Australia Student Visa Dependants: Master's Plans from Sri Lanka

TL;DR: On 17 September 2026, Australia's Home Affairs Minister announced that most new international students will no longer be able to bring a partner or children on their student visa. Pacific and ASEAN students and certain courses such as PhDs are exempt. Students from non-ASEAN countries, including Sri Lanka, should plan to study alone on a coursework master's. No start date had been published at the time of writing.

If you are married, in your late twenties or thirties, and planning a master's in Australia, this is the change that matters most to you right now. Australia student visa dependants were one of the few family-friendly options left for taught postgraduate study. That option is closing for most applicants. Here is what is settled, what is not, and how to plan.

Planning an Australian master's and wondering how this limit affects your family plans? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

What the Minister announced

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke set out the change in a speech at the National Press Club on 17 September 2026. The core points, in his words, are:

• The restriction covers most new students. Exceptions are kept through "special visa conditions which will still allow it for the Pacific and for the ASEAN nations, and for certain courses, for example, PhD courses."
• Families already in Australia are protected: "Anyone who already has their family attached to a visa and is already here, we're not going to be breaking up families onshore."

You can read the full speech on the Minister for Home Affairs website.

ICEF Monitor also reports that overseas government-sponsored students will be exempt. The government has not yet released the full list of exempt courses.

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What is not settled yet

This is where most online coverage goes wrong. Several posts give a start date. At the time of writing, none had been announced. The PIE News reports that the government has not published an implementation date or a complete list of exempt cohorts.

Three questions are still open:

1. When it starts. At the time of writing, it was not clear whether it would apply to the February intake.
2. Whether lodged applications are protected. The Minister's assurance covers families already in Australia. It does not say what happens to a family application lodged offshore before the start date.
3. Research master's degrees. The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations has asked the government to extend the PhD exemption to all higher degree by research candidates. That has not been confirmed.

If anyone tells you these points are decided, ask them for the Home Affairs source.

Who this hits hardest

The numbers show who is affected. The PIE News reports that dependants made up about 10 percent of higher education student visas in the last program year. More than 70 percent of offshore dependant visas went to applicants from Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka.

If your country is not an ASEAN member, the ASEAN exemption does not apply. For a working professional who planned to move with a spouse, the plan now needs to change.

UK and Australia compared for married master's students

The UK closed the same door earlier. For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, most taught postgraduate students in the UK cannot bring dependants. Here is how the two now line up, based on what each government has published.

Sources: GOV.UK Student visa family members guidance and the Minister's 17 September speech.

What to do if you are married and planning Australia

Plan for a solo study period. Build your budget, housing and timeline on the basis that your partner stays at home for the length of the course. If the rule starts later than expected, that is a bonus, not a plan.

Look again at course length. A one-year or eighteen-month master's means a shorter time apart than a two-year program. This is now a real factor in course choice, not just cost.

Consider research if it fits your goals. A PhD is named as exempt. Only take this route if research is what you want. A doctorate chosen for visa reasons tends to go badly.

Strengthen your Genuine Student answers. A spouse and home in your own country are strong ties. Explain them clearly in your application and be ready to discuss them.

Watch for the official notice. Details will come from the Department of Home Affairs. Do not lodge a family application based on a rumoured date.

Applying from Sri Lanka

• Sri Lanka is not an ASEAN member, so Sri Lankan applicants get no ASEAN exemption in Australia. In the UK, they follow the same dependant rules as everyone else.
• If you are married, plan on your partner staying in Sri Lanka for the length of the course. A spouse and home in Sri Lanka are strong ties to explain in your Genuine Student answers.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bring my wife or husband to Australia on a student visa now? The current rules apply until the change starts, and no start date had been published at the time of writing. Once the change starts, most new coursework students will not be able to add a partner.

Does the Australia student visa dependants restriction apply to master's students? Yes, for coursework master's students. PhDs are named as exempt. Research master's degrees have not been confirmed either way.

Is Sri Lanka covered by the ASEAN exemption? No. It is not a member of ASEAN.

What happens to families already in Australia? The Minister said families already onshore will not be separated.

Can my partner visit me on a visitor visa instead? A visitor visa is for a genuine short visit. It is not a way for a partner to live with you for the length of your course.

Will the UK let my spouse join me instead? Not on a taught master's. For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, the UK allows dependants only for PhD and research-based degrees, and for government-sponsored students on courses longer than six months.

PS: If you are married and still weighing Australia against other options, the right course and destination depend on your whole situation, not just this rule. Check your eligibility with Prosper and we will talk it through with you.

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