Australia moves India to EL3, requiring more student visa documents
India
Heads up if you're planning to study in Australia: starting January 8, 2026, Indian students will need to provide more paperwork for their visas.
Australia is bumping India up to EL3 under its student visa rules, which means stricter checks and more documents needed compared to 2025 (in particular after September 2025).
India pledges study abroad support
Even with these changes, India's government says they're still committed to helping students study abroad.
India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, said the government will keep working with Australia so students' academic dreams aren't derailed.
Plus, several Australian universities are actually opening campuses in India, so there are still plenty of opportunities on both sides.