Australia Student Visa Changes 2026: What Nepali Students Need to Know
Australia is still one of the most sought-after study abroad destinations for Nepali students. Students from Nepal still flock to courses, qualifications and opportunities that are recognised worldwide, different and offer the opportunity to experience the world outside their country.
But the student visa landscape in Australia for 2026 is not the same as it was for previous years of students.
Australia is overseeing international education with new priorities for visa processing, provision allocation and a National Planning level of 295,000 new overseas students starting in 2026. Ministerial Direction 115 (MD115) also covers applications for Offshore Student visas made after 14 November 2025.
Meanwhile, other requirements like the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, financial capacity, English-language requirements, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and work restrictions remain relevant for students who apply for 2026.
For those who are thinking of studying in Australia from Nepal, here are all the latest updates about the Australia visa requirements for students and developments.
If you're considering applying for an Australian Student visa in 2026, you should take special note of:
There is a need to differentiate between the rules that are actually new/changed in 2026 and those that are still relevant from the previous year.
Perhaps one of the biggest factors for international students who will be applying for a Student visa in 2026 is the fees associated with making the application.
The changes to Student visa charges for Australia from 1 July 2026 are applicable to international education. The amount of visa charge should be checked before application is made as visa charges may be changed and different circumstances may alter the amount payable.
Check the current Student Visa (Subclass 500) requirements and charges
Keep in mind that the visa fee is just a single element of your study abroad expenses.
Nepali students should also consider:
Before selecting an institution, calculate the total expected cost of studying in Australia, not simply the tuition fee advertised by the university.
One of the biggest changes affecting offshore students in 2026 is Ministerial Direction 115.
MD115 applies to offshore Student (Subclass 500) visa applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025. Applications lodged before that date continue to be processed under the previous Ministerial Direction where applicable.
Under MD115, offshore applications can fall into three processing categories:
Priority 1 → Priority 2 → Priority 3
Generally, Priority 1 applications are processed ahead of Priority 2 applications, while Priority 2 applications are processed ahead of Priority 3.
However, there is an important distinction:
Processing priority does not determine whether your Student visa will be approved or refused.
The Australian Department of Home Affairs makes clear that processing priority determines the order in which applications are considered. It does not change the legal requirements for granting a Student visa.
Official Student Visa Processing Priorities
Processing priority is linked to the education provider and how they are performing against their New Overseas Student Commencement (NOSC) allocation for many Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) students.
Priority 1 are specific groups of students and applications.
For applicants for Higher Education and VET courses who are relevant, Priority 1 may also apply if the education provider is below its prioritisation threshold.
Once a provider has achieved 80% of allocation of the NOSC, the application can progress to Priority 2 for relevant Higher Education and VET providers.
This 80% level is referred to as the provider's prioritisation threshold.
Priority 3 can be used where the provider meets its upper threshold (which is 15% over the provider's allocation).
This means that your offshore application could end up in the education provider's processing order, which is determined by your main CoE.
No.One of the most significant aspects of the current Student visa system in Australia that students from Nepal must be aware of.
The priority level is not a measure of the chances of approval, but rather of how quickly the document will be processed.
A Priority 1 application could be considered for processing first but the student would still need to meet all the Student visa requirements.
Similarly, a Priority 2 or Priority 3 application does not necessarily mean that your application is a 'weak' or 'will not be accepted' application.
In the same way,
When your application is in the processing state the Processing Priority is set.
Visa Eligibility is whether or not you are eligible for the visa.
As such, pupils need to be wary of statements like:
Priority 1 is a guaranteed visa.”
or:
“Select this university as it offers a simpler visa.”
No one of these is a correct method of comprehending the system.
Currently the Home Affairs office has indicative timelines for when they hope to begin processing offshore applications:
| Processing Priority | Aim to Commence Processing |
|---|---|
| Priority 1 | 1–4 weeks |
| Priority 2 | 5–8 weeks |
| Priority 3 | 9–12 weeks |
These are not final visa decision times.
The actual time needed to process an application may be influenced by the volume of applications, peak periods, completeness of applications, integrity checks, health requirements, character requirements, requests for further information etc.
