Australia

Can the spouse come

No

Conditions

Not allowed for you. From 2 October 2026 most Student visa applicants can no longer include family members (Home Affairs, as of 14 Nov 2026).

The only exemptions for including a partner are: (1) Doctoral (PhD) students (the page says in terms that a Master's by Research does not qualify), (2) DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, (3) recipients of a foreign-government scholarship that fully funds the study, (4) nationals of listed Pacific Island countries or ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam).

Bangladesh is not listed and a coursework master's is not exempt. Your spouse also cannot join later: family members cannot apply as a subsequent entrant in any circumstance, with no exemptions.

The only way your spouse could be in Australia during the degree is on their own separate visa (for example a Visitor visa with no work rights, or their own Student visa with their own tuition and funds).

Spouse work rights

None

Spouse work in detail

No dependant visa exists for you, so there are no work rights to hold. For the few who can still include family, the Home Affairs page says family members of a coursework (or extended) master's student can work more than 48 hours a fortnight once the course has started.

Only family of bachelor-level and lower students are capped at 48 hours a fortnight. That does not help here because your spouse cannot be included. A spouse on a Visitor visa cannot work. The block continues after graduation.

From 13 November 2026 a partner who was not a dependant on the student visa cannot be included in the Temporary Graduate (485) visa and cannot be added later. The exceptions are a graduate who is a Pacific/ASEAN national, completed a PhD, or completed a course fully funded by a foreign government.

Student work hours

Up to 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session; unlimited when the course is not in session; no work before the course starts (Home Affairs).

Cash before landing

about 22.5 lakh USD 18,060 more than your first 15 lakh: needs part of the second 15 lakh before you land

no single source · see all sources

Money to show

about 68.7 lakh USD 55,045 over the 35 lakh ceiling

no single source · see all sources

First year for two

about 79.8 lakh USD 64,000 before earnings over the 35 lakh ceiling

checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

Tuition, typical year

about 41.8 lakh USD 33,470

checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

Living cost for two, a year

about 34.0 lakh USD 27,290

no single source · see all sources

Visa fees for two

about 2.1 lakh USD 1,701

checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

Tuition in detail

Not free. University of Wollongong Master of Business Analytics (1.5 years full-time, CRICOS 0100316): the course page shows the 2026 international fee of AUD 15,318 per session and AUD 61,272 for the course (4 sessions).

The 2027 commencing figures from the UOW fee schedule are not confirmed: Business Analytics, Business and Applied Finance AUD 16,398 per session; MBA AUD 19,458; Information Technology AUD 22,368; Computer Science AUD 22,728.

On that basis the 2027 course total would be about AUD 65,592 (4 x 16,398), and about AUD 49,194 if three trimesters fall in the first 12 months. UOW states fees are confirmed in the offer letter and reviewed annually. OSHC and the Student Services and Amenities Fee are extra. No Bangladesh-specific scholarship was confirmed.

Money to show in detail

Official minimum (Home Affairs, as of 14 Nov 2026): 12 months of living costs AUD 29,710 for the student, AUD 10,394 for a partner, AUD 4,449 per child. Add the first 12 months of course fees (for an 18-month course: total fee divided by 18, times 12, less anything already paid with receipt or CoE).

Add travel of AUD 2,000 per person applying from Bangladesh. Because your spouse cannot be included, the figure that applies is student only: AUD 31,710 excluding tuition (about USD 21,575).

Including 12 months of UOW fees by the official formula it is about AUD 75,400 (about USD 51,300): 65,592 / 18 x 12 = AUD 43,728, using the 2027 fee, which is not confirmed. If a spouse could be included it would be AUD 44,104 excluding tuition (about USD 30,000).

Accepted evidence: deposits of money with a financial institution, a government loan or a loan from a financial institution, scholarships. Alternative: official government tax documents (under 12 months old) showing a parent's or partner's personal annual income of at least AUD 87,856 (AUD 102,500 with family).

Bank statements and employer letters are not accepted for that route. No blocked account. Money from another person is allowed, but Home Affairs wants proof of the relationship, their identity documents, and the history of the funds.

A single-day bank balance certificate is stated as not enough, so you need transaction statements showing how the money built up. Education-loan disbursement terms must be shown. Bangladesh is reported (not officially published) to be at Evidence Level 3, which means financial and English evidence goes in with the application.

