Australia Student Visa Changes From October 2, 2026: What Nepali Students Must Know

What changed on October 2, 2026

The Department of Home Affairs changed the application rules for the Student visa (subclass 500) and the Student Guardian visa (subclass 590). It lists these main points on its page Changes to Student visa application rules:

• Student visa applicants can no longer include family members (a partner or dependent children) in their application unless an exemption applies. This also applies to a further Student visa application.
• Current Student visa holders can no longer add family members after the visa has been granted. There are no exemptions to this rule.
• Some applications must now be lodged from a specific location, and an application lodged in the wrong place is invalid.

Who can still include family members

Home Affairs lists these exempt groups:

• PhD students
• Students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or Defence
• Foreign government scholarship recipients
• Eligible students from Pacific countries and ASEAN member countries

Nepal is not an ASEAN member and not a Pacific country, so a Nepali student is exempt only through one of the other groups, for example a PhD or a qualifying government scholarship. Check the exemption wording on the Home Affairs page for your case.

Two more points from Home Affairs: the main applicant and every family member included must be in the same location when the application is lodged, and if you include a family member who is not eligible to be included, that person's application is invalid.

Students who already have family on their visa

Home Affairs says that if you already have family members on your current Student visa and you apply in Australia, you may be able to include them in your next Student visa application. You may also include family members who were already on your current visa, whether you apply in Australia or outside it, if you need up to 12 more months to finish the main course on your current visa, or if you need a further Student visa because your education provider defaulted.

Applications lodged before the new rules started, including those with family members, continue to be assessed under the rules that applied when they were lodged.

Where you can lodge your application

Home Affairs says the rules change who can apply for, and be granted, a Student visa while in Australia. What applies to you depends on where you are and what visa you hold:

• A first Student visa from Nepal: you apply from outside Australia, which is the normal route. The onshore rules do not change anything for you.
• Another temporary visa held in Australia: there are no exemptions. You can only apply from outside Australia, and you must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.
• A current Student visa holder applying for another Student visa: unless you meet a limited exemption, you must be outside Australia when you lodge and when the visa is granted.
• A Student visa dependant who wants to apply as the main applicant: you must lodge from outside Australia and be outside Australia when the visa is granted. There are no exemptions.
• Student Guardian (subclass 590) holders: current holders can still lodge a further Student Guardian application while in Australia.

A current Student visa holder may still apply for another Student visa in Australia if they:

• need up to 12 more months after their original course end date and continue with the same education provider (for a package of courses, the course needing more time must be the main course)
• are sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or Defence
• are applying to study a PhD
• are applying for primary or secondary school studies
• completed a main course with an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level and are progressing to a higher AQF level (if the completed course was higher education, the next course must also be higher education at a higher education provider)
• completed school studies and are progressing to a course without an AQF level
• completed a course without an AQF level and are progressing to a course with one
• cannot continue their course because their education provider has defaulted

The changes do not affect a Student visa you already hold. Lodging in the wrong place makes an application invalid, so check these rules on the Home Affairs page before you lodge.

What Nepali students should do now

• Decide about family early. If you were planning to bring a partner or children, check whether you fall into an exempt group before you pay for an application. Without an exemption they cannot be included, and they cannot be added later.
• Apply from Nepal for a first Student visa and keep the same-location rule in mind.
• Budget for one person. Our guide to Australia student visa fee, funds and OSHC lists the amounts for the main applicant.
• Keep the wider picture in view. See the study abroad rule changes calendar for the UK, US and Canada changes, and our Australia study guide for courses and intakes.

Admizz Education counselors can check which group applies to you before you apply, but the application is yours to lodge.

Sources

• Department of Home Affairs: Changes to Student visa application rules (subclasses 500 and 590)
• Department of Home Affairs: Including or adding family members

Details taken from Home Affairs in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the Home Affairs website before you apply. This guide was checked in October 2026.