Study in Australia
Study in Australia: Education & Student Visa Support
Reviewed 27 October 2026. Planning to study in Australia involves more than choosing a course. A2MS – Aussie Academics and Migration Services® helps prospective international students understand course options, entry requirements, admissions and the Student visa (subclass 500) process. Education counselling is provided by our education team; personal migration advice is led by Sunil Choudhary, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2418425).
Eligible Student visa holders can study at a CRICOS-registered provider, live in Australia for the period granted, travel in and out while their visa permits, and work subject to visa conditions. Work is generally capped at 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, with important exceptions. The length of a visa and the ability to include family members depend on each case.
Important October 2026 change: Since 2 October 2026, new Student and Student Guardian visa rules affect onshore applications and family members. Some people must apply offshore or cannot include family members unless a specific exception applies. Read the A2MS October 2026 Student visa changes guide before making travel, enrolment or visa plans.
Choose the right A2MS adviser for your study journey
Education and admissions support is separate from regulated Australian visa and migration advice. Choose the consultation that fits your question.
Manmeet Chhabra
QEAC T284
Education & admissions only: choosing a CRICOS course or provider, entry requirements, education pathways and enrolment planning. Manmeet's education consultations do not provide visa or migration legal advice.
Book Manmeet: free 10-minute education call45-minute education session — $150
Sunil Choudhary
MARN 2418425
Visa & migration legal guidance: Student visa (500), Student Guardian visa (590), Temporary Graduate visa (485), visa conditions and changing-provider visa implications. Outcomes depend on individual facts and law; no visa or migration outcome is guaranteed.
Book Sunil: free 10-minute migration introduction45-minute migration consultation — $250Further study-planning guides: Changing education providers (2026–27) · How to choose a CRICOS course.
Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)
A Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) may allow a parent, person with custody or eligible relative aged 21 or older to care for an international student under 18, or an older student who needs support in exceptional circumstances. The guardian needs to demonstrate sufficient funds, suitable health insurance and appropriate accommodation and welfare arrangements.
The length of stay is determined by the student’s circumstances and the visa grant; it is not automatically identical to the student’s entire visa period. Student Guardian visa holders must understand their own conditions, including restrictions on work. Since 2 October 2026, onshore lodgement eligibility has also changed.
For official eligibility and visa conditions, see A2MS – Student Guardian Visa 590 guidance, and the official Home Affairs visa page.
Eligibility Requirements for Student Visa
Student visa (subclass 500) eligibility depends on the proposed course, the applicant’s circumstances and the rules applying when the application is lodged. Key matters include:
- Course and confirmation: enrolment with a CRICOS-registered education provider and valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), with appropriate evidence for packaged courses.
- Genuine Student (GS): for relevant applications lodged from 23 March 2024, explain your individual circumstances, reasons for the chosen course/provider and expected benefits; provide evidence to support the application-form responses.
- English: approved English-language results or an applicable exemption, with the requirements depending on course and date of test.
- Finances: show adequate genuine access to required funds for travel, tuition, living costs and any eligible family member or school costs where evidence is required.
- Health and character: meet applicable visa requirements and arrange appropriate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless exempt.
- Age and welfare: students must meet age criteria; under-18 applicants require approved welfare arrangements.
- Where you apply: as of 2 October 2026, most applicants need to apply from outside Australia unless they meet an eligible onshore exception. Holding a visa in Australia does not automatically mean you may lodge another Student visa onshore.
Read the Student Visa 500 guide and the Genuine Student explanation. Rules change; please check with a Registered Migration Agent before taking action.
How Long You Can Stay
The Student visa’s stay period is determined by the education enrolment and the particular visa decision. A course extending across several years does not automatically guarantee the maximum visa duration, and shorter school or exchange courses may have different arrangements. Check the actual visa grant in VEVO for the expiry date and conditions.
If your course, provider or plans change, check whether existing visa conditions are affected. A further Student visa is not always available from within Australia following the 2 October 2026 application-rule changes. A successful qualification also does not automatically confer permanent residence or a subclass 485 visa.
Work Rights
Many Student visa holders may work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, subject to the conditions actually attached to their visa. More extensive work may be permitted during scheduled course breaks, and different arrangements apply to eligible Master’s by research and doctoral students after commencing their relevant degree. Accompanying family members can have different limits.