Budget note

Exchange rates used: Bangladesh Bank USD/BDT 124.75 and AUD/BDT about 85.42 on the 12 Nov 2026 rate sheet; RBA AUD/USD 0.6804 on 13 Nov 2026. One year of UOW tuition (three trimesters) is about AUD 46,000 at 2026 prices and about AUD 49,200 at the 2027 price, which is not confirmed.

Estimated cash out before or at arrival for you alone is about AUD 26,550 (USD 18,060).

That is made up of the first-session fee AUD 16,398 plus health cover of roughly AUD 1,100 (an estimate; the real deposit is on the offer letter), visa charge AUD 2,500, biometrics (BDT 2,800) and medical about AUD 250, flight about AUD 1,300, and two months of living about AUD 5,000.

On top of that about AUD 75,400 of funds must be evidenced. The visa fee figure (USD 1,701) is your AUD 2,500 charge only, since no spouse application can be lodged. The first-year figure of USD 64,000 is notional for two people (tuition 33,470 + official living floor for student and partner 27,290 + visa, health cover, flights).

For you alone it is about USD 57,000. Work of 48 hours a fortnight at the minimum wage (about AUD 2,750 a month gross) covers one person's living costs at best, not tuition.

Realistic earnings

National Minimum Wage is AUD 26.44 an hour (AUD 1,004.90 a week) from 1 July 2026 (Fair Work Ombudsman). You: capped at 48 hours a fortnight in session, so about AUD 1,270 a fortnight or about AUD 2,750 a month gross (about USD 1,870) at the minimum rate. Casual award rates are usually higher.

That roughly covers one person's living costs in Wollongong but not tuition. Your spouse: zero, because no dependant visa is available. English is the working language so casual work is accessible, but Home Affairs assesses funds without counting on work income. Wollongong rent levels are not confirmed.

Visa

Student visa (subclass 500)

Lands

May 2027 (you alone) An estimate, not a promise.

You alone: May 2027 (Trimester 2, starts 17 May 2027) is the realistic target. Early February 2027 is possible only if you clear the offer conditions, pay the deposit and lodge the visa within about 2 weeks, and even then it is at risk. As a couple with spouse work rights: not possible on this route.

Next intakes

1. Trimester 1 2027 (session starts 8 February 2027, census date 1 March 2027, session ends 30 April 2027), as shown on the UOW course pageDeadline: No fixed international cut-off is published on the course page. Not confirmed.Still open: Admission is open (you already hold a conditional offer). The visa is the constraint. With 12 weeks left as of 14 Nov 2026, Evidence Level 3 documents to assemble and 1 to 12 weeks just to start processing, February is unlikely unless you lodge within about 2 weeks.
2. Trimester 2 2027 (session starts 17 May 2027, census date 7 June 2027, session ends 6 August 2027), as shown on the UOW course pageDeadline: International cut-off not published. Not confirmed.Still open: Yes
3. Trimester 3 2027 (session starts 23 August 2027; this date is not confirmed)Deadline: International cut-off not published. Not confirmed.Still open: Yes

Typical length

18 months

Where to apply from Bangladesh

Online through ImmiAccount, from outside Australia (you must also be outside Australia when the visa is granted). You give biometrics in Dhaka at the Australian Biometric Collection Centre run by VFS Global. The service fee is BDT 2,800 (walk-in without appointment costs an extra BDT 14,400). No travel to another country.

No routine interview. The form carries written Genuine Student questions and a medical with a panel doctor is normally required. Officers can ask for more evidence.

Risk for a Bangladesh passport

High

Why

Home Affairs does not publish country Evidence Levels (Study Australia agent notice dated 7 Oct 2026: the September 2026 update took effect 30 Sep 2026, no countries named).

Press reports: The Financial Express (20 Sep 2026) says Bangladesh was moved to Evidence Level 3, the highest scrutiny tier, on 8 January 2026 and that 51% of Bangladeshi offshore higher-education applications were refused in February 2026.

ICEF Monitor (1 Oct 2026, citing Home Affairs data): 34% of Bangladeshi offshore applicants were granted in August 2026 against 98% in August 2025. The overall primary-applicant grant rate was 75.5%, the lowest since 2006-07. No suspension of Bangladeshi applications was found. The AUD 2,500 charge is not refunded on refusal.

