Subclass 500 is the main Student visa for eligible study in Australia. It covers different education sectors rather than separate visas for every type of qualification. Subclass 590 is a distinct Student Guardian visa for eligible people caring for students. Rules introduced on 2 October 2026 changed onshore applications and family inclusion, so older advice about simply extending a Student visa in Australia may no longer fit your situation.
The October 2026 rules: check location and family eligibility first
Most new Student visa applications must now be lodged outside Australia. An onshore applicant needs an eligible current visa and a qualifying exemption. Some temporary visa categories, including Visitor, ETA, eVisitor, Working Holiday, Work and Holiday and Temporary Graduate, are excluded from onshore Student applications. Completing an Australian course does not override an excluded current visa category.
For existing Student visa holders, an exemption can depend on course completion and progression, specified government sponsorship, a doctoral course, school studies or provider default. The exact category matters: progressing after completing a course is different from changing an unfinished course, and a research master’s is not the doctoral exemption. Before arranging a departure or new enrolment, compare your current visa and proposed course with the operative rules.
Family inclusion is a separate test. Most new applicants cannot include a partner or children, and cannot rely on the former general subsequent-entrant route. Defined exceptions cover doctoral students, specified government-sponsored or scholarship circumstances, eligible Pacific or ASEAN nationals and transitional cases. Meeting an onshore exemption does not by itself establish a family exemption. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 remain assessed under their applicable earlier rules.
Where offshore lodgement is required, the grant-location rule also matters. An offshore Student application does not produce a bridging visa. Returning temporarily on another valid visa does not remove the requirement to be outside Australia for a grant where that rule applies. AIA can map the sequence with you using the Home Affairs Student visa changes guidance.
Subclass 500: higher education
This sector covers eligible higher education study, including bachelor’s and coursework postgraduate qualifications. Prepare a valid Confirmation of Enrolment, a credible explanation of your course choice and evidence of finances, English and health cover where required. Explain how the course connects with your education and employment history, particularly if it changes direction or repeats earlier study.
The ordinary main-applicant government charge is A$2,500 as at 2 November 2026, with defined passport-based concessions and exemptions. Apply from the permitted location through ImmiAccount, supply the required documents and respond to any further requests. After grant, check the study, work, reporting and expiry conditions. Graduation can create options for further assessment, but does not itself confer a Graduate visa or permanent residence.
Subclass 500: vocational education and training
VET study includes eligible vocational qualifications delivered by registered providers. An offer letter does not settle whether the Student visa criteria are met. Explain the training’s practical relevance, your previous qualifications and why the chosen course and provider fit your circumstances. If you have already studied in Australia, provide a complete course and visa history rather than leaving gaps.
The ordinary base charge is A$2,500 as at 2 November 2026, subject to the applicable concessions. Application location, Genuine Student evidence, funds and health cover remain essential. If your plan includes a future occupation assessment, keep the training requirements separate from the visa requirements: completing a course does not automatically satisfy an assessing authority, employer nomination or skilled migration criteria.
Subclass 500: postgraduate research
Research master’s and doctoral courses fall within postgraduate research, but their treatment is not identical under every rule. A doctoral course can engage an October 2026 exemption that a research master’s does not. Supply the correct enrolment documents and explain the research program, academic preparation and funding. Government sponsorship or scholarships should be supported by the actual award documents.
The ordinary main-applicant charge is A$2,500 as at 2 November 2026. Check any exempt category before paying. Research master’s and doctoral students have different work-limit treatment from the usual fortnightly Student limit, but they must still comply with their own grant conditions. Plan fieldwork, travel, family inclusion and the end of candidature together so that academic arrangements remain consistent with the visa.
Subclass 500: English language study
An eligible standalone English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students can support a Student application. The ordinary ELICOS-sector base charge is A$2,050 as at 2 November 2026, with any applicable concession assessed separately. The course still needs a genuine study explanation and appropriate funding and health cover.
Where English is packaged with another course, provide the full sequence and identify the principal course. Do not assume that the standalone ELICOS charge or English-evidence treatment applies to every package. The sequence should make educational sense, and any later course change must be assessed against the visa conditions and current application rules.
Subclass 500: schools
School students need eligible enrolment and, where under 18, approved welfare arrangements. Identify who has parental responsibility and supply the necessary consent and welfare evidence. Accommodation with a relative and a provider-approved welfare arrangement are not interchangeable without meeting the relevant requirements.
The ordinary base charge is A$2,500 as at 2 November 2026, before any applicable concession. Consider the child’s visa and the proposed guardian’s visa separately. The length of a Student grant follows the course and sector rules; Home Affairs describes an overall maximum of up to six years, with shorter settings for some primary-school enrolments. The actual grant is the document to use for travel and renewal planning.
