Study Abroad Rule Changes: Latest Updates for Nepali Students

2 October 2026: Australia changes Student visa rules

From 2 October 2026, new rules apply to Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian (subclass 590) applications. They change who can apply for, and be granted, a visa while in Australia, and whether family members can be included.

• Family members: Student visa applicants can no longer include 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 their visa is granted, with no exemptions to that rule.
• Exemptions for including family: PhD students; students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or Defence; foreign government scholarship recipients; and eligible students from Pacific countries and ASEAN member countries.
• Applying from inside Australia: most temporary visa holders must be outside Australia when they lodge a Student or Student Guardian visa application, and also when the visa is granted. Current Student visa holders who want another Student visa must do the same unless a limited exemption applies. A dependant who wants to apply as a primary applicant must apply from outside Australia, with no exemptions.
• Existing visas: the changes do not affect a Student visa you already hold, and current Student Guardian visa holders can still lodge a further Student Guardian application while in Australia.

What it means for Nepali students: most applicants apply from Nepal, so the family rule is the change most likely to affect them. Plan to apply as a single applicant unless you are in an exempt group. Source: Australian Home Affairs: changes to Student visa application rules (checked on the official page in October 2026).

15 September 2026: USA fixed period of admission

A final rule from the Department of Homeland Security replaces open-ended "duration of status" with a fixed period of admission for F, J and I visa holders. F-1 students are admitted for the length of their programme, up to four years, and the grace period after the programme ends is reduced from 60 days to 30 days.

What it means for Nepali students: check your I-20 end date and speak to your international office before you travel. Read our guides to the end of duration of status and the 15 September deadline. Source: Mintz: DHS final rule creating a fixed period of admission.

27 February 2026: USA H-1B wage-weighted selection

DHS published a final rule on 29 December 2025 that weights the H-1B cap lottery by wage level: a level 4 job enters four times, level 3 three times, level 2 twice and level 1 once. It first applied to the FY2027 registration in March 2026.

What it means for Nepali students: the wage level of a job offer now matters as much as sponsorship. Read our H-1B guide. Source: Fragomen: DHS final rule on wage-level weighted H-1B selection.

1 January 2026: Canada study permit cap and PAL exemptions

Canada's 2026 cap is 309,670 study permit applications, and IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 permits, including 155,000 for new students. From 1 January 2026, master's and doctoral students at public institutions and some other groups no longer need a provincial attestation letter.

What it means for Nepali students: most new bachelor's and college applicants need a PAL, while master's students at public institutions do not. Read our Canada cap guide. Source: IRCC: 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap.

Coming: 30 November 2026, UK student visa funds rise

For Student visa applications made on or after 30 November 2026, the living-cost funds rise from £1,171 to £1,203 a month outside London and from £1,529 to £1,570 a month in London, for up to 9 months. That is £10,827 outside London or £14,130 in London. Applications made before that date are decided under the old amounts, and the application date, not the date of your CAS or bank statement, decides which rate applies.

What it means for Nepali students: most applicants for September 2027 will apply after this date, so plan for the higher amounts. Read our UK bank balance guide and visa cost guide. Source: OTS Solicitors: student visa maintenance funds increase from 30 November 2026. We could not open the official Statement of Changes (dated 3 September 2026), so check GOV.UK when you apply.

Coming: 1 January 2027, UK Graduate visa becomes 18 months

GOV.UK says a Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD and other doctoral graduates keep 3 years.

What it means for Nepali students: plan for 18 months of post-study work rights if you will graduate and apply after that date. Read our UK Graduate Route guide. Source: GOV.UK: Graduate visa.

Coming: 1 August 2028, UK international student levy

English higher education providers will pay a levy of £925 per international student per year from 1 August 2028, with an allowance of 220 students per provider. The levy is charged to universities, not directly to students, and it applies in England only.

What it means for Nepali students: fees and scholarships at English universities may change, so ask each university what it expects. Read our UK levy guide. Source: UKCISA: the levy on international student fees in England.

How this page is kept up to date

We add an entry when a government publishes a rule change that affects students from Nepal, and we link each entry to an official or clearly named source. The "last updated" date at the top shows when we last checked. For the dates in one place, see our rule changes calendar for 2026 to 2028. If you are planning a move, start with our step-by-step checklist.

Sources

• Australian Home Affairs: changes to Student visa application rules
• Mintz: DHS final rule creating a fixed period of admission
• Fragomen: DHS final rule on wage-level weighted H-1B selection
• IRCC: 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap
• UKCISA: the levy on international student fees in England
• OTS Solicitors: student visa maintenance funds increase from 30 November 2026

Checked in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the official site when you apply.