Visa processing time

Home Affairs aims to start processing offshore student applications within 1 to 4 weeks of lodgement for Priority 1, 5 to 8 weeks for Priority 2 and 9 to 12 weeks for Priority 3 under Ministerial Direction 115. These are start times, not decision times, and the page warns they stretch in peak periods.

Priority depends on whether the university has passed 80% of its overseas-student allocation (Priority

2) or exceeded it by 15% (Priority

3) on the day of lodgement. Applications lodged between 15 November and 31 December are prioritised against the provider's allocation for the following year (2027). UOW's current priority status and the actual median decision time for Bangladeshi applicants are not confirmed; allow 1 to 4 months in total.

checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

Hassle

9 out of 10 10 is the most hassle. This site's rating, not a checked fact.

Work after the degree

Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream: 2 years for a coursework or extended master's (3 years for research master's and PhD). You must be 35 or under when applying, in Australia, and have held a Student visa in the last 6 months. Charge from AUD 5,750.

English: IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each band (tests on or after 7 Aug 2025). Full work rights. A second Post-Higher Education Work visa is possible only if the first was based on a degree from an institution located in a regional area and the holder lived, worked or studied in a regional area.

Whether UOW Wollongong counts is not confirmed. From 13 November 2026 a spouse who was not a dependant on the student visa cannot be included and cannot be added later.

no single source · see all sources

Permanent residence

about 4 years at least 4 years

checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

PR route

Master's (1.5 years), then subclass 485 (2 years), then either a points-tested visa (189 independent, 190 state-nominated, or 491 regional provisional leading to 191) or employer sponsorship (Skills in Demand 482, then 186).

Your spouse could realistically rejoin only as a secondary applicant on one of those later skilled or employer-sponsored visas. Official SkillSelect data as of 14 Nov 2026: the 15 October 2026 round issued 20,000 subclass 189 invitations. Management Consultant was invited at a minimum of 80 points.

That round's table has no line for ICT Business Analyst, Systems Analyst, Software Engineer or Accountant (General). A rough estimate of your points at graduation is about 60 to 70 (age 30, Proficient English 10, degree 15, Australian study 5, partner 5 to 10).

Reaching 80+ would need English at 8 in every band, a year of skilled Australian work and/or state nomination. From The Financial Express (press, not official): Core Skills Income Threshold AUD 79,499 from 1 July 2026.

Ministerial Directions 121/122 from 19 Sept 2026 put construction, health, teaching, agriculture, resources, law enforcement and defence at the front of skilled processing, which does not favour a business-analytics graduate.

Agent claims, not confirmed: 2026-27 permanent program of 185,000 places; a redesigned points test around 1 July 2027.

Language for PR

Official 189 points table: Competent English is the floor and earns 0 points; Proficient English earns 10; Superior English earns 20. The IELTS band equivalents (generally 6 / 7 / 8 in each band) are not confirmed. Your current scores (lowest band 7.0) would count as Proficient if still valid at the time of invitation.

IELTS results age out for migration purposes, so you will need a fresh test.

Citizenship

about 5 years

checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

2025 and 2026

1) 2 October 2026 (official): most student visa applicants can no longer include partners or children; nobody can add family later; most student visas must be lodged from outside Australia; current students can apply onshore only under listed exemptions.

2) 13 November 2026 (official): the 485 graduate visa can include only family who were dependants on the student visa, with the same narrow exemptions; no subsequent entrants.

3) Student visa charge is AUD 2,500 and the 485 charge AUD 5,750 (official; the 1 July 2026 start date of the AUD 2,500 charge is not confirmed).

4) 8 January 2026 (press): Bangladesh reportedly moved to Evidence Level 3; 30 September 2026 (official): latest Evidence Level update took effect, countries not published.

5) 14 November 2025 (official): Ministerial Direction 115 introduced three processing priority tiers tied to each provider's allocation.

6) August 2026 (ICEF): overall grant rate 75.5%, lowest since 2006-07; Bangladeshi offshore grant rate 34%.

7) 1 July 2026 (official): minimum wage AUD 26.44 an hour.

8) Press: net overseas migration targets of 245,000 for 2026-27 and 225,000 the following year; Ministerial Directions 121/122 from 19 Sept 2026.

9) Not confirmed: consultation on Genuine Student and financial-requirement reform (late Oct 2026); points test redesign around 1 July 2027.

