Yes, some Students can bring dependants to the UK in 2026, but most cannot. The rules changed significantly from 1 January 2024, and the main exceptions now are Students on qualifying postgraduate research courses lasting nine months or longer and Students on qualifying government-sponsored programmes lasting longer than six months. A spouse, partner or child will not qualify simply because the main applicant is an international student.
The information below reflects the rules and published fee information checked on 28 October 2026. UK immigration requirements can change, so applicants should always check the latest official guidance before applying and avoid relying only on course marketing wording such as “postgraduate” or “research-led”. In immigration terms, those words need to match the requirements in Appendix Student.
If you are choosing a course, planning family travel or already studying in the UK, it is worth checking eligibility before money is spent on applications, flights or accommodation. Immigration UK can help students and family members understand whether the dependant route is available and what evidence is likely to be needed.
Who Can Bring Dependants on a UK Student Visa in 2026?
The key question is not simply whether the course is a degree. It is whether the Student meets one of the dependant eligibility categories under the Student route. In 2026, this usually means either a qualifying postgraduate research course lasting nine months or longer, or a qualifying government-sponsored course lasting longer than six months.
Students on a PhD, another doctoral qualification or a research-based higher degree may be able to bring dependants if the course and provider meet the relevant requirements. The course will usually need to be full-time and last at least nine months. For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, a taught master's degree will not normally be enough, even if it includes a dissertation or some research modules. The education provider's confirmation is important because the Home Office will look at the course classification, not just the applicant's personal description of the course.
Students who are financially sponsored by a government may also be able to bring dependants, provided the full-time course lasts longer than six months and the sponsorship meets the Home Office meaning of official government sponsorship. A university scholarship, employer funding or private award should not be assumed to count for this dependant eligibility exception. If sponsorship is being relied on for maintenance, the sponsorship letter must be clear about the funding source, course, duration and whether dependants are covered.
Students on most undergraduate courses, most taught postgraduate courses, short courses under six months, or courses that do not meet Appendix Student requirements will not normally be able to bring dependant family members under the Student route. For wider information about the main student application, see Immigration UK's UK Study Visa guidance.
Who Counts as a Student Dependant?
A dependant is not any relative who wishes to join the Student in the UK. The route is limited to certain close family members who meet relationship and other requirements. A dependant partner may be a husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner. An unmarried partner will usually need evidence that the relationship is genuine and durable, not just a recent or casual relationship.
A dependant child must generally be under 18, not married or in a civil partnership, and living with the parent unless they are away for full-time education. Child applications can become more detailed where only one parent is applying, where there are questions about parental responsibility, or where care arrangements are unusual. In those cases, the Home Office may expect evidence explaining who has responsibility for the child and why the arrangements are suitable.
Each family member must make a separate application. A Student being eligible to have dependants does not automatically mean every family member will be granted permission. The partner or child must also satisfy the validity, suitability, relationship and financial requirements that apply to them.
A Simple 2026 Eligibility Check
Before starting an application, it helps to work through the main questions in order. This avoids a common mistake: preparing documents for a dependant application before confirming that the Student is even allowed to sponsor dependants.
- Is the main applicant applying under, or already in the UK under, the Student route?
- Is the course a PhD, doctoral qualification or research-based higher degree lasting nine months or longer, or is the Student on a qualifying government-sponsored programme lasting longer than six months?
- Does the course meet the relevant length requirement?
- Is the education provider able to confirm the course classification where needed?
- Is the family member a qualifying partner or child?
- Can the required relationship, identity, financial and sponsorship evidence be provided?
- Is the dependant applying from overseas or from inside the UK, and is that allowed in their circumstances?
If the answer to one of these questions is uncertain, it is better to resolve it before applying. Refusals often happen because applicants assume that being a spouse or child is enough, when the Student's course does not qualify.
Financial Requirement for Student Visa Dependants
Dependants usually need to show maintenance funds in addition to the Student's own financial requirement. In 2026, the published dependant maintenance figures are £845 per month for study in London and £680 per month for study outside London, normally for up to nine months. For immigration purposes, “London” refers to the relevant Greater London study location, not simply where the family would prefer to live.
The money normally needs to have been held for at least 28 consecutive days, with the end of that 28-day period falling within 31 days of the application date. Evidence may include bank statements or other permitted financial documents, but the format matters. Statements that do not show the account holder, dates, balance history or financial institution details can cause problems.
Some dependants may not need to show funds, for example where they have already been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months, or where acceptable official sponsorship covers the relevant costs. These exceptions are technical, so applicants should check the exact rule that applies to their situation rather than assuming an exemption.
How to Apply for a Student Dependant Visa
Each dependant applies separately online, either as a dependant partner or dependant child. Applicants outside the UK must apply and obtain entry clearance before travelling. They should not travel to the UK as visitors intending to switch into the dependant route if the rules do not allow that. The official GOV.UK page on Student visa partners and children explains the online application route and basic dependant categories.
