Bringing your family

If your  programme commences on or after 1 January 2024

You can bring dependants to the UK if: 

• you are undertaking a PhD or other doctoral qualification or a research-based higher degree (such as a Masters by Research MScR)
• you are studying a full-time programme of at least six months and are receiving a national government issued financial scholarship or sponsorship 

National government issued financial scholarship or sponsorship: The scholarship or sponsorship is not required to cover the full fees and living costs of the student in order to permit them to sponsor dependants. However, if this is the case, the applicant must provide separate financial evidence to demonstrate that they meet the financial requirement. If a scholarship does not cover the living costs for any dependants of the student then the applicant must provide separate financial evidence to cover them.

You can also continue to have dependants with you, if they are in the UK and you have commenced a full-time programme lasting at least six months prior to 01 January 2024 AND all of the below bullet points apply: 

• You are now commencing a new full-time programme that is not classed as a postgraduate research programme after 01 January 2024; AND
• Your Student permission is current or expired no more than three months before you apply for immigration application for your new programme; AND
• Your new immigration application is for a programme that is at least six months; AND
• Your dependant already has Student Dependant immigration permission (or it expired no more than three months before making the new immigration application), or your dependant is your child who was born since you were last granted your immigration permission; AND
• You are applying for immigration permission at the same time as your dependant.

Undergraduate students who are NOT government-sponsored or studying a programme of up to 6 months cannot bring dependants.

If your  programme commenced before 01 January 2024  (including where you are returning from an interruption of studies, and your programme commenced before 01 January 2024)

You can bring dependants to the UK if:

• You are a government-sponsored student who is studying a full-time programme of more than six months in duration; or
• You are a postgraduate student studying a full time programme of nine months or more

Research-based higher degree is defined as follows:

To be considered a “research-based higher degree” the course of study must meet the definition of this, as per the UK Immigration Rules.

Research-based higher degrees: This may be a Masters by Research (MScR) or a MPhil (Master of Philosophy) research degree

You can bring the following to the UK as your dependants:

• Your spouse
• Your civil partner
• Your unmarried partner (provided you have been in a durable relationship for at least 2 years before the date of application)
• Your children

Child dependants must be either:

• Under 18 years old; OR
• Already hold permission to live in the UK as your dependant child

Other family members, such as your parents or siblings, cannot come to the UK as your dependants.

If you currently hold a Student visa in the UK and are pregnant, you should inform staff in your School so they can support you further. You may need to take an interruption. 

In the UK, you must also take two weeks mandatory leave, following the birth of your child. 

Your child won’t need a visa, whilst they remain in the UK with you but there may be healthcare and travel implications. 

However, once your child is more than 3 months old and they travel elsewhere in the UK, they may be charged for any NHS treatment they receive there (if it is outside Scotland)

If you need to travel outside the UK with your child, they would need a valid visa to be able to re-enter the UK with you.

If you wish to apply for a visa for your child, you will need to prepare certain visa documents. You will need to obtain a valid passport or travel document for your child, from your embassy. 

​​​​​Your child does not have automatic rights to British citizenship on the basis of being born in the UK. To be classed as a British national automatically, they must already have a parent with British citizenship or settled status (ILR) in the UK. If the parent(s) acquire British citizenship or settled status (ILR) after the birth of the baby, there may be an alternative route to register as a British citizen.

Student Dependant visa overview

When a child is an automatic British citizen

When a child may be able to register as a British citizen

Any dependants who are over 16 years old will be able to work full time in the UK. Dependants who are permitted to work can do any type of work, but:

• They must not work as a professional sportsperson, which includes being a sports coach
• If their permission as a Partner was decided before 9:00 (UK time) on 5 October 2020, they must not work as a doctor or dentist in training

There are no restrictions on study for Student route dependants.   If you are dependant who intends to study in the UK, you should note that if you are studying on a programme that requires ATAS clearance, you will need to obtain an ATAS certificate before you can commence your programme.

Do I need ATAS?

Dependants have no access to public funds, which means that they cannot claim social benefits from the state, such as unemployment benefit or housing benefit.

Your dependants must apply for a visa either at the same time as you or once you have already been granted a  Student visa. 

If your dependants are outside the UK they can apply up to 6 months before your programme start date.

If you are making an application to extend or switch your Student  visa in the UK, your dependants must either apply at the same time as you, or wait until your new leave has been granted.  They must also apply before their current visa expires.

Please note that if your dependant has immigration permission in one of the following categories, they will not be able to make their application from the UK: 

• Standard Visitor
• Short-term Student
• Parent of a Child Student;
• Seasonal Worker
• Domestic Worker in a Private Household
• Leave outside the Immigration Rules

If your dependant holds immigration permission in one of the above categories, or is on immigration bail, they will need to leave the UK and to make their application from their country of nationality or country of ordinary residence outside of the UK. 

You can find full details of the evidence your dependants will need to provide in our document checklist:

Document checklist for dependants of Students

If you are making a visa application to amend or change your current visa in the UK, your dependants must apply at the same time as you.

Follow these steps:

 Follow these steps:

Please refer to our visa application guide for detailed guidance on how to answer the questions in the online Dependant visa application form when applying outside of the UK:

Your family members (including those not eligible for a dependant visa) can visit you for a short period of time while you’re in the UK. They  need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa online.

Standard Visitor Visa

Guide to supporting documents

Please find information for EU, EEA and Swiss family members below. 

Information for EU, EEA and Swiss Family Members