Study Abroad Visa Changes 2026 for Indian Students

Published 2026-10-25 · 8 min read · By the Travlys visa team

The US, UK, Australia and Canada all changed their student visa rules in 2025 and 2026. Here is what is actually in force for Indian students in October 2026, country by country, and what is still only a proposal.

In 2026, studying abroad got harder for most Indian students. The US now interviews almost every F-1 applicant and checks public social media, the UK cuts its Graduate Route to 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027, and Australia raised its fee to A$2,500 and stopped most students bringing family from 2 October 2026. Canada issues fewer permits but has made things easier for master's and PhD students, and Germany is largely unchanged.

At a glance: USA: in-person interview and public social media for F-1; $185 visa fee plus $350 SEVIS fee; fixed-stay rule blocked by a court. UK: Graduate visa is 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months after; £558 visa fee; no dependants on taught master's. Canada: 408,000 study permits in 2026; no PAL for master's or PhD at public institutions; CA$23,448 living funds. Australia: A$2,500 fee; family mostly not allowed from 2 October 2026; A$29,710 living costs. Germany: €11,904 blocked account. New Zealand: 25 work hours a week in term.

Which country got easier, which got harder

• Harder: USA. Interviews for nearly all students, public social media and longer vetting. A proposed OPT fee on universities is not in force.
• Harder: UK. Shorter Graduate Route from 2027, higher funds since late 2025 and stricter rules for universities.
• Harder: Australia. Higher fee, no family for most students, and most people must apply from outside Australia.
• Mixed: Canada. Fewer permits and higher funds, but master's and PhD students no longer need a PAL.
• Stable: Germany. Same blocked account amount since September 2024.
• Easier: New Zealand. 25 hours of work a week during term for visas granted from 3 November 2025.

USA: interviews, social media checks and an OPT question

Since 2 September 2025, the interview waiver no longer covers students. Every F-1 applicant needs an in-person interview, including for renewals, and you should apply at a US post in India. Since June 2025, F, M and J applicants go through an online presence review. The US Embassy in India asks you to set every social media account to public before the interview.

The visa fee is still $185, and the SEVIS I-901 fee is $350. A $250 visa integrity fee became law in July 2025 and is charged when a visa is issued, but as of 24 October 2026 we could not confirm it is being collected in India. Budget for it anyway.

Duration of status, OPT and H-1B

• Duration of status: DHS published a rule on 17 July 2026 to replace open-ended stay with fixed admission periods of up to four years and a 30-day grace period. A federal court in Massachusetts blocked it on 14 September 2026, a day before it was due to start. For now, students are still admitted for duration of status. The case continues.
• OPT: still available on the same rules. On 8 October 2026, DHS proposed a $70,000 fee for a student's first OPT recommendation and $30,000 for later ones, including STEM OPT, paid by the university. It is a proposal only. Comments close on 9 November 2026.
• H-1B: the $100,000 fee on certain new petitions is blocked by court orders, and the lottery is now weighted by wage level. Both matter if you plan to work in the US after OPT.

Practical tip: make sure your social media, DS-160 and statement of purpose tell the same story. Ask your university how it would handle the OPT fee if it is ever finalised.

UK: apply for the Graduate visa before 2027 if you can

The Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates keep 3 years. The date that counts is your application date. If you finish a one-year master's in late 2026, apply as soon as your university reports your completion, and before 31 December.

• Dependants: for courses starting from 1 January 2024, only PhD, other doctoral and research-based postgraduate students, plus government-sponsored students, can bring family. Taught master's students cannot.
• Funds: £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to 9 months, held for 28 days in a row. These rose in November 2025.
• Fees: the Student visa fee is £558 from 8 April 2026, plus the health surcharge of £776 a year.
• University compliance: from 1 June 2026, sponsors must keep visa refusals below 5% (it was 10%) and enrolment at 95%. Expect universities to check your finances and intentions more closely.
• English: the Student route rules have not changed, but Skilled Worker applicants need B2 English from 8 January 2026. That matters if you plan to switch to a work visa.
• Employer costs: the Immigration Skills Charge rose 32% to £1,320 a year for medium and large sponsors from 16 December 2025. The general Skilled Worker salary threshold is £41,700.

