Now Have to Apply for a Student Visa From Outside Australia? What to Plan For

Since 2 October 2026, most people in Australia on a temporary visa cannot apply for a student visa without leaving. That includes most current students moving to a new course. For many people, the hardest part is not the application itself but the timing: leaving, waiting offshore and returning. This guide explains the rules and how to plan.

Who must apply from outside Australia

Visa held in Australia	Can apply for a student visa onshore?
Visitor (600), ETA (601), eVisitor (651), Medical Treatment (602), Transit (771)	No
Working Holiday (417), Work and Holiday (462)	No
Temporary Skill Shortage or Skills in Demand (482), 457, 400, 407, 408	No
Temporary Graduate (485)	No
Maritime Crew (988), some diplomatic and domestic worker visas	No
Student visa holders	Only if an exemption applies
Bridging visa only	No, you must hold a substantive visa
Other substantive visas not on the list	Possibly, if the usual rules are met

Current students can apply onshore if they are moving to a higher AQF level after completing their main course, need up to 12 extra months to finish, are enrolling in a PhD, were affected by provider default, are school students, or are DFAT or Defence sponsored. See the higher AQF level rule and finishing your course.

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Offshore at lodgement and at grant

Being offshore when you lodge is not enough. If the rules required you to apply from outside Australia, the visa can only be granted while you are outside Australia. If you return on another visa, such as a visitor visa, before the decision, the student visa cannot be granted while you are here. Plan to wait offshore.

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Planning the timing

• Check processing priority: offshore applications are processed in priority order based on your provider’s allocation. See student visa processing priority.
• Keep your current visa valid where possible: leaving before it expires protects your record. Overstaying can lead to a re-entry ban. See re-entry bans.
• Course start dates: talk to your provider about deferring if the visa may not arrive in time. See deferring your course.
• Work and income: you will not have Australian work rights while waiting offshore unless you hold another visa that allows it.
• Family: most applicants can no longer include family. See partners and children.

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Prepare a strong application

Applying from outside Australia does not change the criteria. You still need a CoE, Genuine Student answers, English test results where required, evidence of funds where requested, and OSHC. A refusal while you are offshore generally cannot be reviewed by the ART. See the Genuine Student requirement and the student visa guide.

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What you should do now

• Confirm you must apply offshore: check your visa and any exemption.
• Plan the gap: you must be outside Australia at grant.
• Talk to your provider: about start dates and deferral.
• Lodge a complete application: offshore refusals usually have no review right.