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Australia Student Visa Changes October 2026: What Nepali Students Need to Know

What the new rules change for family members, applying in Australia and changing provider, and what stays as it was.

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The finduni team

Last verified 15 September 2026 · 12 min read

The short answer

From 2 October 2026, Australia changed the Student visa (subclass 500) rules for applications made on or after that date. If you are applying from Nepal for the 2027 intake, the main change is about family: most new applicants can no longer include a partner or children, and family cannot be added after the visa is granted. The new limits on applying from inside Australia mainly affect people already there. The exemptions are narrow, and an application lodged before 2 October 2026 is assessed under the earlier rules.

A new transfer visa stream is announced for 1 July 2027 but is not yet law. Check the official sources at the end of this page before you act.

Which change applies to you?

Your situationThe ruleExceptionsWhat to do next
First-time applicant in NepalYou already apply from outside Australia, so the onshore rules do not change how you lodge. Family can come only if an exemption applies.Studying a doctoral degree (PhD); sponsorship by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or Defence; a foreign government scholarship that fully funds your course or courses; eligible students from a Pacific or ASEAN member countryDecide your course level, and whether family can come, before you accept an offer
Student in Australia who needs another Student visaGenerally you must apply from outside Australia, and be outside Australia when it is granted.Finishing your main course with the same provider; progression to one higher-level course; doctoral; school study; DFAT or Defence; provider defaultCheck which exemption fits before you enrol or book travel
Moving on to a higher qualificationYou can apply in Australia only under the progression exemption.The next course must be at a higher AQF level; after higher education it must be a higher education course at a higher education provider; only one further course is coveredConfirm the next course's AQF level and provider type first
Changing providerA new provider must not knowingly enrol you before you complete a set part of your main course.Deregistration or a sanction; a release recorded in PRISMS; written support from a government sponsorAsk your current provider about its release policy before you pay a new one
Married student applying with a partnerA partner generally cannot be included.The same exemptions as a first-time applicantPlan as a single applicant unless an exemption clearly applies
Visa holder who wants to add family laterFamily cannot be added after a Student visa is granted.There are no exemptions; narrow transitional provisions exist for some families already in Australia, so get adviceDo not plan around adding family later
Application lodged before the rules beganAssessed under the rules at lodgement, including any family in it.The protection belongs to that application onlyGet advice before you withdraw and lodge again

This table summarises the rules. It is not advice on your case.

What changed in Australia's Student visa rules on 2 October 2026?

The new rules change who can apply for, and be granted, a Student visa (subclass 500) or a Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) while in Australia, and whether family can be included in a Student visa application. They apply to applications made on or after 2 October 2026. If you already hold a Student visa, your current visa is not affected.

The changes come from the Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026 and the instruments made with them, all listed in the sources at the end of this page.

ChangeWho it affectsStatus
Holders of 17 listed visa categories (including working holiday, 482, 485 and visitor visas) must apply from outside AustraliaPeople in Australia on those visasIn force
A Student visa holder must generally apply from outside Australia for another Student visaCurrent studentsIn force, with exemptions
If you must apply from outside Australia, you must be outside Australia when the visa is grantedThe same groupsIn force
Family can be included only with an exemption, and cannot be added after grantNew and further applicantsIn force, with exemptions
A 12-month main course rule before changing providerNon-school studentsIn force until 30 June 2027
New Student visa transfer streamStudents changing providerAnnounced for 1 July 2027; not law when checked

Do the new rules affect students applying from Nepal for 2027?

Partly. If you lodge from Nepal you are already outside Australia, so the rules that make people leave Australia to apply do not change how you apply. Two things do reach you.

Family. The family limits apply to first-time applicants too. This is the biggest change for married students (see the next section).

Course planning. The same rules limit what you can do after you arrive. Another Student visa in Australia now needs an exemption. After a higher education course, progression in Australia must be to a higher-level higher education course. Changing provider is restricted. The course on your first Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) matters more than it used to.

If you are finishing +2, read studying in Australia after +2 from Nepal alongside this page.

Can Nepali students include their spouse or children?

For most new applicants, no. Student visa applicants can no longer include a partner or dependent children unless an exemption applies. The exemptions are:

  • studying a doctoral degree (PhD)
  • sponsorship by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or Defence
  • a foreign government scholarship that fully funds your course or courses
  • eligible students from a Pacific or ASEAN member country

Nepal is not a Pacific or ASEAN country, so for most Nepali applicants the realistic exemptions are the first three. The family must be in the same location as you when you lodge.

