Study in Australia: news and analysis
Deadline changes, policy shifts, and application news as they happen.
RSS feedStudent visa rules changed on 2 October: what is now in force
Home Affairs' new Student and Student Guardian visa rules took effect on 2 October 2026. Here is what the official pages say about applying from inside Australia, the exemptions, and bringing family.
Australia bars most international students from bringing family: the September 2026 migration overhaul explained
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced sweeping visa changes on 17 September 2026, including a family ban for most student visas that will hit Nepal and India hardest, a course-progression crackdown, a visitor visa "no further stay" condition, Working Holiday ballots, and equal points for construction trades.
Ministerial Direction 115: your university now sets how fast your student visa moves
On 14 November 2025 a new Ministerial Direction replaced MD 111 and added a third processing tier for offshore student visas. Which university you apply to now decides whether processing starts in weeks or months.
One in three university applicants refused: Australia's student visa squeeze
In February 2026 the offshore refusal rate for higher education student visa applications reached 32.5 percent, the highest monthly level in about two decades. Here is what is driving it and how to lower your own risk.