Corrected in this check

• Spouse work rule: family of a coursework or extended master's student can also work more than 48 hours a fortnight, not only family of research master's and PhD students. It does not change the outcome for you, because no dependant visa is available.
• 485 family rule: the bar on a spouse who was not on the student visa has three exemptions (Pacific/ASEAN national, PhD completed, course fully funded by a foreign government). It is not absolute.
• Minimum wage: corrected from 'roughly AUD 25' to the official AUD 26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026. Student earnings recalculated to about AUD 2,750 a month gross (about USD 1,870) at 48 hours a fortnight.
• Citizenship years changed from 6 to 5: the official rule is 4 years' lawful residence including the last 12 months as a permanent resident, so with PR at about year 4 the earliest citizenship is about year 5.
• PR language requirement: now taken from the official points table (Competent 0, Proficient 10, Superior 20 points).
• PR pathway: the agent claim of ICT occupations at 85 to 95+ points was replaced with official SkillSelect data from the 15 October 2026 round (20,000 invitations; Management Consultant at 80 points; no line found for ICT Business Analyst, Systems Analyst, Software Engineer or Accountant). A points estimate for you was added.
• Proof of funds: the official 'genuine access' rules were added (relationship proof, identity documents, history of funds; a single-day balance certificate is not enough).
• Processing time: the 1 to 4, 5 to 8 and 9 to 12 weeks are times to start processing, not to decide. The total allowance was widened to 1 to 4 months.
• Tuition: the 2027 fee of AUD 16,398 per session is not confirmed (the UOW course page shows only the 2026 fee of AUD 15,318). The 2026 total of AUD 61,272 is confirmed.
• Intakes: session end dates were added and the Trimester 3 2027 start date is marked as not confirmed. Unverified domestic deadline dates were removed.
• Bangladesh risk note: the 24% and 6.7%/26.9% figures are not confirmed and were taken out of the note. The ICEF 34% vs 98% figure and the Financial Express Level 3 and 51% figures were kept.
• Cost note: the Bangladesh Bank AUD/BDT cross rate (about 85.42) was added, and the visa fee figure is stated as for the student only.
• Overall confidence is medium, not high, because several secondary figures are not confirmed. The decisive spouse, funds and post-study rules are high confidence.

• Whether any other recent rule change exists beyond those listed here
• UOW 2027 international fee per session (AUD 16,398) and the other 2027 master's fees
• UOW international application cut-off dates, tuition deposit amount and OSHC price (on the offer letter)
• Trimester 3 2027 start date (23 August 2027)
• UOW's current visa prioritisation status (Priority 1, 2 or 3)
• Actual median decision time for Bangladeshi subclass 500 applications
• Bangladesh's Evidence Level 3 status comes from press; Home Affairs does not publish it
• The date the AUD 2,500 visa charge started (reported as 1 July 2026)
• A 24% grant figure for Bangladeshi offshore higher-education applications in August 2026 (The Business Standard, via an Instagram post), and refusal figures of 6.7% to 26.9% from an agent site
• IELTS band equivalents for Competent / Proficient / Superior English and IELTS validity period for migration
• Whether ICT Business Analyst or similar occupations were invited in any recent 189 round, state nomination criteria for NSW, and the 2026-27 permanent program size (185,000 is an agent claim)
• Core Skills Income Threshold AUD 79,499 and Ministerial Directions 121/122 are from a newspaper, not an official page
• Whether UOW Wollongong counts as regional for a second 485 visa
• The reported October 2026 consultation on Genuine Student and financial-requirement reform, and the points-test redesign date
• Wollongong rent levels; spouse Visitor visa cost and grant odds for a Bangladeshi applicant
• The minimum of 4 years to PR is an estimate (1.5 years study plus time on the 485 to gain points or a sponsor), not an official figure

Confidence in this page: Medium.

Summary

Australia and UOW fail your first condition: your spouse cannot come with you. Home Affairs' Subclass 500 page (as of 14 Nov 2026) says that from 2 October 2026 most student visa applicants can no longer include a partner. Family can never join later as subsequent entrants.

The only exemptions are PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, fully foreign-government-funded scholars, and Pacific or ASEAN nationals. A Bangladeshi master's-by-coursework student fits none of them, so your spouse cannot come on your student visa at all.

From 13 Nov 2026 the 485 graduate visa also only lets you include a partner who was on your student visa, or if you meet the same exemptions. So your spouse could not join at the post-study stage either. On cost, the cheapest likely UOW course is AUD 61,272 at the 2026 list rate.