Work rights are not guaranteed merely by receiving a CoE or making a visa application. Check your individual visa conditions in VEVO, and observe Australian workplace laws.
Including Family Members
Family-member applications are now significantly restricted. From 2 October 2026, the eligibility to include a partner or dependent child in a subclass 500 application or arrange a later family application is limited by new rules and specific exceptions. Do not assume your partner or children can accompany you simply because you qualify for a Student visa.
The correct outcome depends on factors such as when a primary Student visa was applied for, whether a family-member exception applies, where each person is located and the applicable transitional rules. Understand the October 2026 family and onshore application changes, and refer to the Home Affairs official decision tools.
Health Insurance Requirement (OSHC)
Eligible international Student visa holders and accompanying eligible family members generally must maintain appropriate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for their visa period. Limited exemptions apply. Guardian visa holders may instead need adequate health insurance appropriate to subclass 590, which is not necessarily the same product.
Compare coverage, waiting periods, exclusions and the dates required for your particular application. The education team can explain provider information, while visa-specific advice is given by a Registered Migration Agent.
Why Choose A2MS?
Education guidance: A2MS helps prospective international students compare CRICOS-registered courses and institutions, clarify admissions and intake requirements, and plan the practical stages of studying in Australia.
Migration advice: Registered Migration Agent Sunil Choudhary (MARN 2418425) advises on visa eligibility, Genuine Student evidence, financial requirements, allowed onshore applications, student guardian arrangements, visa conditions, eligible family circumstances and lawful post-study options.
Course selection, education admission, visa approval, employment and permanent residency are distinct matters. None is guaranteed by engaging an adviser or completing a course.
Choose Your Education & Visa Pathway
Use these A2MS resources to explore the stage that applies to you:
- Course & Study Pathway Explorer: explore eight fields, compare university/TAFE entry patterns, and prepare a course shortlist with Manmeet Chhabra.
- Career-to-Course Navigator: explore 32 career directions across eight fields, learn which study routes to investigate, and check professional recognition before selecting a provider.
- Student Visa (500): enrolment, eligibility, documents and application considerations.
- October 2026 Student visa reforms: onshore lodgement and family-related restrictions.
- Genuine Student (GS): how to explain study plans and provide genuine supporting evidence.
- Student Visa Funds Calculator: an indicative budget starting point, not a government assessment.
- Student Guardian visa (590): caring for an eligible international student, welfare and financial requirements.
- Temporary Graduate (485): a separate post-study pathway for eligible graduates.
- Student visa refusal: time-sensitive guidance about decision notices and possible review rights.
A Practical Five-Step Study Plan
- Identify your study goal: qualification, provider, campus, intake, actual living costs and long-term prospects.
- Check course admission: academic and English entry criteria, fees, credits and whether the provider/course is CRICOS-registered.
- Assess the visa pathway: student eligibility, current onshore/offshore rules, previous visa history, any GS evidence and possible family restrictions.
- Prepare a realistic budget: course fees, OSHC, travel, housing, living costs and eligible accompanying family expenses.
- Apply and plan your stay: obtain the required CoE, lodge from the legally permitted location, keep relevant records, understand the visa grant and review conditions before commencing work.
Student Visa Guidance: Official Sources
Start Your Journey Today
Ready to compare suitable education pathways or understand your Student visa position? Book an A2MS consultation or contact the Adelaide team. Tell us your current location, course interests and existing visa status so we can direct your enquiry appropriately.
General information reviewed 27 October 2026. Individual circumstances and current Australian visa law determine eligibility. Official information: Home Affairs subclass 500.
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- Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Visa and Migration
- Subclass 820 – Temporary Partner Visa
- Subclass 801 – Permanent Partner Visa
- Subclass 309 – Partner (Provisional) Visa
- Subclass 100 – Partner (Permanent) Visa
Schedule Meeting
Let’s Discuss the Details.
Need Student, Guardian or Graduate visa or migration guidance? Book Sunil Choudhary, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2418425). For course selection and education admissions only, use Manmeet Chhabra’s education booking card on this page.
