster than the median?
Yes. The figures on this page are medians and percentiles across many applications, not a fixed timeline. Individual cases move faster or slower depending on how complete the application is, whether extra checks or documents are needed, and current volumes at the Department. A complete, error-checked application removes one of the most common causes of delay.
Where does this processing time data come from?
This data comes from a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Home Affairs, covering about 4.5 million visa grants between July 2024 and September 2025. We update these figures monthly as the Department publishes new processing time data.
Does applying through Tern make my Student visa faster?
No visa processor, including Tern, can make the Department decide faster. What we control is the quality of your application: checked before submission, so it isn't delayed by an avoidable error or missing document. On eligible visas, we also commit to a grant-by date upfront.