Australia has introduced major changes to its student visa rules, restricting the ability of many applicants to apply from within the country and limiting the inclusion of family members.
The new rules for Student visas (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visas (subclass 590) came into effect on October 2, 2026, according to Australia’s Department of Home Affairs.
Under the changes, most temporary visa holders in Australia will no longer be permitted to lodge a Student or Student Guardian visa application while in the country. Those affected will have to be outside Australia both when submitting their application and when the visa is granted.
The restrictions also apply to most existing Student visa holders seeking another Student visa while remaining in Australia. However, exemptions are available in certain circumstances, including for students progressing to a higher Australian Qualifications Framework level, PhD applicants, school students, certain government-sponsored students and those requiring additional time to complete their existing course.
The government has also introduced significant restrictions concerning dependants.
Most Student visa applicants will no longer be able to include their partner or dependent children in a new application unless they qualify for an exemption. Exemptions include PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, foreign government scholarship recipients and eligible students from Pacific countries and ASEAN member states.
Current Student visa holders will also no longer be able to add family members as “subsequent entrants” after their visa has been granted, with the Department stating that there are no exemptions to this rule.
However, the changes do not affect existing Student visas. Applications lodged before October 2, including applications containing family members, will continue to be assessed under the rules in force when they were submitted.
The Department has warned prospective students to check the new requirements before enrolling in courses or making travel, financial or relocation arrangements, noting that an application lodged from within Australia when the applicant is required to apply offshore will be considered invalid. (Newswire)