Subclass 500: non-award, exchange and government-sponsored study
Eligible non-award study uses the Student framework even when it does not lead to an Australian qualification. The ordinary Non-Award-sector base charge is A$2,050 as at 2 November 2026. Approved secondary exchange and specified Foreign Affairs or Defence categories can have nil application charges. A fee exemption requires the relevant category and evidence; holding any scholarship is not the same as being exempt.
Provide the exchange acceptance, government support or other sector-specific documents required for your application. Government-sponsored applicants should also check any restrictions affecting a later visa or remaining in Australia. AIA can distinguish a fee concession, an application-location exemption and permission to include family members: each answers a different question.
Genuine Student, English and financial evidence
The Genuine Student requirement applies to applications lodged from 23 March 2024. Give clear answers supported by your education, work and personal circumstances. Explain course value and provider choice in your own situation. A generic statement about Australia being attractive is less useful than a documented account of the study you intend to undertake.
English evidence depends on your course, test date and any exemption. Use an accepted test and the applicable rules rather than a provider’s admission score alone. University admission and the visa’s English requirements are separate decisions. Financial evidence should demonstrate access to the applicable tuition, living and travel funds; any eligible family members add costs. Avoid relying on future Australian employment to fund an application that requires funds now.
OSHC must cover the required period unless an exemption applies. Under-18 welfare evidence should match the proposed arrival date. Keep evidence of enrolment changes and tell Home Affairs about material changes before a decision.
Subclass 590: Student Guardian
Subclass 590 is for an eligible parent, custodian or nominated relative aged at least 21 who will provide care and support to a student under 18, or in specified exceptional circumstances to an older student. It is not an alternative work visa. The ordinary main-applicant charge is A$2,500 as at 2 November 2026.
Prepare evidence of the relationship, nomination or custody, finances, health insurance and the student’s welfare needs. Since 2 October 2026, holders of affected temporary visas must apply offshore and be offshore for grant. Current 590 holders can still lodge a further 590 application in Australia. Check which rule applies to your current visa before travel. A guardian must comply with the visa’s work and care conditions; condition 8101, where imposed, prohibits work. If a guardian needs to leave Australia, the student’s alternative welfare arrangements must meet the applicable requirements. A student’s successful application does not automatically grant the guardian a visa.
From application to life after study
Start by checking your current status and permitted application location. Then confirm enrolment, funding, English, health cover, welfare and family eligibility. Lodge a complete application and monitor ImmiAccount for requests. Course-start pressure does not guarantee priority or approval; discuss enrolment deferral with the provider if necessary.
Once granted, use the visa’s actual dates and conditions. The standard Student work setting is up to 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session, with different treatment for research master’s and doctoral study. Check when work may begin and what counts as a course break. Before the visa expires, assess any further study or other visa against its own criteria rather than assuming an automatic extension.
Plan your study with AIA
Our registered migration agents provide tailored advice and careful preparation for students across Australia and overseas. Book an AIA consultation before committing to a new course or travel sequence so your study and visa plans work together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I extend my Student visa inside Australia?
Not simply because you are enrolled. Since 2 October 2026, you need an eligible current visa and a relevant exemption for an onshore application. Many applicants must apply offshore.
Can my partner join me later?
The former general subsequent-entrant route cannot be assumed for new applications. Check the family exemption and transitional rules separately from your own eligibility.
Is a research master’s treated as a PhD?
Not for the doctoral exemption. Although both are research study, the specific October exemption refers to doctoral study. Other applicable categories require their own assessment.
Does paying for a course guarantee a Student visa?
No. Enrolment is one part of the application. Home Affairs also assesses the applicable genuine-student, financial, health, character and other criteria.
Is every Student application A$2,500?
No. ELICOS, Non-Award, eligible nationalities and specified exempt categories can have different charges. Family charges and other application costs are additional where applicable.
Can I work full-time to pay my tuition?
Do not plan around unrestricted work. The grant conditions control your rights, and financial-capacity evidence must meet the application requirements independently of hoped-for future work.
Can a Student Guardian work?
A guardian must follow the grant conditions. Condition 8101 prohibits work. The guardian pathway is designed for care and support, not employment.
What should I bring to AIA?
Bring your passport, visa grants, enrolment documents, course and work history, funding evidence and any family or welfare plans. Include the dates of upcoming study and visa expiry.
Sources (7)
- Home Affairs — Student 500 — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Home Affairs — Genuine Student requirement — accessed 29 October 2026.
- Home Affairs — Student Guardian 590 — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Federal Register — Student visa amendment regulations, 2 October 2026 commencement — accessed 29 October 2026.
- Home Affairs — Student visa changes, what you need to do — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Federal Register — Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 1, 2 October 2026 compilation — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Federal Register — Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, 2 October 2026 compilation — accessed 29 October 2026.
