Australia Student Visa Changes from 2 October 2026: What Nepali Students Need to Know

Australia changed its Student visa rules on 2 October 2026. Many temporary visa holders and most current Student visa holders must now be outside Australia when applying for another Student visa, while new restrictions also apply to partners and dependent children.

For Nepali students, applying from Nepal is still possible if the normal visa requirements are met. The biggest impact is on people already in Australia who want to move from another temporary visa to a Student visa, apply for a further Student visa, or add family members.

What changed on 2 October 2026?

1. More temporary visa holders must apply offshore. Affected applicants must be outside Australia when lodging a Student or Student Guardian visa application and when the visa is granted.
2. Current Student visa holders face new limits. Unless a narrow exemption applies, they must leave Australia before applying for another Student visa.
3. Family inclusion is restricted. Partners and dependent children can only be included in limited circumstances, and family members cannot be added as subsequent entrants after grant.

Which temporary visa holders must apply outside Australia?

The new Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026 covers these visa subclasses:

• Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400)
• Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403), Domestic Worker stream
• Training visa (subclass 407)
• Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408)
• Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
• Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
• Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462)
• Skills in Demand or Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
• Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
• Visitor visa (subclass 600)
• Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)
• Medical Treatment visa (subclass 602)
• eVisitor visa (subclass 651)
• Transit visa (subclass 771)
• Maritime Crew visa (subclass 988)
• Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995), where covered by the instrument

There is no general exemption for affected visa holders to lodge onshore. They must apply and receive the Student visa while outside Australia.

This replaces the September onshore list

An earlier instrument began on 25 September 2026. The 2 October instrument, LIN 26/102, repeals that instrument and expands the affected list. If you saw our earlier September 2026 guide, use this article as the current update.

Can a current Student visa holder apply again in Australia?

Usually not. Home Affairs lists limited exceptions for applicants who:

• need no more than 12 extra months to complete their original main course with the same provider;
• are sponsored by DFAT or Defence;
• are applying for a PhD;
• are applying for primary or secondary school studies;
• are progressing from a completed AQF course to a higher AQF level;
• are progressing from school to a course without an AQF level;
• are moving from a non-AQF course to an AQF course; or
• cannot continue because their education provider has defaulted.

Extra conditions can apply to higher-education progression. A Student visa holder who is currently a dependent and wants to become the primary applicant must apply offshore. Current Student Guardian visa holders may still lodge a further Student Guardian application while in Australia.

Does this cancel an existing Student visa?

No. The changes do not cancel or shorten a current Student visa. They affect new applications made on or after 2 October 2026.

Can partners and children still be included?

Only in limited cases. Exemptions may apply to PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, foreign-government scholarship recipients, and eligible students from Pacific or ASEAN countries. Nepal is not an ASEAN or Pacific country, so a Nepali passport alone does not create that nationality exemption.

Other narrow arrangements may apply where family members were already included on the current visa. The primary applicant and all included family members must be in the same location when lodging. After grant, family members cannot be added as subsequent entrants.

What happens if an ineligible application is lodged onshore?

An application lodged in Australia when the applicant is required to be offshore will be invalid. This can affect visa status if the existing visa expires. An offshore Student visa application does not create a Bridging visa. Applicants may visit Australia on another valid visa while the application is processed, but must be outside Australia when the Student visa is granted if the offshore rule applies.

What about applications lodged before 2 October 2026?

Applications lodged before the new rules commenced continue to be assessed under the rules in place when they were lodged, including applications that already included family members.

What should Nepali students do now?

1. Check your exact visa subclass and conditions using your grant letter and VEVO.
2. Confirm where you must be when applying and at grant.
3. Check any claimed exemption against official criteria. Course level, provider type, sponsorship and family circumstances matter.
4. Avoid non-refundable commitments until your application location and travel needs are clear.
5. Prepare the full application. These rules do not replace enrolment, financial, health-cover, English and Genuine Student requirements.

Students applying from Nepal can also review our Study in Australia guide and Student visa guidance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change from a Visitor visa to a Student visa in Australia?

No. Visitor subclasses 600, 601 and 651 are on the offshore list.

Can a Temporary Graduate visa holder apply onshore?

No. Subclass 485 holders must apply from outside Australia.

Can Working Holiday visa holders apply onshore?

No. Subclasses 417 and 462 are included in the instrument.

Can I add my spouse after my Student visa is granted?

No. Home Affairs says family members cannot be added as subsequent entrants after grant.

Do the rules apply to an application lodged on 1 October 2026?

No. Applications lodged before 2 October continue under the rules that applied when lodged.

Official sources

• Department of Home Affairs: Changes to Student visa application rules
• Applying while in Australia
• Including or adding family members
• Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026
• Offshore application instrument 2026

Information reviewed on 2 October 2026. This is general information, not personal migration advice. Rules can change and individual circumstances matter. Check Home Affairs and seek advice from a registered Australian migration agent or legal practitioner where needed.

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