The Australian Government has introduced significant changes to the Student visa program from 2 October 2026.

The changes restrict who can lodge a valid Subclass 500 Student visa application while in Australia, limit further onshore Student visa applications by existing Student visa holders, and significantly tighten the rules for including partners and children in Student visa applications. The stated purpose is to reduce “visa hopping” and the use of Student visas to extend a person’s stay in Australia. [legislation.gov.au], [legislation.gov.au]

Working Holiday, Visitor, Graduate and certain other visa holders must apply offshore

From 2 October 2026, people holding certain temporary visas cannot make a valid Subclass 500 Student visa application while they are in Australia.

This restriction applies to holders of the following visas:

• Subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist)
• Subclass 403 Temporary Work (International Relations), where granted under the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream
• Subclass 407 Training
• Subclass 408 Temporary Activity
• Subclass 417 Working Holiday
• Subclass 457 Temporary Work (Skilled)
• Subclass 462 Work and Holiday
• Subclass 482 Skills in Demand
• Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage
• Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate
• Subclass 600 Visitor
• Subclass 601 Electronic Travel Authority
• Subclass 602 Medical Treatment
• Subclass 651 eVisitor
• Subclass 771 Transit
• Subclass 988 Maritime Crew
• certain Subclass 995 Diplomatic (Temporary) visa holders. [legislation.gov.au]

A person holding one of these visas must be outside Australia to make a valid Student visa application.

This means, for example, that a person holding a Subclass 417 Working Holiday visa cannot remain in Australia and switch to a Student visa through an onshore application. The person would need to leave Australia and lodge the Student visa application from overseas. The same applies to holders of Subclass 462 Work and Holiday, Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate, Subclass 600 Visitor and the other listed visas. [legislation.gov.au]

If a person attempts to apply in Australia when the legislation requires the application to be made outside Australia, the application will not satisfy the prescribed requirements for a valid application and will not be considered by the Department of Home Affairs. [legislation.gov.au]

Applicants may also need to be outside Australia when the visa is granted

The reforms do not only regulate where an applicant must be when lodging the application.

Where the legislation requires a person to be outside Australia when applying for a Student visa, the person must also be outside Australia when the visa is granted. Applicants should therefore obtain advice before making travel arrangements or assuming that they can return to Australia while the Student visa application is being processed. [legislation.gov.au]

Further Student visa applications by existing Student visa holders

The reforms also affect people who already hold a Subclass 500 Student visa.

The general rule is that an existing Student visa holder who wants to apply as the primary applicant for another Student visa must make the new application from outside Australia. This also applies where the person presently holds a Student visa as a dependant but now wants to become the primary Student visa applicant. [legislation.gov.au]

However, specific exceptions allow certain existing Student visa holders to apply for a further Student visa while in Australia.

These include:

• Defence students
• Foreign Affairs students
• school students
• students enrolled in a course leading to a doctoral degree
• students affected by provider default
• students needing a further visa to complete their principal course
• certain students progressing to a higher-level course. [legislation.gov.au], [legislation.gov.au]

Each exception has detailed requirements. It is not enough simply to say that a student needs more time or wants to continue studying.

For example, the completion-of-studies exception requires the student to have commenced the relevant principal course, to have not completed it, and to be expected to complete it within 12 months after the end date specified in the relevant confirmation of enrolment. [legislation.gov.au]

The course-progression exception ordinarily requires the student to have completed the principal course connected to the existing Student visa and to be enrolled in no more than one further course. Where the previous course has an AQF level, the further course must be at a higher AQF level. Additional requirements apply where the completed principal course was a higher education course. [legislation.gov.au]

New restrictions on partners and children

The Government has also substantially restricted when family members can be included as secondary applicants in Student visa applications.

Under the new framework, eligible secondary applicants generally need to apply at the same time and in the same place as the primary Student visa applicant. The reforms are intended to prevent a Student visa holder from adding a partner or child later through a normal subsequent entrant application after the primary Student visa has been granted. [legislation.gov.au]

There are limited exceptions, including circumstances involving:

• Defence students
• Foreign Affairs students
• primary applicants holding passports from specified Pacific regional or ASEAN countries
• certain people who already held or had applied for a Student visa as a secondary applicant when the reforms commenced
• certain children born in Australia after commencement
• other specifically prescribed classes of people. [legislation.gov.au]

The separate instrument also identifies limited family-related exceptions for family members of doctoral students, foreign-government scholarship recipients, students affected by provider default and certain students requiring additional time to complete their studies. [legislation.gov.au]

These requirements are complex and should be checked carefully before a family makes separate applications or assumes that a partner or child can be added later.

Do the changes affect applications already lodged?

The Explanatory Statement confirms that the new measures apply to visa applications made on or after commencement.

Student visa applications lodged before the reforms commenced, but not yet finalised, are not affected by the new application and grant criteria described in these amendments. [legislation.gov.au]

What do these changes mean for prospective students?

Before lodging a Student visa application, applicants in Australia should now confirm:

1. what visa they currently hold;
2. whether that visa requires them to apply from outside Australia;
3. whether they must also be outside Australia at the time of grant;
4. if they already hold a Student visa, whether they qualify for a specific onshore exception;
5. whether their partner or children are eligible to be included; and
6. whether all other Student visa requirements can be satisfied.

Being required to apply from outside Australia does not mean that the Student visa will automatically be granted. Applicants must still satisfy all applicable requirements for the grant of the visa.

There may also be other issues affecting whether an application can be made, including visa conditions, immigration history and the applicant’s individual circumstances.

Get advice before leaving Australia or lodging an application

These reforms represent a major change to onshore Student visa applications.

Working Holiday, Work and Holiday, Visitor, Temporary Graduate and a range of other temporary visa holders should not assume they can change to a Student visa while remaining in Australia. Existing Student visa holders should also not assume they can lodge another Student visa application onshore merely because they intend to continue studying.

Leaving Australia can have important consequences for a person’s current visa position, bridging visa arrangements, work rights and ability to return. Applicants should obtain professional advice before lodging an application or making travel arrangements.

This Is Australia can assess your current visa, proposed course, location requirements and family circumstances before you proceed.

Book a consultation with This Is Australia

Important information

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Migration legislation and policy can change, and the correct outcome depends on each person’s individual circumstances. No guarantee can be provided that a visa application will be valid or successful. Applicants should obtain individual advice from a registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner before making an application, departing Australia or changing their visa arrangements.