From 2 October 2026, new rules apply to Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) applications. Introduced under the Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026, the changes affect who can apply for a visa while in Australia and whether students can include family members in their applications.
The changes primarily affect two groups:
- People already in Australia on another temporary visa who want to apply for a Student visa.
- Students who want to include their partner or children in their visa application or have them join later.
If you lodged your application before 2 October 2026, it will still be assessed under the rules that applied when you applied. This also applies to applications that included family members.
Applying from inside Australia
Most temporary visa holders can no longer apply for a Student visa while in Australia. If the new rules require you to apply offshore, you must also be outside Australia when your visa is granted. The Department of Home Affairs has published details of the affected visa categories and exemptions on its Student visa application rules page.
In practice, someone in Australia on a visitor visa, for example, can no longer apply for a Student visa onshore unless an exemption applies.
The changes also affect current Student visa holders who want to apply for another Student visa in Australia. Limited exemptions are available, including for certain school and PhD students and students affected by circumstances such as an education provider default or course deferral. Other exemptions may apply depending on your circumstances.
Your current Student visa is not affected by these changes. Current Student Guardian visa holders can also continue to apply for a further Student Guardian visa in Australia.
Before enrolling in another course or making plans to extend your stay, check whether you can apply onshore or need to apply from outside Australia.
Bringing your family
This change is likely to create the greatest challenges for international students and their families. Most Student visa applicants can no longer include their partner or dependent children in their application unless an exemption applies.
Exemptions are available for certain groups, including PhD students, eligible nationals of Pacific and ASEAN countries, foreign government scholarship recipients, and students sponsored by the Australian Department of Defence or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Some existing families may still be able to include the same family members in a subsequent Student visa application, provided they meet the relevant conditions.
The changes also remove the option of adding family members as subsequent entrants after a Student visa has been granted. Previously, a student could travel to Australia first and have their partner or children join them later. Under the new rules, this option is no longer available, with no exemptions.
If you are planning to study in Australia with your family, it is important to understand these restrictions before making your application.
Closer scrutiny of study arrangements
The Government has also signalled closer scrutiny of how students and education providers use the visa system.
In September 2026, the Assistant Minister for International Education announced the cancellation of the Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning). From 5 October 2026, new international student enrolments in the course are no longer permitted.
The Government has also introduced measures to tighten restrictions on transfers between education providers. Students considering changing courses or providers should check the applicable rules carefully, as their decisions may affect their current visa arrangements and future applications.
What's next?
A new Student visa transfer stream is scheduled to commence on 1 July 2027 for students seeking to change education providers. Further details are expected as the new arrangements are developed.
In the meantime, transitional restrictions on changing providers apply. Students should check the current requirements before transferring to another course or institution.
We will update this page as further information becomes available.
Before you make plans
If you hold a temporary visa and are thinking about studying in Australia, or you are a student planning your next course or hoping to bring your family over, seek advice before enrolling, booking flights or lodging a visa application.
Relying on the previous rules could put your visa plans or your family’s ability to join you at risk. Our migration lawyers can review your circumstances, explain how the new rules may affect you and help you understand your available options.
Australia Student Visa Changes 2026: FAQs
The Australia student visa changes introduced on 2 October 2026 affect onshore Student visa (subclass 500) applications and the ability to include family members in student visa applications. Most affected temporary visa holders must apply from outside Australia unless an exemption applies. Restrictions also apply to bringing family members as subsequent entrants.
Under the Australia student visa changes, most holders of specified temporary visas can no longer apply for a Student visa while in Australia. Whether you can apply onshore depends on your current visa and whether you meet an exemption. Check the applicable rules before lodging your application.
The Australia student visa changes also affect current Student visa holders applying for another Student visa. Most must apply offshore unless they qualify for an exemption. Your eligibility will depend on your circumstances, course and applicable exemption criteria.
Most Student visa applicants can no longer include their partner or dependent children in their application unless an exemption applies. The Australia student visa changes also restrict applications to bring family members to Australia as subsequent entrants after the Student visa has been granted.
Certain groups may qualify for exemptions from specific restrictions, including eligible PhD students, some government-sponsored students, foreign government scholarship recipients and eligible nationals of Pacific and ASEAN countries. The exemptions vary depending on the rule involved, so you should check the requirements that apply to your circumstances.
Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are generally assessed under the rules that applied when they were lodged. This includes applications that already listed family members. The changes do not automatically cancel existing Student visas.
The new rules remove the option of adding family members as subsequent entrants after a Student visa has been granted, without exemptions to this restriction. Families planning to move to Australia should understand the relevant requirements before the main Student visa application is lodged.
Your options depend on your current visa, study history, proposed course and family arrangements. A migration lawyer can review your circumstances, explain the relevant Australia student visa changes and help you understand the visa pathways that may be available.
This article was prepared and written by our immigration lawyer team at Brightstone Migration and reviewed by Mei Guo, Partner Solicitor and Head of Immigration (Legal Practitioner Number: 5512368), to provide professional insights and commentary. The content is for reference only and does not constitute specific legal advice.
Last updated: 21/10/2026
