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Can I Take My Spouse to Australia on a Student Visa from Sri Lanka? (2026 Rules)
Since 2 October 2026, you can’t include your spouse in a new Australian student visa application unless you fall into a small exempt group. You also can’t add them after your visa is granted.
That doesn’t mean married students have no options. This guide explains the new rules in simple terms, who is still allowed to bring family, and what married couples from Sri Lanka can do instead.
Exempt groups: PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, and fully funded foreign government scholarship holders.
What Changed on 2 October 2026?
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke signalled the change in a National Press Club speech on 17 September 2026, and the rules took effect on 2 October 2026.
Under the new rules, student visa applicants can no longer include a partner or dependent children in their application unless an exemption applies. This applies to first applications and to further student visa applications. Current student visa holders also can’t add family members once the visa is granted, and Home Affairs says there are no exemptions to that rule.
| Before 2 October 2026 | From 2 October 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Include spouse when applying | Yes, for most students | Only if an exemption applies |
| Add spouse after visa is granted | Yes | No, with no exemptions |
| Family already on your current visa | Could be included in your next visa | Can still be included in limited cases |
| Who it affects | Not applicable | Applications lodged on or after 2 October 2026 |
Who Can Still Bring a Spouse?
According to Study Australia, you can still include family members if you are:
- a doctoral (PhD) student
- a national of a Pacific country or an ASEAN country
- a recipient of a fully funded foreign government scholarship
- sponsored by Australia’s foreign affairs department (DFAT) or the Department of Defence
What this means for Sri Lankans: Sri Lanka is in South Asia, so it is not part of ASEAN or the Pacific group. A Sri Lankan student doing a bachelor’s degree, a coursework master’s or a diploma is therefore not exempt, and must travel alone.
If your family is already on your student visa: they may be included in your next student visa application, as long as you apply from inside Australia. They can also be included if you need up to 12 more months to finish your main course, or if your education provider has defaulted (closed or stopped teaching your course). In every case, you and your family must all be in the same place, either all in Australia or all outside it, when you lodge the application.
Options for Married Sri Lankan Students
Option 1: Study a PhD
Doctoral students are exempt, so a PhD student can still include a spouse and children. If research suits your career, this is the cleanest way to study in Australia as a family. Research scholarships such as the RTP can also help with the cost.
Option 2: Win a Fully Funded Scholarship
Students sponsored by DFAT are exempt. That includes Australia Awards scholars. In Sri Lanka, Australia Awards is for master’s degrees and needs at least three years of relevant work experience. Applications are expected to reopen in early 2027.
One catch: Australia Awards does not pay for dependants. Your family would travel with you, but you would cover their costs. Read our guide to Australia scholarships for Sri Lankan students for details.
Option 3: Your Spouse Applies for Their Own Student Visa
If your spouse also wants to study, they can apply as a student in their own right. They will need:
- their own Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), the document a university issues after you accept your offer and pay the deposit
- English test results
- Genuine Student answers
- their own funds
This option only works if the study is genuinely right for them. The visa officer will assess their application on its own merits. Each student must show at least AUD 29,710 a year for living costs, so a couple needs to show this twice. That is roughly LKR 7 million each at about LKR 234 per Australian dollar.
Option 4: Your Spouse Visits on a Visitor Visa
Your spouse can apply for a visitor visa to see you for a short time, for example during your semester break. They must be a genuine visitor.
Two things to know:
- Planned “No Further Stay” condition. The government has announced plans to add this condition to some visitor visas. It says the aim is to make visitor visas easier for partners to get. A visa with this condition generally stops the holder applying for most other visas while in Australia.
- No switching to a student visa onshore. Visitor visa holders are on the list of people who can’t apply for a student visa from inside Australia.
Option 5: Your Spouse Applies as the Main Applicant
If your spouse qualifies for a skilled or employer-sponsored visa, you may be able to travel as their family member instead. Every case is different, so get advice from a registered migration agent. See our Australia 482 visa guide and Australia PR from Sri Lanka for the main routes.
Option 6: Compare Other Study Destinations
Some countries still allow students to bring a spouse under their own rules. If staying together is your top priority, compare destinations before you choose. Our guide on Italy study visa with spouse is a good place to start.
FAQs
Not for most courses since 2 October 2026. You can only include a spouse if you are exempt, for example as a PhD student or a DFAT-sponsored scholar.
No. The exemption is for students from ASEAN and Pacific countries, and Sri Lanka is in neither group.
Not on your student visa. Family members can’t be added after grant, and there are no exemptions.
Yes. They can apply for a visitor visa for a genuine short visit. They can’t switch to a student visa from inside Australia.
Yes. Doctoral students are exempt from the new family rule.
Yes. DFAT-sponsored students are exempt. The scholarship doesn’t pay your family’s costs, though.
