Australia’s Student visa rules have changed from 2 October 2026. This article summarises the changes announced by the Department of Home Affairs and the related legislative instruments that commenced on 2 October 2026. The Department of Home Affairs has introduced new rules affecting where certain Student visa applications can be lodged, whether applicants must be outside Australia when the visa is granted, and when family members can be included.

What changed from 2 October 2026?

The changes apply to Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) arrangements. The Department says the new rules affect people applying for a Student visa while in Australia, current Student visa holders applying for another Student visa, and applicants considering whether family members can be included.

1. Most affected temporary visa holders must apply from outside Australia

Under the new rules, most temporary visa holders who are affected by the new location requirements must be outside Australia when they lodge a Student or Student Guardian visa application. They must also be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

If a person lodges an application in Australia when they are required to apply from outside Australia, the application may be invalid. Applicants should check whether an exemption applies before lodging.

2. Current Student visa holders may face new offshore application requirements

Current Student visa holders who want to apply for another Student visa generally need to apply from outside Australia unless a limited exemption applies.

Department of Home Affairs guidance identifies exemptions that can allow some current Student visa holders to apply in Australia. These include certain students who need up to 12 additional months to complete their studies with the same provider, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, PhD applicants, primary or secondary school students, certain higher-AQF course progressions, and students affected by provider default.

3. Family members generally cannot be included in a new Student visa application

Student visa applicants can no longer generally include a partner or dependent children in their Student visa application unless an exemption applies.

Limited exemptions include certain PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, foreign government scholarship recipients, and eligible students from Pacific countries and ASEAN member countries. Additional transitional-style exemptions may apply where family members were already included on the current Student visa and the applicant needs further time to complete the main course or is affected by an education provider default.

4. Family members cannot be added after the Student visa is granted

Current Student visa holders cannot add family members as subsequent entrants after the Student visa has been granted. The Department states that there are no exemptions to this rule.

5. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026

Student visa applications lodged before the new rules commenced continue to be assessed under the rules that applied when they were lodged, including applications that included family members.

What should students do now?

  • Check whether you are required to lodge your Student visa application outside Australia.
  • Check whether a specific exemption applies before making travel, study or financial commitments.
  • If applying offshore, remember that the Department may also require you to be outside Australia when the Student visa is granted.
  • Do not assume that a partner or dependent child can be added later as a Student visa subsequent entrant.
  • Current Student visa holders planning further study should check the course-progression and other exemptions before making an application.
  • Check the Department of Home Affairs website and the current legislative instruments before lodging.

Official sources

This article is based on current information published by the Australian Department of Home Affairs and the Federal Register of Legislation. The relevant instruments are the Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026 (F2026L01347), the Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026 (F2026L01348), and the Migration (LIN 20/158: Class of Persons for Student (Temporary) (Class TU) Visa Applications) Amendment Instrument 2026 (F2026L01349).

Information in this article is general information only and should not be relied on as migration advice for a particular case. Visa applicants should check the current Department of Home Affairs requirements before lodging an application.