Every year, the dream of studying abroad in Melbourne comes true for thousands of international students. For you, this dream may be shared with certain members of your family.

However, before you start this process, there are a few important things to understand.

Read on to learn more about bringing your family to Australia as an international student.

Can I bring my family to Australia on a student visa?

When coming to Australia on a Student (subclass 500) visa, there are only certain family members that are eligible to accompany you.

You are permitted to bring a spouse or de facto partner with you. Additionally, you can bring any dependent children you or your partner have, providing they are under the age of 18 and unmarried.

Even if you don’t intend to bring your spouse or children with you, you must still include them on your student visa application. This will make it easy for them to join you in Australia later.

Other family members are not eligible to accompany you to Australia on your student visa. This includes parents and siblings and extended family members like grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Such family members may be eligible to apply for other visas supplied by the Department of Home Affairs.

How to bring your family to Australia

If you’re bringing your family members with you, you’ll have to include them on your visa application and provide some additional documentation.

For a partner or spouse, you’ll have to be able to provide proof of your relationship, such as a marriage certificate or evidence that you live together. They will also be required to provide personal identification, such as their passport, and character documentation, to show they are a person of good standing.

To include dependent children on your visa application, you will have to include proof of your or your partner’s relationship to the child. This could be either a birth certificate or adoption papers.

If a child has another parent who is staying behind, you may need to get them to sign a form proving that they consent for the child to travel. Additionally, you’ll have to include proof of enrolment in an Australian school for children over the age of 5.

Learn more about the requirements for bringing family to Australia on a student visa via the Department of Home Affairs in the Include family section.

Understanding the costs

When you apply for your student visa, you'll be asked to provide evidence that you can support yourself financially during your stay.

The amount of money that primary applicants need to demonstrate to be eligible for the student visa is $29,710. Savings must also be demonstrated if you are bringing a family member with you, including a spouse or de facto partner, and dependant children. For the amounts required, refer to the Department of Home Affairs website.

However, if you're bringing family with you, your living costs will be higher. That's why those who bring others are required to meet a higher financial threshold.

The exact amount you’ll need to have will depend on your circumstances. In general, you'll be asked to show you have enough money for 12 months of living expenses, course and school fees and travel for yourself and everyone who is coming with you.

For example, for each school-aged child, you will have to add A$8,296 per year to account for school fees.

You can find out more about financial eligibility and calculate the savings you’re required to have on the Step-by-step tab of the Department of Home Affairs’ student visa page.

It's also important to remember that the living costs outlined by the Department of Home Affairs for visa purposes may not reflect the real amount you need during your time in Victoria.

Your actual cost of living will depend on several factors, so make sure you do some research to get a better idea of the expenses you’ll have during your stay.

Education and childcare

If you're bringing children with you between the ages of 5 and 18 years old, you'll need to enrol them in a Victorian school.

It's important to do this before you apply for your visa, as you're required to provide proof of enrolment on your application.

You can apply for a place in a Victorian state school on the Government Schools website using the Dependent Application Form.

Once your form is lodged, you'll receive a letter of offer and an invoice, which you must pay within 14 days. You'll then receive a Confirmation of Placement letter, which can be included in your visa application.

Visit the Department of Home Affairs to find out more about bringing your family with you to Victoria.