Mumbai: Australia has tightened its student visa rules for Indian applicants, placing India in the highest-risk category under its student visa framework, a move expected to slow approvals and intensify
scrutiny in the coming months. The change, which took effect on January 8, 2026, has introduced a sharper compliance regime for applicants from India and other South Asian nations newly categorised as high risk.
Under Australia’s Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF), India has been shifted from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3. Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also been moved into the same category. Australian media reports suggest the reclassification was carried out outside the regular review cycle, an unusual step that signals rising concern within the country’s immigration system over potential vulnerabilities.
In a statement, Australian authorities said the decision was driven by “emerging integrity risks” and was aimed at protecting the credibility of the international education sector. The government stressed that the revised measures are designed to support genuine students while discouraging misuse of the student visa programme, which has expanded rapidly since borders reopened after the pandemic.
For Indian students, the impact is likely to be immediate and tangible. Applications will now be subject to more rigorous checks, with immigration officials authorised to manually verify bank statements, seek additional proof of English language proficiency and directly contact educational institutions or referees. These additional layers of verification are expected to stretch processing timelines, in some cases extending them from the usual three weeks to as long as eight weeks.
While Australian authorities have not cited a single trigger for India’s downgrade, the decision follows heightened international attention on fake degree and document rackets emerging from parts of South Asia. Officials have indicated that the revised classification is part of a broader effort to strengthen visa integrity across source markets that account for a significant share of international enrolments. The move is notable given India’s importance to Australia’s education ecosystem.
India is currently Australia’s second-largest source of international students, with nearly 1.4 lakh Indian students enrolled out of a total foreign student population of around 6.5 lakh. Collectively, the four South Asian countries now categorised as high risk account for nearly one-third of international student enrolments in 2025, underscoring the scale and sensitivity of the policy shift. Despite the tougher visa environment, leading Australian universities have been quick to reiterate their commitment to Indian students and to the bilateral education relationship.
A spokesperson for the University of Sydney said the institution continues to value Indian students and their contribution to campus life. “We’re proud that the best and brightest students from all over the world come to study with us, with many new students from India set to join us next semester. We deeply value our Indian students – and all our international students – who contribute to the diversity of ideas and cultures on campus and in our classrooms,” the spokesperson said.
“We’re committed to collaborating with the government and the sector as we work to deliver an outstanding education for all.” Similarly, UNSW Sydney emphasised that the revised classification does not alter its long-standing approach to recruiting genuine students. “Indian students are a highly valued part of the UNSW Sydney community, and we continue to warmly welcome students from India,” a UNSW spokesperson said. “Our focus has always been on high-quality, genuine students, and UNSW has long maintained the lowest level Home Affairs risk rating.”
The university added that it has recorded only a very small percentage of student visa refusals, attributing this to the rigorous genuine student processes it has followed since Australia’s borders reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic. Such statements reflect an effort by universities to reassure prospective applicants amid concerns that the new classification could deter enrolments. UNSW also highlighted its expanding engagement with India, pointing to the launch of its Bengaluru campus in December 2025.
The initiative was announced alongside Australia’s Minister for Education, Jason Clare, and UNSW Vice-Chancellor Professor Attila Brungs, and is seen by the university as a signal of confidence in the long-term Australia–India education partnership. For students planning to apply in 2026, education consultants advise allowing additional time for visa processing and ensuring that financial and academic documents are accurate, transparent and easily verifiable. While the pathway to studying in Australia may now involve closer scrutiny and longer timelines, universities and authorities alike maintain that genuine students remain welcome, and that the system is being recalibrated to balance growth with integrity
