What to know if you want to study in Australia with your partner or children.
Since 2 October 2026, most students can no longer include their partner or children in a new student visa application. There are some exceptions, so your options depend on your circumstances and what you plan to study.
If your family is already included on your student visa, you may also be able to apply for another visa together in certain circumstances. Here’s what to check for each situation.
Who can include family members in their application?
The immigration department makes exceptions for some students, including:
- Students taking a PhD.
- Students sponsored by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Department of Defence.
- Students whose studies are fully funded by a foreign government scholarship.
- Some students from Pacific countries and ASEAN member countries in Southeast Asia.
There are also exceptions for some families who are already included on a student visa and need to apply for another one. The requirements vary, so check your eligibility before booking a course or buying flights.
What if I want to study English or a VET course?
Enrolling in an English course or a vocational education and training (VET) course doesn’t, on its own, let you include your partner or children. You’ll need to qualify for one of the exceptions.
For example, say you hold a Spanish passport and want to travel to Australia for the first time with your partner to study English. Being married isn’t enough to include them in your application. You’d need to check whether you qualify for an exception on another basis.
If your partner wants to come with you but can’t be included in your application, they’ll need to look into applying for a visa of their own. Their options will depend on their circumstances and the requirements of that visa.
If your family is already on your current visa
The rule change doesn’t automatically cancel visas you’ve already been granted. You can check their expiry dates and conditions in VEVO.
If you need another visa to continue studying, you may be able to include family members who were on your previous visa. Examples the immigration department allows for include:
- You need up to 12 more months to finish the main course covered by your current visa.
- Your education provider can no longer offer the course because it has failed to meet its obligations, and you need to apply for another visa.
- You’ve finished your course and are continuing your studies, provided you meet the requirements both to apply for another visa from within Australia and to include your family.
In the first two situations, the exception for existing family members may apply whether you submit the new application from inside or outside Australia. In every case, you’ll need to check separately where the student is allowed to apply from.
For example, if you have six months left on your course and your partner is already included on your visa, you may be able to include them in your new application. Before your current visa expires, you’ll need to check the requirements and where each of you can apply from.
Can my family apply after I do?
Under the current rules, your partner or children can’t apply to join you as dependants on your student visa after it has been granted. If you qualify for an exception that allows you to include them, they must be part of your application when you submit it.
The immigration department says everyone included in the application must be in the same location when you apply. If you’re in different places, get advice on how to arrange the application before making travel plans.
Which family members can I include?
If you qualify for an exception, you can apply with your spouse or de facto partner, as well as your dependent children or your partner’s dependent children. For this visa, children must be unmarried and under 18.
If your child is close to turning 18, talk to us about their circumstances before you apply. Their age and when the immigration department makes its decision can affect whether they can be granted a visa as a dependant.
What documents will my family need?
Alongside passports, you’ll need evidence of your family relationships. Depending on your circumstances, the immigration department may ask for a marriage certificate, evidence of a de facto relationship or your children’s birth certificates. Health and police documents may also be required.
If you’re travelling with a child and one of their parents or guardians isn’t applying for an Australian visa, you may need to provide that person’s consent. If you have sole custody, you’ll need documents confirming this, such as a court order.
The documents you need depend on your application. The immigration department’s checklist can help you work out what to prepare.
What health insurance will we need?
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) will also need to cover the family members coming with you, unless an exemption applies to them. A single policy doesn’t provide the same cover as a couple or family policy, and the price depends on who’s included and the dates of cover.
Before buying a policy, get a quote for the whole family and check that it covers your planned stay. If you already have single cover, ask your insurer how to change it and what it would cost.
How much money will we need as a family?
The immigration department may ask you to show that you have access to enough money for your stay. When family members are coming with you, the calculation takes them into account alongside your course and travel costs. Schooling costs are also included if you’re bringing school-age children.
That calculation is one part of the visa application. You’ll also need a budget for what your trip will actually cost: visa fees, flights, your course, health insurance, rent, food and transport. If you have children, add school or childcare costs too.
For example, a couple with one child will need to consider accommodation suitable for all three, a family insurance policy and school costs. These can vary considerably depending on the city and state you live in.
Can my partner work in Australia?
It depends on their visa conditions and what you’re studying. Before relying on that income in your family budget, check the work conditions in the visa grant letter or in VEVO. These show what each person’s visa allows them to do.
What should I know about bringing children?
If your children will be going to school, look into schooling options before deciding where to live. Starting ages, enrolment arrangements, available places and fees can vary by state or territory. For younger children, check childcare options too: some centres have waiting lists.
If you have a baby during your stay, tell the immigration department about the birth and check what paperwork and health cover the baby needs. The rules can differ depending on where the baby is born and the parents’ circumstances.
What if I applied before the rules changed?
Applications submitted before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the rules in place on the application date, including applications with family members. It’s the date you applied for the visa that matters, rather than when you booked your course.
Plan before you book
If you’d like to study in Australia with your family, tell us what you want to study and who would be coming with you. At Australian Way, we’ll help you choose a course and put together a budget. To check which visa options fit your family’s circumstances, we can put you in touch with a registered migration agent.
Sources: Australia’s immigration department, document checklist and Study Australia.
