UK Student Dependant Visa 2026: Can You Bring Your Family?

How do I know if my master's is research-based?

This is where students most often go wrong, so check carefully before you accept an offer.

Under the Immigration Rules, a research-based higher degree is a postgraduate course where the research part (including producing original work) is larger than any taught part, measured by student effort.

This means:

• Do not go by the course title. Not every MSc qualifies, and an “MRes” title alone does not guarantee it.
• Look at the course structure. Check how much of the course is research and how much is taught modules.
• Get your university's confirmation. Your university must confirm on your CAS whether your course is a PhD, other doctorate or research-based higher degree. Ask them to confirm this in writing before you accept your offer.

Planning to study in the UK with your family? The course you choose decides whether your partner and children can come with you. Speak to our team to explore postgraduate options that suit your plans.

What counts as a “government-sponsored” student?

This is the key question for many students from the Middle East and North Africa, because many study in the UK with government funding.

Under Home Office guidance, your scholarship or sponsorship must come from a national government department: either the UK Government or your own country's national government. In practice, the government must:

• provide the funds you rely on
• set the eligibility criteria
• decide whether you meet them

If your scholarship comes from a separate organisation, or another body carries out any of these steps, it may not count.

For example, a scholarship funded by a private company, a charity or a university is not government sponsorship, even if it covers all your costs.

Your sponsorship does not need to cover all your fees and living costs. But if it does not cover your family's living costs, you must show that money separately.

Sponsored student? Check with your sponsor and your university that your funding counts as government sponsorship before your family applies. Speak to our team if you need help choosing a university and course.

Which family members can come with me?

A dependant can be your:

• husband, wife or civil partner
• unmarried partner, if you have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years (you do not always need to have lived together for the whole time)
• child under 18, including a child born in the UK during your stay

You will need to show your relationship, for example with a marriage certificate or your child's birth certificate. A child must not be married or in a civil partnership, and must live with you unless they are away in full-time education, such as boarding school.

Parents, brothers, sisters and other relatives cannot come as Student visa dependants.

How much money does my family need?

Each dependant needs money for their living costs, in addition to the money you need for yourself:

For your own living costs, you need £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month outside London (for up to 9 months) if you apply before 30 November 2026. From 30 November 2026, this rises to £1,570 and £1,203. The dependant amounts below are not changing.

The money is needed for up to 9 months. It must be held for at least 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of the date of the application.

Your family may not need to show this money if:

• the dependant has been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
• a government or international scholarship agency covers the living costs of both you and your dependant
• you and your dependant are both nationals of a country on GOV.UK's “differential evidence requirement” list, you apply at the same time, and you apply in your country of nationality, the country you live in, or the UK (UKVI may still ask for the evidence)

How much does a dependant visa cost?

Each family member pays the same fees as you:

• £558 visa application fee
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £776 per year

Illustrative examples, based on exactly 12 months of permission for each person:

Your real cost will usually be different. The healthcare surcharge is charged for the length of the visa each person is given, which follows your own visa. A visa can last longer than your course, and part of a year is also charged, so most families pay more than these examples. Read our guide to UK Student Visa Fees 2026.

How does my family apply?

If your family is outside the UK

1. They apply online as your partner or child, using your application number (GWF or UAN) from your Home Office emails.
2. They prove their identity, either with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by giving fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre. The method depends on their circumstances, and they will be told which one to use.
3. They may need a tuberculosis (TB) test, depending on where they live.
4. They usually get a decision within 3 weeks.

If your family is already in the UK

1. They can apply at the same time as you extend or switch your visa, or any time before their current visa expires.
2. They give fingerprints and a photo at a UKVCAS service point and upload their documents.
3. They usually get a decision within 8 weeks.
4. They must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision, or their application will be withdrawn.

Some visas cannot be switched to a dependant visa from inside the UK, including visit visas and short-term student visas.

If the application is successful, each family member gets an eVisa, and their visa ends on the same date as yours.

What can my family do in the UK?

Your partner or child can usually:

• work, including self-employment and voluntary work, but not as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
• study, although some subjects need an ATAS certificate if they start studying aged 18 or over

Students at degree level are limited to 20 hours a week during term time. The rules do not set a weekly hours limit for dependants, so your partner can usually work full-time.

They cannot claim public funds (most benefits). In some situations there are extra work limits, so always check the conditions shown on their eVisa.

What if we have a baby in the UK?

A child born in the UK does not automatically become a British citizen. If you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child, you must apply for a dependant visa for them, using their full UK birth certificate showing both parents' names.

What happens when my course ends?

• If you extend your Student visa: your family must apply separately. They may be able to stay if they are already your dependants and your new course is full-time and lasts 6 months or longer. Read our guide to Student Visa Extension UK.
• If you switch to a Graduate visa: family members who were already your dependants on your Student visa can apply to stay as your dependants. New partners cannot be added. A child born in the UK during your Student or Graduate visa can also apply.

Planning to Study in the UK With Your Family?

Choosing the right course is especially important if you want your partner or children to come with you. The type of course and how it is funded decide whether they can.

Since 2013, Atava Education & Training has helped international students, including many government-sponsored students, find and apply for UK university courses. As British Council certified education consultants, we can help you:

• explore postgraduate courses and compare universities that suit your family plans
• apply to universities in time for your course start date
• understand what your offer and CAS should include

Explore your UK study options with Atava

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bring my wife on a UK student visa for a master's degree?

Only if your master's is a research-based degree lasting 9 months or longer, or you are a government-sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months. Most taught master's students cannot bring dependants.

Is there a separate UK student dependent visa?

Yes. Your partner and each child make their own application as your dependant. They apply online and pay their own fees.

Can my dependants work in the UK?

Usually yes, including self-employment, but not as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. They should check the work conditions on their eVisa.

Can my parents come with me as dependants?

No. Only your partner and your children under 18 can be dependants on a Student visa.

How long can my dependants stay in the UK?

Their visa ends on the same date as your Student visa.

Can I bring dependants if my scholarship is from a private company?

Usually not under the government-sponsored rule. The funding must come from the UK Government or your own national government. You may still qualify if you are studying a PhD or research-based degree.

Can my family join me after I have started my course?

Yes, if you are eligible to have dependants. They do not have to apply at the same time as you, and their visa will end on the same date as yours.

What if my government scholarship only covers my tuition fees?

You can still count as government-sponsored, because the sponsorship does not have to cover all your costs. But you must show separately that you have enough money for your own and your family's living costs.

What happens if my child turns 18 during my studies?

If your child already has permission as your dependant, they can still apply to extend with you after turning 18. A child aged 18 or over who has never been your dependant cannot apply as one.

Is an MRes always a research-based degree?

Not automatically. The research part must be larger than the taught part, and your university must confirm on your CAS that the course is a research-based higher degree.

Official sources

• Student visa: Your partner and children (GOV.UK)
• Student visa: Overview, fees and what you can and cannot do (GOV.UK)
• Immigration Rules: Appendix Student (GOV.UK)
• Student and Child Student caseworker guidance (accessible version, GOV.UK)
• Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application (GOV.UK)
• Graduate visa: Your partner and children (GOV.UK)
• Immigration Rules: introduction, definition of “research-based higher degree” (GOV.UK)
• Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 584, 3 September 2026 (GOV.UK)