New restrictions on Student visa applications in Australia
Under the new rules, many temporary visa holders in Australia can no longer lodge a Student visa (subclass 500) or Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) application while they are in Australia.
The changes also affect people who already hold a Student visa and want to apply for another Student visa. In many cases, the applicant will now need to be outside Australia when the application is lodged.
If the new rules require an applicant to lodge their Student visa application from outside Australia, they must also generally be outside Australia when the visa is granted.
Existing Student visa holders are also affected
A person who already holds a Student visa and wants to apply for a further Student visa is generally affected by the new offshore application requirement unless an exemption applies.
This includes a person who currently holds a Student visa as a dependant and now wants to become the primary Student visa applicant.
Importantly, the changes do not cancel or alter a person’s current Student visa simply because the new rules have commenced.
Who may still be able to apply in Australia?
There are several exemptions that may allow an existing Student visa holder to apply for another Student visa while remaining in Australia.
These include certain students who:
- need up to 12 additional months to complete their existing studies with the same education provider;
- are sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Defence;
- are applying to undertake a PhD;
- are undertaking primary or secondary school studies;
- have completed their main course and are progressing to a course at a higher Australian Qualifications Framework level;
- are progressing between certain courses that do not have an AQF level and courses that do; or
- cannot continue their course because their education provider has defaulted.
The exemption rules are detailed and should be considered carefully before enrolling in another course or making travel arrangements.
Major changes for partners and dependent children
The reforms also make significant changes to the way family members can be included in Student visa applications.
Under the new rules, Student visa applicants can generally no longer include their partner or dependent children in the Student visa application unless an exemption applies.
More significantly, a Student visa holder can no longer add family members later through a subsequent entrant Student visa application after the primary Student visa has been granted.
There are no general exemptions allowing a new family member to be added after the Student visa has already been granted.
Who may still include family members?
Family members may still be able to be included at the time of the Student visa application in certain circumstances, including where the primary applicant is:
- studying a PhD;
- sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Defence;
- receiving an eligible foreign government scholarship; or
- an eligible student from a Pacific country or an ASEAN member country.
Where family members are eligible to be included, the primary applicant and the family members included in the application must generally be in the same location when the application is lodged.
What about families already on Student visas?
The new rules contain transitional arrangements for some existing Student visa families.
If family members are already included in a current Student visa, they may in some circumstances be able to remain included in a further Student visa application lodged in Australia.
However, the new rules should be checked carefully before making any decision about a further Student visa, changing courses, or making plans for a partner or child to join the student in Australia.
Applications lodged before 2 October 2026
Student visa applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are not subject to these new application and family-member rules.
Applications lodged before the commencement date, including applications that already included family members, will continue to be assessed under the rules that applied when the application was lodged.
Students should review their plans carefully
These reforms represent a significant change to the Student visa program. Students planning to extend their studies, commence another course, change from a dependent Student visa to a primary Student visa, or bring family members to Australia should check how the new rules apply to their individual circumstances before taking further steps.
Because eligibility can depend on the applicant’s current visa, course, education provider, level of study and family circumstances, professional advice may be appropriate before lodging an application or making major study or travel decisions.
