Student Visa Dependants: Only Postgrads Can Bring Family
Not all Student visa holders can bring family to the UK. This guide explains who qualifies to bring dependants, the costs involved, and what your partner or children can do once they arrive.
- Section
- Student & Graduate
- Reading time
- 9 min
- Last checked
- 2 September 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- Only postgraduate students (9+ month courses) and government-sponsored students can bring dependants.
- Each dependant pays a £558 application fee plus £776 per year for the Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Dependants can work full-time without restrictions.
- You must show you can financially support your dependants.
- Dependants cannot access public funds.
Since 2024, only postgraduate students on courses lasting 9 months or more and government-sponsored students can bring dependants to the UK. This guide covers eligibility, application costs, financial requirements, and the work rights available to dependants.
Who Can Bring Dependants?
The rules on Student visa dependants changed significantly in January 2024. Under the current rules, you can bring a partner and children to the UK only if:
- You are studying a postgraduate course (master's, PhD, or other postgraduate qualification) lasting 9 months or more at an institution with a track record of compliance, or
- You are a government-sponsored student funded by your home government or an international scholarship agency.
If you are studying an undergraduate degree, a pre-sessional English course, or a short course, you cannot bring dependants regardless of the course length. This was one of the biggest changes introduced in the 2024 immigration rule changes.
Who Counts as a Dependant?
- Your husband, wife, or civil partner. You must be legally married or in a civil partnership.
- Your unmarried partner. You must have lived together in a relationship similar to marriage for at least 2 years.
- Your children under 18. This includes biological and adopted children.
Other family members (parents, siblings, adult children) cannot come as dependants on a Student visa. For other family routes, see our adult dependent relative guide.
Costs
Each dependant pays separately:
- Application fee: £558 per person
- Immigration Health Surcharge: £776 per year per person (discounted student dependant rate)
- Biometrics: Free if using the IDV app
For a family of three (you plus partner and one child) on a 1-year master's course, the total dependant costs alone would be approximately £2,668 (2 x £558 + 2 x £776). This is on top of your own student visa financial requirements. For a full breakdown of visa costs, see our UK visa fees guide.
Financial Requirements
You must show you can support each dependant financially. The maintenance amounts for dependants are:
- London: £845 per month per dependant (for up to 9 months)
- Outside London: £680 per month per dependant (for up to 9 months)
These amounts are in addition to your own maintenance requirement. The funds must have been held for at least 28 consecutive days before the application date. See our financial documents guide for detailed advice on preparing your evidence.
Work Rights for Dependants
Student visa dependants have full work rights in the UK. They can:
- Work full-time for any employer
- Be self-employed
- Study
Unlike the main student, dependants are not restricted in their working hours. This can be a significant source of family income during your studies. However, dependants cannot access public funds (benefits, housing assistance, etc.).
How to Apply
Your dependant can apply either at the same time as your main application or after you have received your visa:
- You apply first. Submit your Student visa application and receive your CAS number.
- Dependant applies. They apply online on GOV.UK, referencing your CAS number and visa details.
- Pay fees and IHS. The dependant pays their own fees and IHS.
- Biometrics. The dependant provides biometrics at a visa application centre or uses the IDV app.
- Submit documents. Evidence of the relationship, your student status, and financial support.
Documents Needed
- Valid passport for the dependant
- Marriage certificate or evidence of 2-year cohabitation
- Birth certificate (for children)
- Financial evidence showing maintenance funds
- Your CAS and Student visa details
- TB test certificate (if from a listed country)
Next Steps
Check if your course qualifies you to bring dependants and calculate the full financial cost, including your own tuition and living costs. Speak to your university's international student team for guidance.
Related guides:
Questions and answers
Can I bring my family on a UK Student visa?
Only students on postgraduate courses of 9 months or more, or government-sponsored students, can bring dependants. Undergraduate students cannot bring dependants to the UK on a Student visa.
Can my dependant work in the UK?
Yes. A Student visa dependant can work full-time in the UK without restrictions. They can take any job and there are no limits on hours. They cannot access public funds.
How much does a Student visa dependant application cost?
The application fee is £558 per dependant. Each dependant also pays the Immigration Health Surcharge at £776 per year. So a dependant joining for a 1-year course would pay approximately £1,334 in total.
Can I add a dependant after arriving in the UK?
Yes, your dependant can apply to join you after you arrive in the UK. They apply for entry clearance from outside the UK using the same process. They need to show the relationship and that you meet the financial requirements.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.