Dependant curbs from Oct 2026 delay South Asian student travel to Australia

Australia's tightening student visa rules are reshaping how families in South Asia plan to study in the country, with new restrictions on dependants taking effect from 2 October 2026. Low grant and high refusal rates for applicants from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are leading some students to defer, withdraw or never lodge an application.

Key facts

• Further student visa changes, including restrictions on students' dependants, took effect from 2 October 2026
• Australia's Genuine Student (GS) requirement requires closer scrutiny of course choice, intentions in Australia and financial means
• Overall grant rate for primary student visa applicants was 75.5% in August 2026
• Offshore grant rates in August 2026: Nepal 13%, Bangladesh 34%, India 51%
• Offshore higher education refusal rates, January–March 2026: Nepal 69%, Bangladesh 45%, India 42%, Sri Lanka 41%, Pakistan 37%

What is changing?

Under Australia's Genuine Student (GS) requirement, counsellors and agents must pay much closer attention to prospective students' course choice, their intentions while in Australia and their financial means. Further visa changes effective from 2 October 2026, including restrictions on students' dependants, have added to the questions families are asking before they apply.

The changes mean there is more for families to consider when deciding if and how to apply for study in Australia, according to Mukesh Dhamala, Regional Director for South Asia with NAPS Australia, who wrote the analysis.

Who is affected?

Prospective international students from South Asia and their families are the most affected. The source highlights applicants from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, where grant and refusal rates in 2026 have led to more cautious conversations and more students deferring or withdrawing after receiving an offer.

How much funding evidence is needed?

The source describes a case where a Nepali student planning a Master of Information Technology hoped to travel with their spouse. The family prepared funding from several sources — the father's small business, the mother's salaried income, savings and an education loan — and all sources had to be documented and explained clearly.

After news in October that most international students would not be permitted to bring their spouses, the family decided not to proceed. No application was lodged, so no refusal was recorded.

What this means for travellers

Students from South Asia planning to study in Australia should be aware that course choice, intentions in Australia and financial means face closer scrutiny under the GS requirement, and that dependant restrictions apply from 2 October 2026. Families relying on multiple funding sources should be prepared to document each one clearly.

The source notes that some students now receive an offer and then defer, withdraw or decide not to apply at all. No further dates or pending decisions are mentioned.