If you’re hoping your partner or children can join you while you study in Australia, the rules changed in a way that catches applicants off guard. Since 2 October 2026, most Subclass 500 applicants can no longer include a partner or children in their application at all, and there’s no way to add them later. This guide covers who still qualifies, what family members cost in financial-capacity terms, how the application must be lodged, and work and schooling once they’re here. For the visa itself, start with our Subclass 500 guide; this page covers only the family-member layer on top of it. If you’re weighing destinations, see how Australia’s dependant rules stack up against the UK, Canada and US.
Who counts as a “member of the family unit”
The family members you might be able to include are your partner (spouse or de facto partner, under the Migration Act’s definition), your dependent children, and your partner’s dependent children. A child under 18 is automatically dependent; an older child can still qualify if unmarried and genuinely financially dependent on you or your partner — commonly as a full-time student, or due to a disability preventing self-support. Neither term is defined in the financial-capacity instrument itself, so confirm a borderline case against Home Affairs’ own criteria.
The 2 October 2026 rule change
This is the fact that matters most right now: Home Affairs states directly on the Subclass 500 visa page that you must “not bring family members (partners and children) to Australia, unless exempt.” The same change means a current Student visa holder cannot add family members after the visa is granted, with no exemptions to that part of the rule. If family is central to your plans, settle this before you lodge, not after.
The five exemptions
You can only include family members if you fall into one of five categories, detailed on Home Affairs’ family-members page: Doctoral (PhD) students; students sponsored by Defence or DFAT; foreign government scholarship recipients; eligible nationals from Pacific Island or ASEAN countries; and a narrow fifth category of other exemptions covering specific transitional and course-continuation cases. A few continuing-student scenarios also let existing family stay in the picture — for example, if you already have family on your current visa and need up to 12 more months to finish your course, or your provider defaulted.
Combined applications only
Even with an exemption, the procedure is strict: family members must apply at the same time as you, from the same physical location; applying with you inside Australia also requires an eligible visa already in hand. If you don’t meet an exemption, don’t lodge a separate family application — an ineligible one can be treated as invalid rather than merely refused, which can hurt a family member’s visa status if they’re already in Australia, with no merits review at the Administrative Review Tribunal. There’s no “subsequent entrant” pathway for new Subclass 500 applications, unlike several skilled and partner visa categories.
How much money you need with family members
As most recently published under the legislative instrument Home Affairs uses to set Subclass 500/590 living-cost amounts, the 12-month figures are:
| Family member | Annual living cost |
|---|---|
| You (primary applicant) | AUD 29,710 |
| Spouse or de facto partner | AUD 10,394 |
| Each dependent child | AUD 4,449 |
| Each school-age child (school costs, on top of the above) | AUD 13,502 |
Instead of savings, you can rely on annual income from a parent, spouse, or de facto partner who is not travelling with you — thresholds are AUD 87,856 with no family member included, rising to AUD 102,500 with one. These figures are indexed periodically; confirm current amounts via the Document Checklist Tool before finalising your case. See our student-visa proof-of-funds guide and proof-of-funds glossary entry for how this evidence is assembled as genuinely accessible funds, not a bank-balance snapshot.
Work rights for an accompanying partner
A partner’s work rights sit under condition 8104, capped lower than yours: once you’ve started your course, a family member can work a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight, versus the 48-hour cap on you as the primary student under condition 8105. If you’re studying a master’s by research or a doctorate, that 40-hour limit lifts entirely for family members once your course starts, matching your own unlimited-hours treatment. Employers hiring a partner are expected to check both the relationship (grant letter, marriage or birth certificate) and proof that you’ve started your course.
School enrolment for dependent children
If children are included in your application, research schooling early — enrolment processes, starting ages and costs vary by state and territory, and some areas run waitlists for school places and childcare. International-student dependants are generally charged state-set public-school fees that differ materially between jurisdictions, so get a quote from the relevant state education department rather than relying on one national figure.
Before you apply
Bringing a partner or children onto a Subclass 500 now turns on a specific exemption, a combined application, and a financial case covering everyone named. Work through our Subclass 500 document checklist to see every item needed for you and your family members in one pass, and if anything here is uncertain for your situation, confirm it with Home Affairs or a registered migration agent before you lodge — an invalid family-member application can carry real consequences. We’re building tools at VisaMet to screen exactly this kind of eligibility and document gap before you submit — join the waitlist for early access.
FAQ
Can I add my partner to my Student visa after it’s already been granted? No. Home Affairs removed this option entirely from 2 October 2026, with no exemptions. If you want your partner to join you later, they generally need to qualify for their own separate visa rather than being added to your Subclass 500.
What counts as a dependent child for this visa? A child under 18 is automatically dependent. A child 18 or over can still qualify if they are unmarried and genuinely financially dependent on you or your partner, for example as a full-time student. Check the current dependent-child criteria on the Home Affairs site if a specific child’s situation is borderline.
How much extra money do I need to show if I bring my partner and one child? Based on the published 12-month living-cost schedule, that’s AUD 29,710 for you, AUD 10,394 for a spouse or de facto partner, and AUD 4,449 for a dependent child, roughly AUD 44,553 in living costs alone before tuition, travel, and school fees. These figures are indexed periodically, so confirm the current amounts before finalising your evidence.
Can my partner work while they’re in Australia with me? Yes, but at a lower cap than yours. Condition 8104 limits a family member to 40 hours per fortnight once you’ve started your course, versus your 48-hour cap. If you’re studying a master’s by research or a doctorate, your partner’s limit is lifted entirely once your course starts.
Do I have to apply with my family at the same time, or can they follow later? If you qualify for an exemption, your family members must apply at the same time as you, from the same location. Home Affairs will not accept a family member’s application lodged separately or later, and an invalid application can affect their visa status, so don’t lodge one if you’re unsure you qualify.
This guide explains preparation steps only — it is not legal advice. Visa rules change, so confirm current requirements, forms, and financial-capacity figures directly on the Department of Home Affairs website before you apply.