By Sukhjinder Singh November 21, 2025 0 Comments

MATES Visa – Eligibility, Process & Institutes List – 2026 Update

What Is the MATES Visa?

The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES visa) subclass 403 is a new pathway that allows eligible Indian graduates and early-career professionals to live and work in Australia for up to 2 years.

Fees and Costs

  • Ballot Registration Fee: AUD $25
  • Visa Application Fee: Main Visa Applicant fee is AUD $375, plus other charges for family members.
Mates visa for Indian Graduates and professional to work and live in Australia

MATES Visa Process

Step 1: Ballot Registration

  • Register for an ImmiAccount on the Australian Home Affairs website.
  • Complete the MATES ballot registration form and pay the application fee.

Step 2: Visa Application

  • Once selected, lodge the application through ImmiAccount.
  • Attach all necessary documents, including proof of eligibility and English proficiency.

Step 3: Processing

• Applicants are processed on individual merits. The time for processing depends on the sufficiency of documents and follow-up checks.

Ballot Registration Dates

You cannot apply for this visa directly. You must register for the ballot, and if you are randomly selected, you will receive an official Invitation to Apply. The recent Ballot open and close dates are:

  • Ballot Opens: 1 November 2025
  • Ballot Closes: 14 December 2025

(You can only submit one ballot entry per year. If you are selected, you will receive a Notification of Selection Letter and must apply for the visa from outside Australia).

Ballot Selection Period

On the dates specified below, successful applicants will be issued a formal Notification of Selection letter and an invitation to apply for the visa.

  • Opens: 15 December 2025
  • Closes: 30 June 2026

Who Can Apply? (MATES Visa Requirements)

Because this is a highly exclusive visa, the Australian Government uses a random ballot (lottery) system. You must meet all the criteria below just to register for the ballot.

1. General Requirements

To enter the ballot, you must:

  • Hold a valid Indian passport and a PAN Card.
  • Be aged 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) when the ballot opens.
  • Have adequate health insurance and enough financial capacity to support your initial stay.
  • Pay the AUD $25 ballot fee.

2. English Language Requirements

Applicants need to prove their proficiency in English by scoring as indicated below in one of the following tests:

TestOverall ScoreComponent Scores
IELTSAt least 6.0At least 5.0 in each component
TOEFL iBTAt least 644 (Listening, Reading), 14 (Speaking, Writing)
PTE AcademicAt least 50At least 36 in each component

Note: Test results should be within 1 year before:

  • Submission of the visa application, or
  • The date of decision (if it was not submitted at that time).

3. Education & Qualification Requirements

This visa targets India’s brightest minds in specific high-growth sectors. You must have graduated on or after 1 November 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in one of the following fields:

  • Renewable Energy
  • Mining
  • Engineering
  • Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Financial Technology (FinTech)
  • Agricultural Technology (AgriTech)

⚠️ CRUCIAL RULE: Your degree must be from a Top 100 institution in India (specifically listed on the NIRF Overall 2024 list). Please note: Affiliated colleges not named on the Top 100 list do not qualify.

Eligible Top 100 Indian Institutes For MATES Visa

Here are the Top 100 Institutions in India listed on NIRF list that are eligible for MATES visa.