That is about AUD 49,000 after the automatic 20% Country Scholarship, or AUD 42,900 if you qualify for the 30% Excellence award. Bangladesh is reported at the highest-risk Evidence Level 3 since 8 Jan 2026. This comes from press reports, because Home Affairs does not publish the list.

It means full financial and Genuine Student documentation and slow processing. The recommendation is not to pay the UOW deposit. Keep your offer only as a solo-study fallback, or if you would switch to a PhD. A PhD is the one realistic exemption that lets a spouse come, with unlimited work rights.

Cash before landing, in AUD, for two

A couple cannot go together under current rules, so this figure is for you alone, on the Master of Business Analytics or Master of Business. Cash spent before or at arrival starts with a tuition deposit of about one trimester: AUD 15,318 at the 2026 rate. The 2027 rate is not confirmed, and UOW says fees are reviewed annually.

That is about AUD 12,250 after the 20% scholarship, or about AUD 10,700 after 30%. The exact deposit is on your Offer of Admission, and it is not confirmed whether the scholarship is taken off the deposit. OSHC single cover for the visa length (Bupa via UOW) is roughly AUD 1,300 to 1,800, not confirmed.

The first SSAF charge is a few hundred dollars, amount not confirmed. The visa charge is AUD 2,500. Medical, biometrics and police certificate cost roughly AUD 400 to 600, not confirmed. A one-way flight is roughly AUD 1,000 to 1,500. Bond plus first weeks' rent and setup is roughly AUD 3,000 to 4,000.

Total cash out is roughly AUD 20,000 to 23,000, and that covers only trimester one of four. Separately, there are funds you must show, not spend, for the visa. These are AUD 29,710 living costs, plus the first 12 months of tuition not yet paid, plus AUD 2,000 travel.

The unpaid tuition is three trimesters, about AUD 36,800 after the 20% scholarship, minus the deposit paid. That comes to roughly AUD 56,000 to 58,000 in acceptable sources: bank deposits, a bank or government loan, or a scholarship. The alternative is a parent or partner with official tax-assessed income of at least AUD 87,856.

For reference only, if a partner could be included: add AUD 10,394 living cost, and the income alternative rises to AUD 102,500. You would also add couple OSHC and a secondary applicant visa charge. That charge is not confirmed, so use the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator.

Fastest timeline

The fastest start on paper is Trimester 1 on 8 February 2027 (Business Analytics, Business, MBA). UOW requires offshore students to accept at least 8 weeks before start, so by about 14 December 2026, and recommends applying 4 months ahead.

You would need conditions cleared, Genuine Student screening passed, deposit paid and CoE issued within about 3 to 4 weeks. You would then need a visa decision inside about 7 weeks for an Evidence Level 3 country, which is unlikely.

The Autumn session (Computer Science and IT type courses) starts 1 March 2027, with acceptance by about 4 January 2027. That is possible but tight. A realistic arrival is Trimester 2, starting 17 May 2027 (accept by about 22 March 2027), or Spring on 26 July 2027. Trimester 3 starts 23 August 2027.

Current Home Affairs processing times for Bangladesh are not confirmed, and press reports of 3 to 8 months are not confirmed either. So the earliest on paper is early February 2027 and the realistic date is May 2027. In every case you travel alone.

Likely courses and tuition

All figures are from UOW course-finder pages as of 14 Nov 2026, which still show 2026 international fees. The 2027 rates are not confirmed, so expect a small annual rise. Master of Business Analytics: 1.5 years, AUD 15,318 per trimester, AUD 61,272 total, entry any bachelor 50%, IELTS 6.5 (6.0 each), CRICOS 0100316.

Master of Business: 1.5 years, AUD 15,318 per trimester, AUD 61,272 total, same entry. MBA: 1.5 years, AUD 18,594 per trimester, AUD 74,376 total. The MBA needs a bachelor plus at least 3 years of relevant professional or managerial experience and a one-page statement. You have about 2.5 years, so you are likely not eligible yet.

Master of Computer Science: 2 years, AUD 21,720 per session, AUD 86,880 total, bachelor 60% in any area. Master of Applied Finance: not confirmed. After the automatic 20% Country Scholarship, Business Analytics or Business costs about AUD 49,018, the MBA about AUD 59,500 and Computer Science about AUD 69,500.