A separate levy of £925 per international student per year on universities in England is planned from 1 August 2028. Universities pay it, not you directly.

Canada: fewer permits, relief for master's and PhD students

• Cap: Canada plans to issue 408,000 study permits in 2026, including 155,000 for new students. That is 7% below the 2025 target of 437,000.
• PAL/TAL: since 1 January 2026, master's and doctoral students at public designated learning institutions do not need a provincial attestation letter. Most other students still do.
• Funds: for applications from 1 September 2026, you need CA$23,448 for one person outside Quebec, on top of tuition and travel.
• PGWP field of study: the field-of-study rule applies to college and other non-degree programmes. Bachelor's, master's and PhD graduates are exempt. IRCC says it will not add or remove any fields in 2026.
• PGWP language: CLB 7 for university graduates and CLB 5 for college graduates, in all four skills.
• Spouse work permits: since 21 January 2025, mainly for spouses of master's students on programmes of 16 months or more, PhD students and certain professional degrees.

If you want to work in Canada after study, a degree programme now carries less risk than a one-year college diploma.

Australia: new rules from 2 October 2026

These changes apply to applications lodged on or after 2 October 2026. Student visas already granted are not affected.

• Fee: A$2,500 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026, up from A$2,000.
• Family: partners and children generally cannot be included. Exemptions cover doctoral students, fully funded foreign government scholarship holders, DFAT or Defence sponsored students, and Pacific and ASEAN nationals. You cannot add family after the visa is granted.
• Where you apply: most temporary visa holders, including current students, can no longer apply for a Student visa from inside Australia unless an exemption applies. If you lodge offshore, you must be offshore when the visa is granted.
• Caps: the planning level for 2027 is 295,000 new overseas student commencements, the same as 2026. Offshore applications are processed under Ministerial Direction 115, which links priority to your provider's allocation.
• Funds: A$29,710 a year for living costs, plus tuition and A$2,000 travel. Or show that a parent or partner earned at least A$87,856 in the last 12 months.
• After study: the Temporary Graduate (485) visa charge rose to A$5,750 from 1 July 2026.

Germany: steady amounts, digital applications

• Blocked account: €11,904 for the first year, with at most €992 released each month. The German missions in India have used this figure since 1 September 2024.
• How to apply: through the Consular Services Portal, which asks questions first and then gives you a document list.
• APS certificate: usually required if you studied in India. PhD students and some others are exempt.
• English proof: Duolingo, Pearson PTE and TOEFL Home Edition are not accepted for applications in India.
• Opportunity Card: for job seekers without an offer. You need at least €1,091 a month through a blocked account or a sponsor's formal declaration.

New Zealand: more work hours

For student visas granted on or after 3 November 2025, you can work up to 25 hours a week during term, up from 20. If your visa was granted earlier, you need to apply for a variation of conditions, and a fee applies.

What to do now

• Finishing a UK course in 2026? Plan to apply for the Graduate visa before 31 December.
• Married and looking at Australia? Check the family exemptions before you pay a tuition deposit.
• Choosing Canada? Check whether your programme needs a PAL and whether it leads to a PGWP.
• Applying to the US? Make your social media public and keep your DS-160 consistent with it.
• Show funds the way each country asks. The UK wants 28 days of history, Germany wants a blocked account, and Canada and Australia set fixed yearly amounts.

How Travlys helps

Travlys is an Ahmedabad-based visa consultancy. We have filed 5,000+ visas with a 98% approval rate. We prepare and file visa applications for the USA (from ₹19,940), UK (from ₹12,950), Canada (from ₹14,950), Australia (from ₹4,950) and New Zealand (from ₹6,950). These are our service fees; government fees are extra. WhatsApp us on +91 82009 18967 to check your documents before you apply.

Last checked: These rules were checked on 25 October 2026 against the sources listed below. Several items, including the US duration of status case, the OPT fee proposal and the $250 integrity fee, were still changing on that date. Always confirm on the official sites before you apply.