2026-10-09 · Clara Dawson
Family Members and the Australian Student Visa From 2 October 2026: First Visa, Further Visa and Existing Families
From 2 October 2026, most Student visa applicants can no longer include family members unless an exemption applies, while families already in Australia have transitional arrangements.'s changed and how to apply under new rules.
From 2 October 2026, new rules remove the ability to include family members in a first or further Student visa (subclass 500) application unless a specific exemption applies. At the same time, transitional arrangements allow some families already in Australia to stay together when the student lodges a further visa application onshore.
Who can still apply for a Student visa while in Australia
Most temporary visa holders — including Working Holiday Maker and Skills in Demand visa holders — must now apply for a Student visa from outside Australia and be outside Australia when the visa is granted. Student visa holders generally cannot apply for another Student visa onshore either.
Exemptions apply to students who are:
- sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or the Department of Defence
- undertaking a doctoral degree, or primary or secondary school studies
- affected by a provider default
- needing up to 12 additional months to complete their course with the same provider
- progressing to a higher-level course after completing the main course on their current visa
Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) holders can continue to apply for another Student Guardian visa while in Australia.
Including family members in a new application
For both first and further Student visa applications, family members can no longer be included unless an exemption applies. The exemptions are limited to:
- doctoral students
- nationals of Pacific countries and ASEAN member states
- fully-funded foreign government scholarship recipients
- students sponsored by DFAT or the Department of Defence
No family members can be added after a Student visa has been granted. There are no exemptions to this rule.
Existing families in Australia — transitional arrangements
Families already together in Australia are not automatically separated. A student may include the same family members in a new onshore application if:
- those family members were included in the student’s visa or visa application before 2 October 2026, and
- the student is eligible to apply for a further Student visa in Australia under the onshore exemptions above.
Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 — including those that already included family members — will continue to be assessed under the rules in place at lodgement.
Changes still being developed
Two further reforms are still being developed; details and commencement have not yet been announced by officials:
- Transfer stream — a new stream within the Student visa subclass for students changing education providers. Under the proposed arrangements, a student who changes provider will need to apply for a new visa through this stream.
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) family restrictions — restrictions on including family members in Temporary Graduate visa applications will be introduced. Further information will become available as the reform progresses.
The Temporary Graduate visa application charge increased to A$5,750 on 1 July 2026, with eligible applicants from Pacific Island countries, Timor-Leste and ASEAN member states excluded from the increase.
What to do next
- Check whether the new onshore application rules affect your current visa or travel plans.
- Review the family member exemptions to see if they apply to your situation.
- If you are considering changing education providers, monitor official updates on the Transfer stream before acting.
- Use the Department of Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool to confirm 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 outcomes depend on the latest Department of Home Affairs requirements.
Sources
- Study Australia – Student visa changes: October 2026 update
- Study Australia – October 2026 Student visa changes for agents
- Department of Home Affairs – Student Visa Reforms
- Department of Home Affairs – Student visa (subclass 500)
- Department of Home Affairs – Student Guardian visa (subclass 590)
- Department of Home Affairs – Document Checklist Tool