After the 30% Excellence award the figures are about AUD 42,890, 52,060 and 60,820. Your IELTS 7.5 and your CGPA 3.79 clear the academic and English conditions for all of them, except the MBA experience rule.

Scholarships for Bangladesh

These come from UOW's own pages. (1) Country Scholarship: 20% off tuition for the minimum course duration. Bangladesh is on the eligible list. It is automatic with the offer, with no application, for students commencing in 2027 and later. The number is unlimited, and it cannot be combined with any other scholarship, bursary or discount.

(2) Postgraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship: 30% off tuition, automatic, any nationality. It needs a bachelor result of at least 85% or equivalent, and you must keep a WAM of 50. It is not combinable and is not for Graduate Certificate plus Master packages.

It is not confirmed whether your CGPA 3.79 out of 4.00 counts as 85% equivalent under UOW's conversion. Ask UOW admissions in writing, because it is worth about AUD 6,100 on a Business Analytics degree. The older 'Bangladesh Bursary' appears only on third-party sites (IDP, WeMakeScholars) and looks superseded by the Country Scholarship.

This is not confirmed. You get the better one of the two, never both.

Next sessions and acceptance deadlines

2027 start dates from UOW course pages: Trimester 1 on 8 February 2027, Trimester 2 on 17 May 2027 and Trimester 3 on 23 August 2027 (Business, Business Analytics, MBA). Autumn starts on 1 March 2027 and Spring on 26 July 2027 (Computer Science and other two-session courses).

UOW's rule is that offshore students must accept at least 8 weeks before course start. That means about 14 Dec 2026 for Trimester 1, 4 Jan 2027 for Autumn, 22 Mar 2027 for Trimester 2, 31 May 2027 for Spring and 28 Jun 2027 for Trimester 3. UOW recommends applying no later than 4 months before intake.

Coursework applications take 2 to 4 weeks. No fixed 2027 international cut-off dates were found on UOW's pages, so the date on your own offer letter governs. Offers can be deferred up to one year on request. On the visa side, a CoE must be attached at lodgement or the application is invalid.

Steps to clear the conditions

UOW's stated order is as follows. (1) Clear the conditions listed in your Offer of Admission by replying to the offer email. These are typically a certified final transcript and degree certificate, now that your degree has been awarded, and your English result.

For many countries there is also a Genuine Student screening and financial evidence. UOW says you may be asked for evidence of financial capacity with the Acceptance Agreement. (2) Return the signed Acceptance Agreement before paying anything. (3) Pay the deposit direct to UOW (Flywire recommended).

It typically covers first-period tuition, OSHC for the visa length and the first SSAF charge. The dollar amount is on your offer. (4) UOW issues the CoE. (5) Lodge the Subclass 500 from outside Australia with the CoE, OSHC details, Genuine Student answers, financial evidence and English test.

The test must be within 2 years of lodgement, and your IELTS is valid for this until Dec 2027. UOW's exact Bangladesh document list for Genuine Student screening is not confirmed, so get it from UOW or your offer. Do not pay the deposit until the spouse issue is decided.

The refund terms on visa refusal are in the UOW Tuition Fee and Refunds Policy, and they are not confirmed here.

Genuine Student test and evidence level

Home Affairs does not publish country or provider evidence levels. The only official route is its Document Checklist Tool, where you enter Bangladesh and University of Wollongong.

Multiple press reports (Daily Star, Financial Express BD and others) say Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan were moved to Evidence Level 3, the highest-risk tier, effective 8 January 2026. UOW's provider level is not confirmed. The practical effect of a Level 3 country at almost any provider is 'regular' evidence.

You must upload full financial evidence: about AUD 56,000 to 58,000 in bank deposits held genuinely, or an education loan from a financial institution. The alternative is tax-assessed parental or partner income of at least AUD 87,856. Home Affairs says bank statements or employer letters are not accepted for the income route.

You also need an English test taken within 2 years and a strong Genuine Student statement. Expect UOW to pre-screen your Genuine Student case and funds before issuing a CoE. Bangladesh-specific grant rates for 2025-26 are not confirmed.

Partner work rights

Effectively none, because your spouse cannot get the visa. Home Affairs says that from 2 October 2026 you 'cannot include family members (partners and children)' unless exempt. Family 'cannot apply as a subsequent entrant ... in any circumstance'.