In Nepali education, the lesson is quite straightforward:
Do your visa application preparations as early as possible, not as near to the time you plan to apply for your visa.
Australia has set its National Planning Level of 295,000 New Overseas Student Commencements for 2026.
This is 25,000 more than the planning level for 2025.
The system will provide guidance to support managed growth in Australia's international education industry and allocations will be used to guide international education visa offshore applications for some providers.
Australian Government – Managed International Education System for 2026
No. The 295,000 number is not a straight count of the maximum number of Student visas that Australia is legally allowed to issue, but rather the number of new overseas students starting a course of study in Australia.
This distinction is important as pupils might read in the news or about social media posts that the planning level is simply a “student visa cap”.
This is not an accurate statement.
The planning system and visa-processing priorities assist Australia to manage growth of international students, but students' individual applications must also be considered against the Student visa requirements.
The Genuine Student (GS) requirement will not be introduced for 2026.
It supersedes the existing Genuine Temporary Entrant criterion for Student visa applications submitted from 23 March 2024 onwards.
It is still one of the most significant components in a Student visa application in the year of 2026.
The GS requirement is that the study in Australia should be the main purpose of the visa application under Student visa subclass 190.
Applicants are requested to give details on the following:
The answers to the GS questions are to be written in English and should not exceed 150 words to each answer. Home Affairs also says that if there is evidence, it would be more weighted.
Official Genuine Student Requirement
Generic answers are unlikely to communicate your individual circumstances effectively.
For example:
“Australia is a great place to get a world-class education and an international exposure.”
While this could be correct, it does not tell you why your course and provider are suitable for you.
You should make a logical connection between:
Previous Education → Chosen Course → Skills → Career Goals
For instance, if a student has pursued a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Nepal and decides to pursue a master's in Data Science, it might be possible to show upward academic trajectory.
It is not an issue either to change fields.
If you are pursuing a new program, however, that is quite different from your previous program of study or work, you should be able to explain the reasons the change makes academic and professional sense.
It is your personal circumstances the GS answers should be based on and not copied from another person or from a template.
Financial planning remains a key requirement in applying for studies in Australia.
You will need to provide evidence that meets the criteria relevant to your application for funding which might include providing evidence of access to funds to cover the costs associated with:
Financial requirements may vary, students are advised to check current financial requirements as per the official Student visa requirements on their application.
More importantly however, financial preparation should not only be about having a certain amount in the bank.
Your evidence should be used to help demonstrate that the funds are available to assist you to make a contribution to your studies and remain in Australia.
Financial support may be evidenced through appropriate materials, based on the evidence requested, as it relates to the following areas:
If someone else is paying for your studies, evidence about the sponsor, your relationship and how you had access to the sponsor's money could also be relevant.
Many Nepali students have parents as the main sponsors.
In these instances, the financial narrative should be comprehensible.
Where your parents are contributing to your education through business earnings and/or family savings, your documents should always reflect that.
A large bank balance alone does not necessarily explain where the funds came from or whether they are genuinely available.
The English language requirements remain in effect for Student visa applicants who are relevant.
It is important that students realize that they may have two separate English needs.
The level of English required for admission to your course is decided by your university/education provider.
The English language requirements for the Student visa are decided by the Australian Government separately.
These can be different.
Your university might have a higher IELTS, PTE and other accepted English test minimum score requirement than what is needed to get a visa.
Don't take your English test or send your applications without checking both criteria.
Often international students ask if the work-hour limits were again raised.
Conditions of the student visa allows students, in general, to work up to 48 hours per fortnight during the course.
Different arrangements can apply to students undertaking a master's degree by research or a doctoral degree.
The 48-hour rule is NOT a new 2026 change. It is a current condition which is applicable for 2026.
It is also important for students not to rely on part-time work as a primary source of funds for college.
Having part-time employment can help cover some of your costs and may give you some work experience but the main reason for holding a Student visa is to study.
The priority for your offshore visa may be determined by your education provider in accordance with MD115.
This should not, however, be used as a basis to select universities based on their Priority 1, Priority 2 or Priority 3 designation.
