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A lot of people would like to include their partner on their student visa. Being able to have your partner join you on to study in Australia will mean you can stay together. It is also a lot cheaper to only pay for one person to study in Australia.

To be able to include your partner as a secondary applicant on your student visa, you must be classified as a member of the family unit of the main applicant. To be assessed as a member of the family unit you must be the spouse (husband or wife), or the de facto partner.

To meet the de facto requirement you must prove that:

1. you and your partner are in a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others
2. are in a genuine and continuing relationship
3. live together and do not live separately on a permanent basis

Some of the requirements that immigration will jude your de facto relationship include:

• The Financial Aspect
• The Nature of the household
• The social aspect of the relationship
• The couples commitment to each other

To have your visa approved, you must demonstrate that you meet the defacto relationship for at least 12 months before the application is made.
Source: http://pathwaytoaus.com/blog/can-i-include-my-partner-on-my-student-visa/