Until recently, many students came to Australia with their partner and children included as dependents on their student visa. That changed on 2 October 2026. If you are planning to study in Australia as a couple or as a family, this is the first thing you need to know, because it changes how you should plan the whole move. Here is what the official rules say, explained plainly.
What changed on 2 October 2026
From 2 October 2026, if you apply for your first or a further student visa (subclass 500), you can no longer include family members (your partner or your children) in your application, unless an exemption applies.
- The rule also applies to first applications lodged from outside Australia.
- Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the previous rules.
- Existing visas are not affected. If your family already holds a visa as your dependents, it stays valid on its current conditions.
On the same date, another change came in: most temporary visa holders, including Working Holiday Makers, can no longer apply for a student visa while they are in Australia. They have to apply from outside Australia and be outside when the visa is granted. There are limited onshore exceptions, for example DFAT or Defence sponsored students, doctoral or school students, students affected by a provider default, students staying up to 12 more months with the same provider, and students progressing to a higher-level course after completing their main course.
Who is exempt
You can still include family members in your student visa application if you are in one of these groups:
- Doctoral (PhD) students.
- Nationals of Pacific countries and ASEAN countries.
- Recipients of a fully funded foreign government scholarship.
- Students sponsored by DFAT or the Department of Defence.
Being exempt does not mean the family visa is automatic. The usual requirements still apply and the final decision rests with the Department of Home Affairs.
If your family was already on your visa before 2 October 2026
If your partner or children were included in your student visa before 2 October 2026, your current visas are not affected. In addition, those family members may be included in a new application, as long as you are eligible for a further student visa in Australia. If you are in this situation and your visa is ending, it is worth planning the next application carefully and in good time.
Can I add my family after my visa is granted?
No. You cannot add family members after your student visa has been granted, and there are no exemptions to this rule. Before this change, some families joined the student later as subsequent entrants. Under the new rules, once your visa is granted you cannot add your partner or children to it.
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If no exemption applies, your partner cannot come as your dependent. That does not always mean you cannot both be in Australia, but each of you needs a visa in your own right:
- Each partner applies for their own student visa. Both of you would need to be accepted into a course, meet the Genuine Student requirement and show enough funds individually, plus OSHC and the rest of the requirements. Each application is assessed on its own merits, so it has to make sense for each person's study plans.
- Your partner comes on their own Working Holiday visa, if they are eligible by passport and age. This is a possibility for some couples, not a guarantee, and it depends on the conditions for their country. Remember that, since 2 October 2026, a Working Holiday Maker generally cannot switch to a student visa from inside Australia.
Every situation is different. We prefer to tell you honestly what is possible in your case rather than promise a plan that may not work.
What about children?
The same rule applies to children: unless an exemption applies, or they were already included before 2 October 2026, they cannot be included as dependents in a new student visa application. Any other option for children depends on their age and circumstances and needs individual advice before you make plans.
If you are exempt: what you still need
If you fall into one of the exempt groups, the usual family requirements still apply. Typically:
- Proof of the relationship: a marriage certificate, or evidence of a de facto relationship.
- Children's documents: birth certificates and, where applicable, consent from the other parent.
- Additional funds for each family member, on top of the amount for the main student. The figures are set by the Government and updated periodically.
- OSHC that covers the whole family for the entire stay.
- Health and character checks, and biometrics depending on nationality.
You can see the general requirements in our guide to the student visa requirements.
How we help you (and why with us)
- ๐ข Our own office in Melbourne and our own staff who support you from start to finish.
- ๐ก๏ธ Migration assistance provided by a registered migration agent.
- ๐ฏ We check whether an exemption applies to you and, if not, we plan each partner's application separately.
- ๐ค We support you on arrival: accommodation, bank account and job search.
- ๐ฌ Personal support by video call and WhatsApp. +800 students over the last 8 years.
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๐ฅ Book your free video callFrequently asked questions
Only if an exemption applies. For applications lodged from 2 October 2026, you can no longer include family members in your first or a further student visa (subclass 500) application, and this also applies to applications lodged from outside Australia. Applications lodged before that date are assessed under the previous rules.
Doctoral (PhD) students, nationals of Pacific countries and ASEAN countries, recipients of a fully funded foreign government scholarship, and students sponsored by DFAT or the Department of Defence. The final decision on any visa rests with the Department of Home Affairs.
Existing visas are not affected. If your family members were included before 2 October 2026, they may be included in a new application, as long as you are eligible for a further student visa in Australia.
No. You cannot add family members after your student visa has been granted, and there are no exemptions to this rule.
Each partner can apply for their own student visa, meeting the Genuine Student requirement and showing enough funds individually. If your partner is eligible for a Working Holiday visa by passport and age, that could be another possibility. Neither option is guaranteed, so it is worth reviewing your case before you decide.
In most cases, no. Since 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders, including Working Holiday Makers, can no longer apply for a student visa while in Australia. They must apply from outside Australia and be outside Australia when the visa is granted.
Sources: Study Australia, student visa changes from October 2026 (published 7 October 2026) and the Department of Home Affairs, "Changes to Student visa application rules (subclasses 500 and 590)" on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Rules can change, so always check the official information before you apply.