Major Changes to Australian Student Visa Applications from 2 October 2026:Onshore Applications and Family Members
The Department of Home Affairs has introduced significant changes to the rules for Student visas (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visas (subclass 590), effective from 2 October 2026.
Announced shortly before commencement, the changes affect who can apply for a Student visa while in Australia, when existing Student visa holders can lodge a further Student visa application onshore, and whether partners and dependent children can be included in an application.
For students already in Australia, or those planning to study in Australia with family members, it is now particularly important to check the new requirements before enrolling in another course, making travel or financial commitments, or lodging a visa application.
1. Onshore Student visa applications are now significantly restricted
From 2 October 2026, most affected temporary visa holders will no longer be able to lodge a Student visa or Student Guardian visa application while in Australia. If the new rules require you to apply offshore, you must be outside Australia both when you lodge the application and when the Student visa is granted.
This means that applicants who previously intended to enter Australia on another temporary visa and later transition to a Student visa onshore should carefully reconsider their plans.
Importantly, lodging an application in Australia when the rules require you to be offshore does not simply create a higher risk of refusal，the application will be invalid. This may also affect your immigration status and ability to make another visa application, particularly if your existing visa has already expired.
2. Existing Student visa holders may also be affected
Under the new rules, existing Student visa holders may continue to apply onshore only where they meet an applicable exemption.These exemptions include certain circumstances where the student:
needs up to 12 additional months to complete their original course with the same education provider;
is sponsored by DFAT or Defence;
is applying to undertake a PhD;
is applying for primary or secondary school studies;
has completed their main course and is progressing to a course at a higher AQF level;
is progressing between certain school, AQF and non-AQF courses; or
cannot continue their course because their education provider has defaulted.
Additional requirements may apply depending on the applicant's study history and proposed course. For example, where a student has completed a higher education course, the next course must also be a higher education course delivered by a higher education provider for the relevant progression exemption to apply.
A Student visa holder who is currently a dependant and wishes to apply for a new Student visa as the primary applicant is also affected by the new rules and may be required to apply offshore.
3. Significant changes to including partners and children
The changes also substantially restrict the ability to include family members in a Student visa application.
From 2 October 2026, Student visa applicants can generally no longer include their partner and/or dependent children in their application unless an exemption applies. This restriction also applies when lodging an application for a further Student visa.
Limited exemptions may apply, including for:
PhD students;
DFAT or Defence-sponsored students;
foreign government scholarship recipients; and
eligible students from Pacific countries and ASEAN member countries.
There are also specific provisions for students whose family members are already included on their current Student visa. Depending on the circumstances, those existing family members may be able to be included in the student's next Student visa application.
For example, this may apply where the student needs up to another 12 months to complete the main course covered by their current Student visa, or needs a further Student visa because their education provider has defaulted.
Where family members are included under these provisions, the primary applicant and all included family members must be in the same location at the time the application is lodged.
4. Subsequent entrant applications are no longer available
One of the most significant changes for student families is the removal of the usual subsequent entrant pathway.
Under the new rules, current Student visa holders can no longer add family members to their Student visa after it has been granted. Home Affairs expressly states that there are no exemptions to this rule. This is particularly important for students who previously planned to travel to Australia alone and have their spouse or children join them later.Family arrangements should therefore be considered carefully before the initial Student visa application is lodged. If an ineligible family member is included in a Student visa application, Home Affairs states that that family member's application will be invalid.
5. What happens if you have to apply offshore?
If the new rules require you to lodge your Student visa application outside Australia, you may still be able to return to Australia on another valid visa while your Student visa application is being processed.
However, you must again be outside Australia at the time the Student visa is granted. It is also important to understand that an offshore Student visa application does not result in a Bridging visa linked to that application.
Applicants should therefore carefully consider their current visa expiry date, travel arrangements and lawful status before leaving or returning to Australia.
6. What about applications lodged before 2 October 2026?
There are transitional arrangements for applications already lodged.
Student visa applications lodged before 2 October 2026, including applications that included family members, will continue to be assessed under the rules that applied when the application was lodged.
The new rules therefore do not retrospectively change the requirements for those already lodged applications.
What should you do now?
These changes make forward planning considerably more important for international students and their families. Before enrolling in a new course or making significant financial or travel commitments, applicants should confirm:
whether they can lodge their next Student visa application in Australia;
whether they meet one of the limited onshore exemptions;
whether they need to be offshore both at lodgement and visa grant;
whether their partner or children can be included in the application; and
how an offshore application may affect their current visa status and travel arrangements.
The consequences of getting this wrong can be significant. In particular, an application lodged onshore when the applicant is required to apply offshore may be invalid rather than simply refused.
Need advice about how the new rules affect you?
Every case is different. Your options may depend on your current visa, previous and proposed courses, education provider, family circumstances and whether you meet one of the new exemptions.
If you are currently in Australia and considering further study, changing your study pathway, applying for another Student visa or including family members, MigrateHub can assess your circumstances and advise on the appropriate visa strategy before you make further commitments.
Book a consultation with MigrateHub Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not constitute migration advice. Immigration laws, regulations and Departmental policy may change. Individual circumstances should be assessed before making visa, study, travel or financial decisions.
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