The exemptions are PhD students, DFAT or Defence-sponsored students, fully foreign-government-funded scholarship holders, and Pacific or ASEAN nationals. Bangladesh is not on the list and master's by coursework is not exempt. Master's by research is explicitly excluded too.

Where a family member does hold a dependent student visa, the page states that the 48 hours per fortnight limit applies. There is no work limit only for families of master's-by-research and doctoral students.

The only other way your spouse could be in Australia is a visa in their own right: their own student visa as a primary applicant, or a skilled visa. That doubles the cost and the refusal risk.

Regional status and benefits

Home Affairs' designated regional area page lists Wollongong and Illawarra as Category 2, 'Cities and Major Regional Centres' (NSW postcodes 2500 to 2526, 2528 to 2535). This gives eligibility for a Second Post-Higher Education Work 485 of 1 extra year if you both studied and then live in a regional area. Category 3 gets 2 years.

The cost is from AUD 2,265. It also gives regional study points (5) in the skilled points test, and access to the regional 491/494 pathway and NSW regional nomination. The points and 491 details are not confirmed. It does not give any exemption from the family ban.

Australia caps for 2027

Study Australia confirmed on 15 July 2026 that the 2027 National Planning Level is 295,000 new overseas student commencements, the same as 2026. It is not a hard cap. It drives visa processing priority for offshore applications. Applications are high priority until a provider reaches the threshold of its allocation, which was 80% in 2026.

The 2027 threshold is not stated. After that, applications are still accepted but processed more slowly. No provider gets a lower 2027 allocation than 2026. Offshore applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025 are processed under Ministerial Direction 115, according to Home Affairs.

UOW's own 2027 allocation and how full it is are not confirmed. The Department of Education publishes provider allocations. It is reported, subject to legislation, that ATEC will manage university allocations from 2027. In practice, apply early in the cycle for a given provider. Late applicants to a provider past its threshold wait longer.

After the degree and PR route

For the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream, Home Affairs says you must be aged 35 or under at application, in Australia, and have held a student visa in the last 6 months. Master's by coursework gives 2 years. English is IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 each (tests from 7 Aug 2025). The cost is from AUD 5,750.

Then there is a Second 485 of 1 year for Wollongong (Category 2), from AUD 2,265. From 13 November 2026 a partner can be included on the 485 only if they were on your student visa. The other cases are PhD, foreign-government-funded, or Pacific or ASEAN students. A partner cannot be added later.

So on this route your spouse stays out for roughly 4.5 years of study plus graduate visas. The PR routes are 189, 190, 491 and employer sponsorship. The 189 is points-based and very competitive for ICT and business analyst occupations. The 190 is NSW nomination.

The NSW page says you need a skills assessment in an occupation on the NSW Skills List. You must also either work in NSW in the nominated occupation 20+ hours a week or live in NSW for 6 months. It is invitation only, ranked within each ANZSCO unit group, with no published round dates.

The 491 is regional, and Wollongong qualifies as regional. A Master of Business Analytics alone does not map cleanly to an ICT skills assessment. ACS rules, current occupation lists and invitation scores are not confirmed. A spouse could be included at the PR application stage.

Realistic PR timing if everything works is 4 to 6 years, and it is uncertain.

Risks

1) Deal-breaker: your spouse cannot accompany you or join later on a master's coursework student visa (rule from 2 Oct 2026). Your spouse cannot be added on the 485 either (rule from 13 Nov 2026).

2) Cost: a 1.5-year UOW master's alone is roughly AUD 49,000 tuition after scholarship plus about AUD 45,000 living. Home Affairs' own minimum is AUD 29,710 a year. You would depend on 48 hours a fortnight of casual work, which Home Affairs says not to rely on.

3) Show-money: about AUD 56,000 to 58,000 in acceptable funds is needed at lodgement. Borrowed or freshly deposited funds are a classic refusal reason for Level 3 countries.

4) Refusal risk: Bangladesh is in the highest-risk tier. A refusal costs the AUD 2,500 fee, sits on your record and hurts later applications to other countries. A married applicant leaving a spouse behind can cut both ways on the Genuine Student test.

5) Timing: a February 2027 start is unlikely, and May 2027 is realistic.

6) Rule volatility: two major family-rule changes landed in the six weeks before 14 Nov 2026, and fees rose 25% to AUD 2,500.