Your university decision should also consider:
Your course and provider should be relevant to your Genuine Student responses too.
The selection of a course that you can explain in some real way is more crucial than seeking out the “easy visas.”
Because there is so much discussion around Priority 1, 2 and 3, it is worth making this distinction clear.
Determines the order in which offshore applications are processed.
Determines whether the applicant satisfies the requirements for a Student visa.
Therefore:
Priority 1 ≠ Guaranteed visa
Priority 3 ≠ Visa rejection
A Priority 1 application can still be refused if the applicant does not satisfy the relevant visa requirements.
A Priority 3 application can still be granted if the applicant meets those requirements.
With the current Australian Student visa environment, careful preparation matters.
Your course must be appropriate given your previous education and experience and future career goals.
Understand why you selected that institution and what specifically attracted you to its program.
Keep your responses personal, specific and supported by evidence where appropriate.
Understand your tuition fees, budget for living expenses, funding plan and how your funds are sourced.
All information should be accurate and consistent in your academic, employment, financial and personal documents.
Understand what MD115 does, but not its likelihood of approval and what is priority.
It may take time to process the visa, especially during peak periods of visa intake.
The exact paperwork needed differs with each individual, but it may include paperwork on:
Do not rely solely on a generic checklist from a blog, consultancy or social-media video.
The Department of Home Affairs provides an official Document Checklist Tool that can help identify evidence relevant to your circumstances.
Australia Student Visa Document Checklist Tool
Australia can still be an attractive destination for Nepali students who choose an appropriate course and prepare carefully.
The 295,000 National Planning Level for 2026 is higher than the 2025 planning level, even as the government continues to manage the growth and distribution of international education through provider allocations and processing priorities.
Therefore, it would be misleading to interpret the current policies simply as Australia “closing its doors to international students.”
Instead, students should recognise that Australia is operating a more managed international education system.
For Nepali applicants, that makes several things particularly important:
It is essential for Nepali students to be aware of the existing visa requirements prior to their application if they wish to pursue their studies in Australia in 2026, given the impending changes in visa requirements.
It is important to highlight 3 developments:
The Ministerial Direction No. 115 and processing priorities.
Australia's 295,000 National Planning Level
The fee for visa applications for students has been changed.
Meanwhile, the same criteria are still important including the Genuine Student assessment, financial capacity, English-language requirements, OSHC and work restrictions.
Most importantly, remember:
Faster processing does not mean easier visa approval.
Select appropriate courses for learning and working, research education providers thoroughly, compile sound financial claims and check for current education provider requirements with official information from the Australian Government.
Australia's Student visa system can be a confusing one to navigate, particularly when considering course and university choices, financial commitments, Genuine Student concerns and shifting priorities for processing.
Raffles Educare can assist students in selecting the courses, preparing the applications, assisting with documentation and Australian Student visa processing.
Planning to study in Australia from Nepal in 2026? Talk to Raffles Educare and start preparing your application early.
FAQ
Important developments include changes to Student visa application charges, offshore processing under Ministerial Direction 115 and Australia's National Planning Level of 295,000 new overseas student commencements for 2026. Existing requirements such as the Genuine Student assessment also continue to apply.
Ministerial Direction 115 determines the processing priority of offshore Student visa applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025. Applications can fall under Priority 1, Priority 2 or Priority 3.
No. Priority 1 can result in earlier processing, but processing priority does not determine whether the visa is granted or refused.
No. The 295,000 figure refers to the National Planning Level for New Overseas Student Commencements, not a simple cap on the total number of Student visas Australia can grant.
The GS requirement assesses whether studying in Australia is the primary reason for applying for the Student visa. Applicants answer questions concerning their circumstances, course and provider choice, understanding of studying in Australia and how completing the course will benefit them.
Each GS response is currently limited to 150 words and must be written in English.
Student visa holders are generally permitted to work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, subject to their individual visa conditions. Different arrangements can apply to master's by research and doctoral students.
Processing priority is worth understanding, but it should not be the main reason for choosing a university. Course suitability, academic quality, tuition, career relevance, location and your individual circumstances are more important factors.
