Applying for a Student visa or Student Guardian visa while in Australia

    ​​​​​​​​​​Under the new rules, most temporary visa holders need to be outside Australia when they lodge a Student or Student Guardian visa application. Those affected temporary visa holders also need to be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

    For a list of affected temporary visas, see  Subclass 500 Student visa​​.​

    Applying for another Student visa

    There are new rules for current Student visa holders who want to apply for another Student visa while in Australia.

    Unless you meet limited exemption criteria, you will now need to be outside Australia when you lodge your application. You must also be outside Australia when your visa is granted.

    If you hold a Student visa as a dependant and want to apply for a Student visa as the primary applicant, you must lodge your application from outside Australia and be outside Australia when the visa is granted. There are no exemptions to this rule.

    The changes do not affect your current Student visa.

    Current Student Guardian (subclass 590) visa holders can continue to lodge a further Student Guardian visa application while in Australia.

    Exemptions

    Lodging in Australia if you hold a temporary visa other than a Student visa

    There are no exemptions to the rule if you hold an affected temporary visa. 

    You can only apply from outside Australia and you must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

    Lodgi​ng in Australia if you currently hold a Student visa

    If are a Student visa holder, you may be able to apply for another Student visa in Australia if you:

    • need up to 12 more months after your original course end date to complete your studies. You must be continuing to study with the same education provider. If you have a package of courses, the course you need more time to complete must be your main course.
    • are sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) or Defence
    • are applying to study a PhD Degree
    • are applying to do primary or secondary school studies
    • have completed your main course that has an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level and are progressing to a course at a higher AQF level*.
    • have completed your school studies and are progressing to a course that does not have an AQF level
    • have completed a course that does not have an AQF level and you are progressing to a course that does have an AQF level
    • cannot continue your course because your education provider has defaulted.​
    ​​*Note: If you completed a higher education course, your next course must also be a higher education course delivered by a higher education provider.

    Understanding AQF levels

    Australian qualifications are ranked from level 1 to level 10 by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

    Check the AQF level of your current and proposed course to see whether you meet the course progression exemption.​​
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