Student visa extension & offshore re-application
Since 2 October 2026, most people must be outside Australia to lodge — and to be granted — a new Student visa. A few current students can still apply here. We find out which applies to you, then make the next application simple.
- Category
- Student
- For
- Current students, and holders of 485, 482, working holiday, visitor and dependant visas
- Onshore still possible if
- Up to 12 more months with the same provider, moving up an AQF level, PhD, school, DFAT/Defence, or provider default
- Otherwise
- Lodge from outside Australia and stay outside until the grant
- Government charge
- A$2,500 main applicant
- Our fee
- From A$990
Start here
Do this
- Check your exemption before booking any flights
- Confirm the AQF level of your current and new course
- Keep your current visa conditions until you leave
- Plan your course start date around being outside Australia at grant
Avoid this
- Assuming you can extend from inside Australia like before
- Lodging onshore when the rules say offshore — it can't be granted
- Enrolling in a course only to stay in Australia
- Letting your current visa expire while you wait
What a wrong turn can cost: Lodging in the wrong place wastes the A$2,500 charge and weeks of time — and if you're required to be outside Australia at grant, the visa simply can't be granted while you're here.
Are you on the right track?
- Do you need 12 months or less beyond your original end date, with the same provider?
- Is your next course at a higher AQF level than the one you completed?
- If you must lodge offshore, do you know when you'll leave and where you'll wait?
Unsure about any of these? Talk it through on a free call — you're not alone in this.
Is this you?
- Your course end date is close and you need a few more months to finish.
- You want a new course, or to change provider, and aren't sure if you have to leave Australia.
- You're on a 485, 482, working holiday or dependant visa and want to study.
What changed
2 Oct 2026 Most temporary visa holders must be outside Australia when they lodge a Student visa, and outside Australia when it's granted.
2 Oct 2026 Current students can still lodge in Australia only in limited cases, such as needing up to 12 more months with the same provider, or progressing to a higher AQF level.
2 Oct 2026 If you hold another temporary visa (for example a 485 or 482), there are no exemptions.
Who qualifies
- You can still apply in Australia if you hold a Student visa and: need up to 12 more months after your original course end date with the same provider (main course only); are applying for a PhD; are applying for school studies; completed an AQF course and are progressing to a higher AQF level; are DFAT or Defence sponsored; or your provider has defaulted.
- If you completed a higher education course, your next course must also be higher education, delivered by a higher education provider.
- Student visa dependants who want their own Student visa must lodge from outside Australia — no exemptions.
- Holders of other temporary visas (such as 485, 482, working holiday and visitor visas) must lodge from outside Australia and be outside at grant.
- Your current Student visa isn't affected by the changes.
Step by step
- Exemption checkWe check your visa, course dates and AQF levels and tell you: onshore or offshore.
- Course and CoENew CoE or extension letter from your provider; deferral if timing needs it.
- Evidence planFunds, OSHC for the whole stay, English if needed, Genuine Student answers in your own words.
- Lodgement planOnshore lodgement — or, if offshore, a timing plan: when to leave, where you'll be, staying outside until grant.
- Lodge and respondQuality-checked lodgement and quick replies to Home Affairs.
- Grant and returnGrant explained; travel and conditions briefing.
Document checklist
Your ticks are saved on this device only.
Common problems
Myths and facts
How we help you with Student visa extension & offshore re-application
- 1UnderstandA quick exemption check — onshore or offshore, in writing.
- 2PlanA plan with your course, dates, costs and where you'll lodge.
- 3PrepareEvidence, OSHC and Genuine Student answers prepared with you.
- 4LodgeLodgement — and if offshore, a timing plan so the grant happens while you're outside.
- 5DestinationGrant explained, travel and conditions briefing.
What you'll receive
How we keep in touch: WhatsApp and email updates at every step — wherever you are when you lodge.
