On this page
- Who counts as family on a student visa?
- What are the new rules for Australian student visa holders and their dependents?
- Which passport holders can include their family in their student visa application?
- My family is already on my student visa. Can they stay on my next visa?
- Can a student visa dependent work in Australia?
- What does it cost to include family?
- What happens if I include a family member who is not eligible?
- Do you want help with your own situation?
Only in some cases. Since 2 October 2026 most students cannot bring their family on a student visa to Australia. The Department of Home Affairs says most student visa applicants “can no longer include family members”.1 A student who meets one of the Department’s exemptions can still include a partner and children, in the same application as the student.2
Who counts as family on a student visa?
The Department counts two kinds of family member1:
- a partner
- a child of the student or the partner, who is unmarried and under 18.
A child who has turned 18 when the Department decides the visa cannot be included. That child applies for a visa of their own.1
No. A parent, brother or sister is not a family member for a student visa.1 A parent who wants to visit applies for a visa of their own.
What are the new rules for Australian student visa holders and their dependents?
Only a student in one of these five groups can include family1234:
- A student applying to study a Doctoral degree (PhD). A Masters by research does not count.
- A student sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or the Department of Defence.
- A student on a foreign government scholarship that pays for all of the study.
- A student with a passport from a Pacific Island country, Timor-Leste or an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) country on the list below.
- Some students whose family is already on the current student visa. The table below shows the cases.
Where the student applies from matters1
- Groups 1 and 2 can include family in an application made in Australia or outside Australia.
- Groups 3 and 4 can include family in an application made outside Australia. In Australia, they can include family in three cases only: the student needs up to 12 more months to finish the main course, the student has finished the main course and moves up to a higher level course, or the college defaulted.
- Family members who apply in Australia must hold an eligible visa.
The Department of Home Affairs requires that the student and the family apply together, from the same place. A family member cannot be added after the visa is granted. No exceptions.2
Which passport holders can include their family in their student visa application?
The ASEAN and Pacific exemptions apply. A student with one of these passports can include family in an application made outside Australia. The exemption follows the student’s passport, not the family’s.13 Family members who apply must also meet the Department’s health and character requirements.1
Fiji
Kiribati
Nauru
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam
Where the student applies from changes the rule1:
My family is already on my student visa. Can they stay on my next visa?
Only in some cases. The rules also apply to a student who applies for a further student visa.2 The table shows when family already on the current student visa can be included.
| The student’s next application | Family already on the current student visa |
|---|---|
| In Australia, up to 12 more months to finish the main course | Can be included14 |
| In Australia, moving up to one course at a higher level | Can be included, if the family member held a place on the student visa on 2 October 2026, or applied for one before that date and it was granted later13 |
| In or outside Australia, after the college defaulted | Can be included14 |
| Outside Australia, up to 12 more months to finish the main course | Can be included1 |
| Outside Australia, for any other reason | Not included, unless a family exemption applies7 |
A student who leaves Australia to apply for a new student visa cannot include family, unless the student needs up to 12 more months to finish the course, the college defaulted, or a family exemption applies.1 The Department says this rule applies "even if your family members are included in your current Student visa".7
Already in Australia with family on your student visa? Talk to Studyaway before you apply for your next visa.
Request a free appointmentA child born in Australia to a student visa holder "automatically holds the same visa as their parent". The student can include the child in the next application made in Australia, if the student can apply here and can include family.1
Can a student visa dependent work in Australia?
Yes, within limits. A family member’s visa carries these work rules6:
- Up to 48 hours a fortnight (every 2 weeks).
- No work until the student has started the course. This rule does not apply to a family member who held a visa with work rights when applying.
- No limit on hours when the student’s course is a Masters or Doctoral degree.
What does it cost to include family?
The Department of Home Affairs charges a fee for most family members. The amount follows the student’s passport or course, as the table below shows.5
| Student’s passport or course | Student | Each family member 18 or over | Each child under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Pacific Island country or Timor-Leste | AUD $745 | AUD $555 | AUD $185 |
| One of the ten ASEAN countries, or an English (ELICOS) or non-award course | AUD $2,050 | AUD $1,255 | AUD $410 |
| Any other passport | AUD $2,500 | AUD $1,530 | AUD $500 |
The Department charges no fee for the family of a student in a postgraduate research course, such as a Doctoral degree. A student supported by DFAT or Defence, and that student’s family, also pay no fee.1
Two more costs rise with each person
The Department requires evidence of money for living costs for each person, and every family member needs Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).19
| For a stay of 12 months or more | Student | Partner | Each child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living costs to show | AUD $29,710 | AUD $10,394 | AUD $4,449 |
| School costs to show | None | None | AUD $13,502 for each school-age child |
| Health cover (OSHC) | Required | Required | Required |
The money to show also includes travel and course fees.9
The funds calculator adds up the money to show for a partner and each child.
Work out your amountWhat happens if I include a family member who is not eligible?
The Department of Home Affairs treats that family member’s application as invalid.8 The Department warns that an invalid application can affect the visa a family member holds in Australia.1
Do you want help with your own situation?
Studyaway tools to check your eligibility, work out your funds and get help
This article is general information only, not migration advice. In Australia, immigration assistance may only be provided by a registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner - Studyaway provides all students with access to a Registered Migration Agent.
