Australia Student Visa Changes: A Briefing for Education Agents

The Australia student visa changes that took effect on 2 October 2026 change who can apply for a Student visa (subclass 500) from inside Australia, and when family members can be included. Study Australia, the Australian Government's official study website, summarised the reforms on 7 October 2026. It says current Student visas are not affected.

If you advise students on Australia, these rules affect how you plan applications from now on. This briefing sets out the published rules in plain terms. It is not immigration advice.

What the Australia student visa changes cover

The reforms touch four areas:

• applying for a Student visa while in Australia
• including family members in a Student visa application
• changing education provider, through a planned new Transfer stream
• the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)

The Department of Home Affairs says the new rules apply to Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) applications from 2 October 2026.

Applying from inside Australia

Most people on other temporary visas, such as Working Holiday Maker and Skills in Demand holders, are now unable to lodge a Student visa application onshore. Current Student visa holders generally cannot apply for another Student visa in Australia either, unless an exemption applies. The published exemptions cover:

• students sponsored by DFAT (the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) or the Department of Defence
• doctoral students, and primary or secondary school students
• students whose provider cannot deliver their course (known as provider default)
• students who need up to 12 more months with the same provider
• students who have finished their main course and are moving up to a higher-level course

A student who cannot apply onshore can still apply from outside Australia. However, they must also be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

Including family members

For a first or further Student visa, family members generally cannot be included. The exemptions listed by Study Australia are:

• doctoral students
• nationals of Pacific and ASEAN countries
• recipients of fully funded foreign government scholarships
• students sponsored by DFAT or the Department of Defence

There is a transition rule for existing families. Family members who were included in a visa or application before 2 October 2026 can be included in a new application, as long as the student qualifies to lodge another Student visa application onshore. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the rules in force when they were lodged.

One point has no exemption: family members cannot be added after a Student visa has been granted.

Student Guardian visa (subclass 590)

Current Student Guardian visa holders can still apply for another Student Guardian visa in Australia. Anyone else planning to apply onshore should check the new requirements first.

What is still to come

Two parts of the package are not yet final:

• Transfer stream: students changing provider will need to apply under a new stream within the Student visa. Details will be published later.
• Temporary Graduate visa: restrictions on including family members are planned, with no details yet. Holders keep unlimited work rights.

The Temporary Graduate visa application charge rose to A$5,750 on 1 July 2026. Those from ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste and Pacific Island countries who were eligible did not face that increase.

What this means for agents and counsellors

These rules shift more planning to the start of the conversation with a student. Practical points to build into your process:

• Ask early where the student will be when they apply and when the visa is likely to be granted.
• Discuss family plans at the first meeting, because family cannot be added after grant.
• Take care with provider or course changes until the Transfer stream details are out.
• Use the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool to check financial and English language evidence.
• Refer individual visa questions to a registered migration agent. Study Australia points students to agents on the register kept by the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA).

For an overview of studying there, see our Study in Australia page. Families comparing advisers may find our guide to choosing an education agent useful.

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