Adding family later. Current Student visa holders can no longer add family members after grant, and there are no exemptions. Narrow transitional provisions exist for some family already in Australia when the rules began. If that is you, speak to a registered migration agent.

Family already included. If family members are already on your current Student visa and you are eligible to apply in Australia, you may be able to include them in your next application.

Be careful with anyone who promises a family pathway outside these exemptions.

Can students already in Australia apply for another Student visa?

Generally not from inside Australia. A Student visa holder applying for another Student visa must generally apply from outside Australia. If you had to apply from outside Australia, you must be outside Australia when the visa is granted. The exemptions for a current Student visa holder are:

  • you need up to 12 more months after your course end date to finish your main course with the same provider;
  • you are sponsored by DFAT or Defence;
  • you are applying for a PhD, or primary or secondary school study;
  • you have completed your main course and are progressing to a course at a higher AQF level (after higher education, the next course must also be higher education at a higher education provider);
  • you completed school and are moving to a course with no AQF level, or from a course with no AQF level to one with an AQF level; or
  • your provider has defaulted.

Under the legislation, progression covers no more than one further course. People on a dependant visa who want to become the main applicant are also affected and must apply from outside Australia. Current Student Guardian (590) holders can still apply for another 590 while in Australia.

Check the Home Affairs onshore decision tree (linked at the end of this page) before you enrol, and do not assume you can lodge in the weeks after your visa expires.

Can international students change courses or universities in Australia?

The rules are tighter, but changing provider is not banned. Until 30 June 2027, a receiving provider can't knowingly enrol a non-school student who wants to transfer unless they have completed 12 months of their principal course. The rule falls on providers, so in practice your new provider may refuse the enrolment. School students stay on the 6-month rule. The exceptions are:

  • the provider or course is no longer registered, or a sanction stops you continuing;
  • your current provider agrees to release you and records it in PRISMS; or
  • a government sponsor supports the change in writing.

What is changing from 1 July 2027?

ItemStatusWhat to know
End of the interim 12-month ruleLegislated: the amended National Code provides 6 months from 1 July 20276 months is a provider enrolment rule, not a right to switch freely
Student visa transfer streamAnnounced, not law when we checkedPer the minister's release, you would need the new visa before starting at the new provider, its end date stays the same, and transfers to lower-level courses are to be prevented. Study Australia says the details are still being developed.
Graduate (485) family restrictionsAnnounced, not law when we checkedOfficial guidance says restrictions on family for graduate (485) applicants will be introduced, but no details were available when we checked.

These rules can change. Check them against the official sources when you read this.

What has not changed for students applying from Nepal?

Applying from Nepal still needs the usual evidence. Our complete Australia Student visa guide for Nepali students covers the full process. In outline:

  • A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from a registered provider.
  • The Genuine Student (GS) requirement, for applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024. You answer questions in the online form, with a limit of 150 words per answer. Future interest in permanent residence does not count against you, but you must show that studying is the main reason for the application, and statements backed by evidence carry more weight. See how to prepare Genuine Student answers.
  • Financial capacity, English evidence and health cover. Their requirements change over time, so check the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool and our guide to proof of funds for an Australian Student visa. Ignore any family cost examples unless you belong to an exempt group.
  • English tests. Universities often ask for more than the visa minimum. See IELTS score requirements for Australian universities.

Practical checklist before you apply

If you are a first-time applicant in Nepal

  • Pick your course level and provider with the whole study sequence in mind.
  • Decide whether you will apply alone. Do not plan to bring family unless an exemption clearly applies.
  • Prepare your GS answers from your own circumstances, supported by documents.
  • Check the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool for your passport and course.
  • Compare tests in IELTS vs PTE for Nepali students.

If you are married or have children

  • Read the Home Affairs family decision tree before you choose a course.
  • Treat any plan to add family after grant as unavailable.
  • If your partner wants to study, they apply separately and meet every requirement themselves.
  • Get advice from a migration agent registered with OMARA.

If you are already in Australia

  • Count your months from the end date on your CoE, and check which exemption fits.
  • Check the AQF level and provider type of your next course.
  • Ask your current provider about its release policy before you commit to a new one.
  • Keep your current visa valid, and do not book travel until you understand your position.

Need to organise your funds or your Genuine Student answers? Read our guides to proof of funds and Genuine Student answers.

Official sources and where to check for updates

The legislation, the Study Australia update, the minister's release and the Home Affairs Genuine Student page are under Sources below. If these pages disagree, the legislation governs.

About this guide

This guide is general information, not immigration or legal advice. finduni.ai is not a government agency, does not decide visa outcomes and cannot guarantee approval. For advice on your circumstances, speak to a migration agent registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA).

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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