From 2 October 2026, most student visa applicants can no longer include family members in their application unless they meet one of four specific exemptions. The exemptions cover doctoral students, nationals of Pacific and ASEAN countries, fully-funded foreign government scholarship recipients, and students sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Department of Defence.
The Four Exemptions for Including Family Members
| Exemption category | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
| Doctoral students | Applicants undertaking a doctoral degree |
| Nationals of Pacific and ASEAN countries | Passport holders from Pacific Island countries and Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states |
| Fully-funded foreign government scholarship recipients | Students on a full scholarship funded by a foreign government |
| DFAT or Defence sponsored students | Students sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Department of Defence |
These exemptions apply whether you are applying for your first Student visa (subclass 500) or a further Student visa. If you do not fall into one of these groups, you cannot include family members in a new Student visa application lodged on or after 2 October 2026.
Who Is Affected
The restriction applies to all new Student visa applications, including first-time and subsequent applications. Family members cannot be added after a Student visa has been granted — there are no exemptions to this rule. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 will continue to be assessed under the rules in place at the time of lodgement.
Existing Families in Australia
Transitional arrangements help avoid separating families already in Australia. You may include the same family members in a new Student visa application if:
- They were included in your visa or visa application before 2 October 2026, and
- You are eligible to apply for a further Student visa while in Australia.
If you cannot include family members in a new application, consider how this affects your family arrangements before deciding whether to apply.
Applying for a Student Visa in Australia — New Restrictions
From 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders can no longer apply for a Student visa while in Australia. This includes Working Holiday Maker and Skills in Demand visa holders. Student visa holders generally cannot apply for another Student visa onshore unless an exemption applies.
Exemptions for onshore Student visa applications:
- Students sponsored by DFAT or the Department of Defence
- Students applying for a doctoral degree or primary/secondary school studies
- Students affected by provider default
- Students who need up to 12 additional months to complete their current course with the same provider
- Students who have completed their main course and are progressing to a higher-level course
Applicants required to apply outside Australia must also be outside Australia when the visa is granted. Current Student visas are not affected by these changes.
Upcoming Changes Still in Development
Two further reforms are being developed but have not been finalised:
- Transfer stream: A new Transfer stream within the Student visa subclass is intended for students changing education providers. Details and effective dates have not been officially announced.
- Temporary Graduate visa family restrictions: Restrictions on the ability of Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) applicants to include family members will be introduced. Further information will become available as the reform progresses.
What You Should Do Next
- Check whether the new requirements affect your plans to apply for a Student visa while in Australia.
- Review how the family member changes may affect your situation.
- Consult the Department of Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool for financial capacity and English language evidence requirements.
- For advice on your individual visa circumstances, contact a migration agent registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority. Individual cases are assessed against the latest Department of Home Affairs requirements.