Can I bring my family on an Australia student visa?

Yes. Student visa (Subclass 500) holders can include their spouse or de facto partner, and dependent children under 18 (their own or their partner's), on their application. Parents, siblings, and other extended family members are not eligible as dependents under this visa.

What happens if I don't declare my family members when I lodge my student visa?

You must declare all family members when you first lodge your student visa application, even if they are not travelling with you immediately. If they are not declared at lodgement, they generally cannot join you later as a dependent under your visa, unless the relationship began after your application was lodged.

How much extra money do I need to bring my family on a student visa?

As of 2026, applicants need approximately AUD 10,394 for a spouse or de facto partner, AUD 4,449 for each dependent child, and AUD 13,502 per school-age child for school costs, in addition to the primary applicant's own living-cost requirement of AUD 29,710. These figures are indexed annually and should be confirmed on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Can my partner work while I study on a student visa?

Yes, once granted, a partner's work rights generally depend on the primary student's course level. Partners of students in Master's or PhD programs typically have unlimited work hours, while partners of students in most other courses have capped work hours per fortnight.

Can I Bring My Family On An Australian Student Visa?

Find out which family members you can bring on an Australia Student Visa (Subclass 500), how much extra funding you need, and whether your partner can work.

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Short answer: yes — but only certain family members qualify, and you have to declare them at the right time or they're locked out later. Here's exactly who can come with you on an Australia Student Visa (Subclass 500), what it costs, and what most applicants get wrong.

At a glance: You can include your spouse or de facto partner, and dependent children under 18 (yours or your partner's) on your student visa application. Parents, siblings, and other extended family are not eligible as dependents under Subclass 500 — they'd need a separate visa pathway.

Who Actually Qualifies as a Family Member?

Under current Department of Home Affairs policy, eligible family members are:

Your spouse, de facto, or same-sex partner
Your dependent children under 18
Your partner's dependent children under 18

Parents, grandparents, and siblings don't qualify. If a school-age student needs a parent to accompany them, that's handled through a separate Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590) — not through Subclass 500.

The Rule Most Applicants Miss

You must declare every family member when you first lodge your student visa application — even if they're not travelling with you right away. Skip this step, and they generally can't join you later as a dependent under your visa. The only exception is if the relationship (marriage, birth of a child) began after you lodged.

If they're not coming immediately, they can still apply later as a "subsequent entrant" through their own ImmiAccount application, referencing your visa grant.

How Much Extra Money Do You Need?

Home Affairs requires proof of financial capacity for every family member, on top of your own living-cost threshold. As of 2026, the published figures are approximately:

Family Member	Additional Annual Amount
Spouse / de facto partner	AUD $10,394
Each dependent child	AUD $4,449
Each school-age child (school costs)	AUD $13,502

These sit on top of your own AUD $29,710 living-cost requirement, plus tuition and travel. Figures are indexed annually, so always confirm the current amount on the Home Affairs website before lodging.

Fahad Shamim

Migration & Education Consultant

MARA Registered MARN 2619225

QEAC G12906

As a Migration & Education Consultant, I provide expert guidance on Australian visas and international education, helping clients navigate both with ease.

Phone +61 424 295 050

Email fahad@edvisehub.com

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Can Your Partner Work?

Generally, yes — once granted, your partner's work rights depend on your course level as the primary student. If you're studying a Master's or PhD, your partner typically gets unlimited work hours. For most other courses, work hours are capped per fortnight. Note: if you later downgrade from a postgraduate to a bachelor's or diploma course, your partner's work rights can drop accordingly.

Schooling and Health Cover

School-age dependents must enrol in school (public or private, with fees applying in most states), while children under 5 aren't required to. Every family member must hold valid Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the full length of their stay.

Edvise Hub helps students map out the right family visa strategy from day one — from calculating the correct financial evidence to timing dependent applications — so nothing gets missed at lodgement.

Quick Answers

Q: Can I bring my parents on a student visa? No — parents and other extended family aren't eligible as dependents under Subclass 500.

Q: What if I don't declare my partner now but marry later? You can add them afterward, since the relationship began after lodgement — but you'll need evidence of the timeline.

Q: Does my partner automatically get to work? Yes, once their visa is granted, though the allowed hours depend on your course level.