RankNameCityState
1Indian Institute of ScienceBengaluruKarnataka
2Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityNew DelhiDelhi
3Manipal Academy of Higher Education-ManipalManipalKarnataka
4Jamia Millia IslamiaNew DelhiDelhi
5University of DelhiDelhiDelhi
6Banaras Hindu UniversityVaranasiUttar Pradesh
7Birla Institute of Technology & Science -PilaniPilaniRajasthan
8Amrita Vishwa VidyapeethamCoimbatoreTamil Nadu
9Jadavpur UniversityKolkataWest Bengal
10Aligarh Muslim UniversityAligarhUttar Pradesh
11S.R.M. Institute of Science and TechnologyChennaiTamil Nadu
12Homi Bhabha National InstituteMumbaiMaharashtra
13Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical SciencesChennaiTamil Nadu
14Vellore Institute of TechnologyVelloreTamil Nadu
15Siksha O AnusandhanBhubaneswarOdisha
16Indian Agricultural Research InstituteNew DelhiDelhi
17Kalinga Institute of Industrial TechnologyBhubaneswarOdisha
18University of HyderabadHyderabadTelangana
19Chandigarh UniversityMohaliPunjab
20Anna UniversityChennaiTamil Nadu
21JSS Academy of Higher Education and ResearchMysuruKarnataka
22Amity UniversityGautam Budh NagarUttar Pradesh
23Andhra University, VisakhapatnamVisakhapatnamAndhra Pradesh
24Symbiosis InternationalPuneMaharashtra
25Kerala UniversityThiruvananthapuramKerala
26Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed-to-be-university)PatialaPunjab
26Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation University (K L College of Engineering)VaddeswaramAndhra Pradesh
28Kalasalingam Academy of Research and EducationKrishnan KoilTamil Nadu
29Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research AcademyThanjavurTamil Nadu
30Osmania UniversityHyderabadTelangana
31Lovely Professional UniversityPhagwaraPunjab
32Cochin University of Science and TechnologyCochinKerala
33Gauhati UniversityGuwahatiAssam
34University of KashmirSrinagarJammu and Kashmir
35Panjab UniversityChandigarhChandigarh
36Bharathidasan UniversityTiruchirappalliTamil Nadu
37Babasheb Bhimrao Ambedkar UniversityLucknowUttar Pradesh
38University of MadrasChennaiTamil Nadu
39Calcutta UniversityKolkataWest Bengal
40Institute of Chemical TechnologyMumbaiMaharashtra
41Dr. D. Y. Patil VidyapeethPuneMaharashtra
42Delhi Technological UniversityNew DelhiDelhi
43Mahatma Gandhi University, KottayamKottayamKerala
44Alagappa UniversityKaraikudiTamil Nadu
45UPESDehradunUttarakhand
46Bharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreTamil Nadu
47Jamia HamdardNew DelhiDelhi
48Graphic Era UniversityDehradunUttarakhand
49Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and ResearchWardhaMaharashtra
50King George’s Medical UniversityLucknowUttar Pradesh
51University of JammuJammuJammu and Kashmir
52SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management StudiesMumbaiMaharashtra
53Sathyabama Institute of Science and TechnologyChennaiTamil Nadu
54Mumbai UniversityMumbaiMaharashtra
55International Institute of Information Technology HyderabadHyderabadTelangana
56Savitribai Phule Pune UniversityPuneMaharashtra
57Shiv Nadar UniversityGautam Buddha NagarUttar Pradesh
58Manipal University JaipurJaipurRajasthan
59Bharati VidyapeethPuneMaharashtra
60Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and ResearchChennaiTamil Nadu
61Chettinad Academy of Research and EducationKelambakkam, Chengalpattu DistrictTamil Nadu
62Jain university,BangaloreBengaluruKarnataka
63Christ UniversityBengaluruKarnataka
64Punjab Agricultural UniversityLudhianaPunjab
65Bangalore UniversityBengaluruKarnataka
66Banasthali VidyapithBanasthaliRajasthan
67Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth Mahatma Gandhi Medical College CampusPuducherryPondicherry
68Madan Mohan Malaviya University of TechnologyGorakhpurUttar Pradesh
69Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management SciencesSolanHimachal Pradesh
70Vignan’s Foundation for Science Technology and ResearchGunturAndhra Pradesh
71Mysore UniversityMysuruKarnataka
72Tata Institute of Social SciencesMumbaiMaharashtra
73Tamil Nadu Agricultural UniversityCoimbatoreTamil Nadu
74Gujarat UniversityAhmedabadGujarat
75Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of KashmirSrinagarJammu and Kashmir
76Bharath Institute of Higher Education & ResearchChennaiTamil Nadu
77Central University of PunjabBathindaPunjab
78Chitkara UniversityRajpuraPunjab
79Tezpur UniversityTezpurAssam
80NITTEMangaluruKarnataka
81Jawaharlal Nehru Technological UniversityHyderabadTelangana
82Mizoram UniversityAizawlMizoram
83Central University of Tamil NaduTiruvarurTamil Nadu
84Acharya Nagarjuna UniversityGunturAndhra Pradesh
85Madurai Kamaraj UniversityMaduraiTamil Nadu
85Maharishi MarkandeshwarAmbalaHaryana
87Sharda UniversityGreater NoidaUttar Pradesh
88Gandhi Institute of Technology And Management (GITAM)VisakhapatnamAndhra Pradesh
89Central University of RajasthanKishangarhRajasthan
90Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering & TechnologyLongowalPunjab
91Padmashree Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, MumbaiMumbaiMaharashtra
92Birla Institute of TechnologyRanchiJharkhand
93Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha UniversityNew DelhiDelhi
94Periyar UniversitySalemTamil Nadu
95University of Agricultural Sciences, BangaloreBengaluruKarnataka
96Manav Rachna International Institute of Research & StudiesFaridabadHaryana
97Assam University-SilcharSilcharAssam
98University of LucknowLucknowUttar Pradesh
99Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science & Higher Education for WomenCoimbatoreTamil Nadu
100Indraprastha Institute of Information TechnologyNew DelhiDelhi

What Happens If You Are Selected?

If your ballot registration is successful, here are your exact next steps:

  1. Receive Notification: You will get an official Notification of Selection Letter.
  2. Get Invited: You will be invited to officially apply for the Subclass 403 MATES Visa.
  3. Apply Offshore: You must submit your final visa application from outside of Australia.
  4. Include Family: You can add your eligible spouse and children directly to your application.

Benefits of the MATES Visa

  • No need for employer sponsorship
  • Work for any employer
  • Gain international experience
  • Opportunity to create networks in Australia
  • Useful for future skilled migration pathways

FAQs Section

Which universities are eligible for MATES visa?

Top 100 institution in India specifically listed on the NIRF Overall 2024 list are eligible universities for MATES visa.

How much does a MATES visa cost?

The fees are broken down into two simple stages:
Stage 1: The Ballot Registration Fee (AUD $25): You only pay this small fee to enter your name into the Ballot/lottery system.
Stage 2: The Visa Application Fee (AUD $375): You only pay this fee if your name is selected in the ballot and you are officially invited to apply for the visa.

How long can you stay on a MATES visa?

This visa stream allows Indian graduates and early career professionals to live and work in Australia for up to 2 years.

Can My Family Come With Me on MATES Visa

Yes, absolutely! If your name is selected in the ballot, you can include your eligible family members (such as your spouse and dependent children) directly in your visa application so you can all travel to Australia together.

What happens if I miss the ballot registration?

If you miss the registration window, you unfortunately cannot submit a late entry. You will need to wait until the next program year when the new ballot opens.

Can I apply for the MATES visa from inside Australia?

You can register for the ballot from absolutely anywhere in the world. However, if your name is selected, you must be physically outside of Australia when you submit your visa application.

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