Australia Rejects 40 % of Indian Student Visa Applications as Integrity Rules Tighten

Indian students planning to study in Australia were dealt an abrupt blow on 11 April 2026 when the Australian Department of Home Affairs confirmed the highest refusal rate in two decades. Official statistics released to The Times of India show that 32.5 % of all foreign student visa requests were rejected in February, but the figure shot up to 40 % for Indian nationals. The spike follows Australia’s decision to push India from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF). As a result, Indian applicants must now present detailed bank statements, income-tax returns and proof of genuine temporary-entrant intent. Universities say the change was implemented with virtually no notice, catching education agents and thousands of offer-holders by surprise and creating uncertainty for July-semester enrolments.

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