Australia Student Visa Rules from October 2: Most Cannot Apply Onshore, Family Members Can No Longer Be Included

Australia's Department of Home Affairs has announced that from October 2, 2026, new rules apply to Student visas (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visas (subclass 590), changing who can apply for and be granted a visa while in Australia, and whether family members can be included. The department stresses that Australia continues to welcome international students and that eligible applicants can still apply.

Onshore applications restricted

• Most temporary visa holders can no longer lodge a Student visa application while in Australia; affected visas are listed on the Subclass 500 page. Those affected must be outside Australia both when they apply and when the visa is granted.
• Current Student visa holders applying for another Student visa in Australia are also affected unless an exemption applies, including dependants who want to become primary applicants.
• The changes do not affect your current Student visa.

Exemptions for applying again onshore

• You need up to 12 more months after your original course end date to finish, continuing with the same provider.
• You have completed a main course with an AQF level and are progressing to a higher AQF level (e.g., bachelor's to master's); after a higher education course, the next course must also be higher education with a higher education provider.
• You have completed school, or a course without an AQF level (such as an English course), and are progressing to a course with an AQF level.
• You are applying for a PhD or for primary or secondary school, are sponsored by DFAT or Defence, or cannot continue because your provider has defaulted.

Family members

• Student visa applicants generally can no longer include a partner or dependent children, including in further Student visa applications.
• Current Student visa holders can no longer add family members after the visa is granted; there are no exemptions to this rule.
• Exemptions at application: PhD students, DFAT- or Defence-sponsored students, foreign government scholarship holders, and eligible students from Pacific countries or ASEAN members; those who already have family on their current visa and apply onshore may be able to include them again.

What it means for students and families

• Students applying for an Australian bachelor's or master's from outside Australia lodge offshore, so the main process is unchanged.
• Moving from a bachelor's to a master's in Australia counts as progressing to a higher level and can be done onshore; check the exemptions before extending or switching to a same- or lower-level course.
• Except for exempt groups such as PhD students, families can no longer accompany a student on a Student visa.
• Applications lodged before October 2, 2026, including those with family members, are assessed under the old rules.

Sources: Home Affairs: Changes to Student visa application rules; Home Affairs fact sheet. Check the official sources for the latest policy.