Three ways to do it
An honest look at your options. Some people do this themselves, and that can work well.
| Topic | With Omar Nafiz | Doing it yourself | With another provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onshore or offshore | Exemption checked against your exact dates, provider and AQF levels | Often guessed from social media | Varies |
| Timing | Lodgement and grant planned around being outside Australia | Flights booked before checking | Varies |
| Genuine Student answers | Coached in your own words, explaining your progression | Often templated | Sometimes templated |
| Alternatives | Compared with skilled and employer pathways | Not considered | Rarely |
| Cost | Fixed fee; government charges separate | Charges only — plus a lost charge if lodged wrongly | Varies |
Free mini-course: Studying in Australia after 2 October
3 short lessons and quick checks. About 10 minutes.
A situation like yours
An illustrative situation, in Omar's words. Names and details are fictional. See all situations.
Eight months left, same university
- Age 24
- English Proficient
- 🔁 Student visa extension & offshore re-application
The situation. Rahim's course ends in eight months. His university has given him extra time to finish his Bachelor at the same provider. He is not sure whether he has to leave Australia to apply again.
How I'd approach it
What I check first. Needing up to 12 more months with the same provider is one of the few cases where a current student can still lodge in Australia. So I check his exact dates, his provider and his course level before I say anything.
The options. If the exemption applies, lodge in Australia with the new confirmation of enrolment or the provider's extension letter. If a leave of absence pushes him past 12 months, the answer changes.
Age and English. Rahim is 24. When he turns 25 he moves into the 30-point age band on the federal test. His Proficient English scores 10 federally and 100 in Victoria. None of this affects the visa today. It shapes what he does after graduating.
My caution. Dates decide this. One extra month on the wrong side of the line changes the whole plan. I would rather check twice than guess.
Illustrative situation. The names and details are fictional.
Fourteen months to go, or a new provider
- Age 27
- English Superior
- 🔁 Student visa extension & offshore re-application
The situation. Priya took a leave of absence and now needs 14 more months to finish. She wants to stay in Australia while she applies.
How I'd approach it
What I check first. Needing more than 12 months, or changing provider after the visa was granted, means she cannot apply from inside Australia. She has to lodge from outside, and she has to be outside when the visa is granted. Home Affairs updated its page on this on 22 October 2026.
The options. Plan the trip so the grant lands while she is outside. Get deferral and provider letters ready. Book her return around her study dates. Going offshore does not stop her coming back to finish her course.
Age and English. Priya is 27 with Superior English. That is the strongest age and English position for points: 30 and 20 federally, 300 and 200 in Victoria. It does not change her student visa. It is the reason I want her to finish the course and keep her pathway clean.
My caution. Being outside at grant is the part people miss. Lodging offshore and flying back early can cost the application.
Illustrative situation. The names and details are fictional.
Questions people ask
Can I still extend my Student visa in Australia?
Only if an exemption applies — for example needing up to 12 more months with the same provider, or progressing to a higher AQF level.
I'm on a 485. Can I apply for a Student visa here?
No. Holders of other temporary visas must lodge from outside Australia and be outside when it's granted.
Does the change affect my current Student visa?
No. Your current visa and its conditions stay the same.
Can my partner come with me on the new visa?
Usually not — family can only be included in limited cases, and only when applying.
Pricing
Consultation
A full review of your situation and a written plan.
Onshore extension
When an exemption applies: CoE coordination, evidence, Genuine Student answers, lodgement.
Offshore re-application
Exemption check, timing plan, evidence, OSHC, Genuine Student coaching, lodgement and grant briefing.
Complex
Previous refusals, study gaps, dependant to primary, or visa conflicts.
Government visa charge (Department of Home Affairs, as at 1 July 2026)
| Visa | Main applicant | Extra 18+ | Extra under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa (500), all other students | A$2,500 | A$1,530 | A$500 |
| Student visa (500), ELICOS or Non-Award | A$2,050 | A$1,255 | A$410 |
Checked 22 October 2026. Official pricing table · Estimate for your family
Our prices as at 22 October 2026. Packages are paid in stages, only after you sign a written service agreement. All services and fees.
Book
Talk to us about Student visa extension & offshore re-application
Start with a free 15-minute phone call. If you need full advice, book a A$110 consultation — it comes off your package.
Often considered alongside
Official sources
- Home Affairs: applying for a Student visa while in Australia
- Study Australia: Student visa (subclass 500)
Figures checked 8 October 2026. Visa rules and charges change — we confirm everything for your situation before you pay for a package.