02/10/2026
𝐌𝐀𝐉𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝟐 𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 🇦🇺🎓
The Department of Home Affairs has introduced new rules affecting Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) applications made in Australia.
These changes may significantly affect temporary visa holders who are planning to switch to a Student visa, current Student visa holders planning further study, and students considering bringing family members to Australia.
𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃?
From 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders in Australia will no longer be able to lodge a Student visa or Student Guardian visa application while they are in Australia.
This also affects some current Student visa holders who want to apply for another Student visa in Australia.
Importantly, the changes do not cancel or change your current Student visa.
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀?
If the new rules prevent you from lodging your Student visa application in Australia, you will generally need to:
📌 Be outside Australia when the application is lodged
📌 Remain outside Australia when the visa is granted.
𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒
A current Student visa holder may still be able to apply for another Student visa in Australia in certain circumstances.
These include situations where the student:
🔹 Needs up to 12 additional months to complete the original course, while continuing with the same education provider
🔹 Is sponsored by DFAT or Defence
🔹 Is applying to study a PhD
🔹 Is applying for primary or secondary school studies
🔹 Has completed a course at an AQF level and is progressing to a higher AQF level
🔹 Has completed school studies and is progressing to a course without an AQF level
🔹 Is progressing from a course without an AQF level to a course with an AQF level
🔹 Cannot continue their course because their education provider has defaulted.
𝐌𝐀𝐉𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒 👨👩👧👦
Student visa applicants can generally no longer include their partner or dependent children in a Student visa application unless an exemption applies.
The change also applies to people applying for a further Student visa.
Even more importantly, current Student visa holders can no longer add family members as subsequent entrants after their Student visa has been granted.
The Department states there are no exemptions to this subsequent-entrant rule.
𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐌𝐀𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘?
There are specific exemptions allowing some students to include family members at the time of applying.
These include students who are:
🎓 Studying a PhD
🇦🇺 Sponsored by DFAT or Defence
🎓 Receiving a foreign government scholarship
🌏 Eligible students from a Pacific country or an ASEAN member country.
𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒
Where family members are eligible to be included, the primary applicant and all family members included in the application must be in the same location when the application is lodged.
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝟐 𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑?
This is particularly important.
Student visa applications lodged before 2 October 2026 will continue to be assessed under the rules that were in place when the application was lodged.
This includes applications that included family members.
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐖
If you are planning to change courses, apply for another Student visa, bring family members to Australia, or move from another temporary visa to a Student visa, carefully check how the new rules apply to your individual circumstances.
Do not make travel, relocation or enrolment decisions based only on general social media information.
Visa eligibility and exemptions can depend on your current visa, previous study, proposed course, education provider, sponsorship and family circumstances.
📌 Always check the current requirements before lodging an application.
📌 Consider obtaining professional migration advice if your circumstances are complex.
📌 Do not assume that a previous pathway will remain available after 2 October 2026.
The Department of Home Affairs recommends understanding the new requirements before enrolling in a course, making travel or relocation plans, or applying for a Student visa.
📢 Share this update with international students, temporary visa holders and families who may be affected.
Read Full News :https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Visa-subsite/files/changes-to-student-visa-applications-factsheet.pdf
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DISCLAIMER: This disclaimer applies to all social media posts from Belong Migration and Education Services. The content shared does not constitute immigration, legal, or professional advice and must not be relied upon as such. All information is provided as a general guide only, based on details available at the time of publication and subject to change.