7) PR is not guaranteed. Business analytics is a weak skills-assessment fit, and the 485 has an age cap of 35.

8) Data gaps: several items are not confirmed. These are 2027 UOW fees, OSHC price, secondary applicant charge, UOW allocation status, Bangladesh grant rate, provider evidence level and current processing times.

Verify them with the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool, the Visa Pricing Estimator and UOW's 2027 fee schedule before any payment.

1. From 2 Oct 2026 most student visa applicants cannot include family; exemption list (PhD only, not Master's by Research; DFAT/Defence; fully funded foreign-government scholarship

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

2. Student visa holders cannot add family after grant; no exemptions; exemption categories

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/changes-to-student-visa-application-rules-500-590/family-members

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

3. Overview of the 2 October 2026 student visa rule changes

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/changes-to-student-visa-application-rules-500-590

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

4. 485 Post-Higher Education Work: 2 years for coursework master's, age 35 or under, from AUD 5,750, IELTS 6.5 overall / 5.5 each band, second visa needs regional institution, family rules from 13 Nov 2026

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-graduate-485/post-higher-education-work

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

5. From 13 Nov 2026 a 485 applicant can include only family who were student-visa dependants, unless Pacific/ASEAN national, PhD graduate or foreign-government-funded; no subsequent entrants

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/changes-to-temporary-graduate-visa-subclass-485-family-member-rules

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

6. Ministerial Direction 115 priorities; aims to commence processing in 1-4, 5-8, 9-12 weeks; 15 Nov to 31 Dec lodgements count against the following year's allocation

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/visa-processing-priorities/student-visa

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

7. Citizenship general residence requirement: 4 years living in Australia on a valid visa, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident; absence limits

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/become-a-citizen/permanent-resident

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

8. 189 points table: Competent English 0, Proficient 10, Superior 20; age 25-32 = 30 points

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189/points-table

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

9. SkillSelect round of 15 October 2026: 20,000 subclass 189 invitations; Management Consultant minimum 80 points

   immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skillselect/invitation-rounds

   checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

10. September 2026 Evidence Level update took effect 30 September 2026; country levels are not published

    www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/Agent-Hub/agent-news-index/evidence-level-update-september-2026

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

11. UOW Master of Business Analytics: 1.5 years, CRICOS 0100316, 2026 fee AUD 15,318 per session / AUD 61,272 course; 2027 sessions start 8 Feb (census 1 Mar) and 17 May (census 7 Jun)

    www.uow.edu.au/study/courses/master-of-business-analytics/

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

12. UOW 2027 international commencing fee schedule (AUD 16,398 per session for Business Analytics)

    documents.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@unia/documents/doc/uow281291.pdf

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

13. National Minimum Wage AUD 26.44 per hour / AUD 1,004.90 per week from 1 July 2026

    www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/minimum-wages

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

14. Bangladeshi offshore grant rate 34% in August 2026 vs 98% in August 2025; overall grant rate 75.5%, lowest since 2006-07; Bangladesh among countries rated high risk

    monitor.icef.com/2026/10/has-australias-genuine-student-test-gone-too-far/

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

15. Bangladesh moved to Evidence Level 3 on 8 January 2026; 51% of Bangladeshi offshore higher-education applications refused in February 2026; CSIT AUD 79,499

    thefinancialexpress.com.bd/article/what-australia-aspirant-students-should-prepare-for

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

16. Biometrics in Dhaka at the Australian Biometric Collection Centre (VFS Global), service fee BDT 2,800

    visa.vfsglobal.com/bgd/en/aus/attend-centre/Dhaka

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

17. AUD/USD 0.6804 on 13 November 2026

    www.rba.gov.au/statistics/frequency/exchange-rates.html

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

18. USD/BDT 124.75; AUD/BDT 85.40-85.43 (rate sheet effective 12 November 2026)

    www.bb.org.bd/en/index.php/econdata/exchangerate

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

19. 24% of Bangladeshi offshore higher-education applications approved in August 2026

    www.instagram.com/p/DeEc37JI9qH/

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

20. Bangladeshi refusals 6.7% (2024-25) to 26.9% (2025-26)

    www.graduatetrack.com/student-visa-success-rate-bangladesh/

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source

21. 2026-27 program 185,000 places; points test redesign expected 1 July 2027

    giecglobal.com/it-course-in-australia-for-pr-2027/

    checked 14 Nov 2026 · source