Student visa changes from 2 October 2026

Who cannot apply from inside Australia?

If you hold one of these visas as a primary or secondary holder, you cannot apply for a Student visa in Australia. There are no exemptions.

• Temporary Work (400), Domestic Worker (403), Training (407), Temporary Activity (408)
• Working Holiday (417), Work and Holiday (462)
• Temporary Work (457), Skills in Demand / Temporary Skill Shortage (482)
• Temporary Graduate (485)
• Visitor (600), ETA (601), Medical Treatment (602), eVisitor (651), Transit (771)
• Maritime Crew (988)
• Diplomatic (Temporary) (995), primary holders only. Family members of a 995 holder can apply in Australia.

If you do not hold an eligible visa and meet an exemption, you must apply from outside Australia and be outside Australia when the visa is granted. An application lodged in Australia by someone who is not eligible is not accepted, and that can affect your visa status.

The six exemptions for Student visa holders

If you hold a Student visa as the primary applicant, you can apply again in Australia only if one of these applies. Dependent (secondary) Student visa holders cannot apply as the primary applicant while in Australia.

1. Course completion. You need up to 12 more months to finish your main course, with the same education provider, and any new course is at the same AQF level or higher.
2. Sponsored by DFAT or Defence.
3. PhD. You are applying to study a doctoral degree. A master's by research does not count.
4. Primary or secondary school studies.
5. Course progression. You have finished your main course (or one at the same or a higher level) and are moving up to a higher AQF level. If you finished a higher education course, the next one must also be higher education at a higher education provider. Packaging courses is not allowed and you can only be enrolled in one future course when you apply.
6. Education provider default. You cannot continue because your provider has defaulted.

Examples: finishing ELICOS and moving to a bachelor degree is fine. Finishing ELICOS and enrolling in another ELICOS course is not. Finishing a bachelor degree at a university and moving to a graduate diploma at a VET provider is not.

Changed provider or need more than 12 months?

If you changed education providers, or you need more than 12 months to finish and your provider has given you more time, you do not meet the course completion exemption. You must lodge from outside Australia. You can still return to finish your studies if the new visa is granted.

Before you leave:

• Check your visa expiry and plan to leave before it ends.
• Get a current Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from your provider.
• Ask your provider about online study while you wait.
• Check whether you need a health check, and prepare your documents.
• Do not book flights or accommodation back to Australia until the visa is granted. You cannot get a bridging visa when you lodge outside Australia.

Some complete offshore applications are prioritised, for example students who must do a compulsory professional or clinical placement (such as nursing or medical) and changed provider to do it. The Department aims to finalise these within 5 business days. Students with a history of non-commencement, long deferrals, a transfer within 12 months of arriving, or limited course progress are not given priority.

Family members

Most Student visa applicants can no longer include a partner or children. This also applies to people applying for a further Student visa. You can include family if you are:

• a doctoral (PhD) student
• sponsored by DFAT or Defence
• a foreign government scholarship holder whose scholarship fully funds your studies
• a national of a Pacific Island or ASEAN country (set conditions apply)
• a current Student visa holder who needs up to 12 more months, or whose provider defaulted, and your family members are already on your visa

Family members must apply at the same time and from the same location as you. If they apply in Australia, they must hold an eligible visa. Family members cannot apply later as subsequent entrants in any circumstance.

If you have a child in Australia while on a Student visa, the child automatically holds the same visa as the parent.

What stays the same?

• Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the rules at the time of lodgement, including applications that included family.
• You can still apply from outside Australia if you meet the visa requirements.
• Student Guardian visa (590) holders are covered by the same changes. See the 590 guide.