Where a dependant is already in the UK, they must check whether they are allowed to switch or extend from their current immigration category. An in-country application should be made before current permission expires. Applicants should also avoid travelling outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while an in-country application is pending, as this can affect the application.
A dependant does not always have to apply at exactly the same time as the Student. In many cases, a partner or child can apply later, provided the Student remains eligible and the dependant meets the rules at the time of application. However, timing can affect financial evidence, visa length, schooling plans and travel arrangements, so it should be planned carefully.
Documents Commonly Needed
The exact documents depend on the applicant's circumstances, but most Student dependant applications involve identity evidence, relationship evidence and financial evidence. Partners may need a marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or evidence of an unmarried partnership. Children usually need a full birth certificate or adoption certificate showing the relationship to the parent.
Applicants may also need the Student's visa details, application reference, Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies details, course evidence and proof of official sponsorship if relevant. Where documents are not in English or Welsh, certified translations are usually needed. If there are previous refusals, overstaying issues, complex family arrangements or gaps in evidence, professional advice can help identify the risk points before submission.
For wider information about family immigration options, readers may find Immigration UK's Family Visas guidance useful.
How Much Does It Cost to Bring Dependants in 2026?
The Home Office fee table in force from 8 October 2026 lists the Student route application fee as £558 per applicant. This means each dependant pays a separate application fee. A family of three dependants does not pay one family fee, which is an unwelcome surprise for many applicants and rarely the fun part of planning a study adventure.
Most Student dependants also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. The published annual rate for Students and Student dependants is generally £776 per year, including applicants under 18. The total surcharge depends on the length of permission granted and part-year calculations, so it is better to use the official payment system than to rely on a rough estimate.
Other possible costs include biometric appointment charges, optional priority services where available, document translation, tuberculosis testing where required, travel and courier fees. These are separate from the visa fee and health surcharge.
Processing Times and Travel Planning
Published study visa processing times are usually around three weeks for applications made outside the UK and around eight weeks for applications made inside the UK, although this can vary. Missing documents, verification checks, high seasonal demand and complex immigration histories can all make a decision take longer.
Students and dependants should avoid booking non-refundable travel on the assumption that a decision will arrive by a particular date. For general information on UK visa decision times, Immigration UK has a helpful overview of UK visa processing times.
Can Student Dependants Work in the UK?
Student dependants can generally work in the UK if their own immigration permission allows it. They must follow the conditions printed on, or attached to, their permission and should not assume their work rights are identical to the Student's. They must not work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach, and restrictions can apply in some cases, for example where the dependant is under 16 or where the Student's course level affects the dependant's work permission.
It is sensible for dependants to check their eVisa or grant conditions before accepting work. Employers will usually need to carry out a right to work check, and the dependant should make sure the work offered matches the conditions of their permission.
What Happens When the Student Visa Ends?
A dependant's permission usually ends on the same date as the Student's permission. If the Student extends their visa, qualifies for the Graduate route, switches to Skilled Worker or leaves the UK, the dependant's options must be checked separately. There is no automatic right to stay just because the family has been living in the UK during the course.
The Student route is not a route to settlement. Time spent as a Student dependant does not, by itself, lead to indefinite leave to remain. Some people may later qualify under another route, but that depends on the rules for that route and the person's own circumstances.
Common Reasons Student Dependant Applications Are Refused
Many refusals are avoidable. The most common issue is assuming that any postgraduate course allows dependants. In 2026, a taught master's course will usually not qualify unless another exception applies. Another frequent problem is treating university funding or private sponsorship as government sponsorship when it does not meet the Home Office test.
Financial evidence also causes difficulties. Funds may be too low, held for too short a period, held in an account that does not meet the rules, or calculated using the wrong London or outside-London amount. Relationship evidence can also be weak, particularly for unmarried partners or child applications involving one parent.
Application mistakes matter too. A dependant who travels before entry clearance is granted, applies from the wrong location, uses the wrong form or applies after their permission has expired may face serious problems. Careful preparation is not glamorous, but in immigration applications it often does the heavy lifting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a taught master's student bring dependants in 2026?
Usually not. Most taught master's students cannot bring dependants under the Student route unless they fall within a separate qualifying exception, such as official government sponsorship.
Can PhD students bring dependants to the UK?
Generally yes, provided the PhD or doctoral course meets the Student route requirements and each dependant satisfies the relationship, financial and application rules.
Can dependants apply after the Student has arrived in the UK?
Often yes, if the Student remains eligible to have dependants and the family member meets the rules at the time they apply. The dependant must obtain the correct permission before travelling to the UK.
How much money is needed for one Student dependant?
The maintenance amount is generally £845 per month in London or £680 per month outside London, usually for up to nine months, in addition to the Student's own funds.
Can a Student dependant apply for indefinite leave to remain?
The Student route itself is not a settlement route. A dependant would need to qualify under a separate route that leads to settlement and meet that route's requirements.
