UK Student Visa Dependant Ban & Family Rules Guide 2026

Comprehensive 2026 guide to Home Office Student dependant rules: qualifying doctoral and research-based higher degrees, government-sponsored students, eligible partners and children, maintenance funds, work rights and later Graduate Route options.

1. Student Visa Dependant Restrictions Overview

For Student courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, dependants are generally not permitted for students studying ordinary taught Master's degrees or undergraduate courses. The main exceptions are students who are studying a qualifying PhD or other doctoral qualification, a qualifying research-based higher degree, or students who are government-sponsored to study in the UK on a full-time course lasting 6 months or longer. The government-sponsorship exception is based on the Student being sponsored by a Government, not simply on receiving any scholarship or describing a scholarship as 'fully funded'. A research qualification must meet the Immigration Rules' definition. A course title such as 'MPhil' is not by itself enough; the course must qualify as a research-based higher degree under the applicable rules.

Key Benchmark

Exempt Course Type 1: A qualifying PhD/other doctoral qualification or qualifying research-based higher degree at postgraduate level.

Key Benchmark

Exempt Course Type 2: A Student sponsored by a Government to study a full-time course lasting 6 months or longer.

Key Benchmark

Eligible Dependant Categories: A husband/wife or civil partner, qualifying unmarried partner, or child under 18, subject to the relationship rules.

Key Benchmark

Dependant Work Rights: Work, including self-employment and voluntary work, is generally permitted, but professional sportsperson work is prohibited and public funds are not permitted.

2. Dependant Financial Maintenance Requirements

Eligible Student dependants may need to show separate maintenance funds. The current requirement is £845 per month per dependant for London or £680 per month per dependant outside London, for up to 9 months. Where financial evidence is required, the money normally must have been held for the required consecutive period under the Student financial-evidence rules. However, a dependant applying to stay in the UK who has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer generally meets the financial requirement without needing to show the funds.

3. Who Counts as a Dependant & Relationship Evidence

For Student dependant purposes, a partner can be a spouse, civil partner or qualifying unmarried partner. A child normally means a child under 18, subject to the detailed relationship and care requirements. Applicants must provide evidence of the relationship, such as a marriage/civil-partnership certificate or birth certificate. The immigration rules also contain detailed provisions for children born in the UK during the Student's permission and for dependants who already hold or recently held dependant permission. These rules can allow continuation in circumstances where a completely new dependant would not qualify.

4. Work, Study, Public Funds & Future Visa Options

An eligible dependant's permission generally allows work, self-employment and voluntary work, subject to the prohibition on professional sportsperson work and the public-funds restriction. Study is also permitted, subject to ATAS requirements where applicable. If the Student later moves to the Graduate Route, existing qualifying dependants can normally continue as dependants. If the main applicant later switches to Skilled Worker, the dependant rules of that route apply. A completely new partner or child cannot normally use the Graduate Route simply to join a Graduate applicant from overseas.

Key Takeaways & Summary

Taught Master's (MSc/MA) and Undergraduate students cannot bring dependants to the UK.
Postgraduate Research (PhD, DPhil, MPhil) and government-funded scholars retain full dependant rights.
Eligible dependants receive full-time work rights in the UK.
Requires additional bank balance proof (£845/mo London; £680/mo outside London per dependant).
Existing dependants already in the UK can extend or switch to the Graduate Visa.

Official References & Related UK Hubs

Verified External Government & Institutional Sources:

GOV.UK Student Visa Dependant Family Guidance UKVI Policy Paper on International Student Dependant Reforms

Related UK Higher Education & Visa Guides:

UK Graduate Route Post-Study Work Visa Guide 2026 UK Skilled Worker Salary Threshold & Visa Guide 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (6 Interlinked FAQs)

Generally no. For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, an ordinary taught Master's student cannot normally bring a new dependant partner or child. The main exceptions are where the Student qualifies under the government-sponsorship or qualifying doctoral/research-based higher-degree rules.

Only students enrolled on Postgraduate Research degrees (PhD, DPhil, MPhil, Master's by Research) or government-sponsored scholarship holders can bring dependants.

Eligible Student dependants can generally work, including full-time work, self-employment and voluntary work. They cannot work as professional sportspersons, and they do not have access to public funds. The current Student dependant rules do not impose a general 'doctor in training' work prohibition.

Where financial evidence is required, the current amount is £845 per month per dependant for study in London or £680 per month per dependant outside London, for up to 9 months. A dependant applying in the UK who has already held UK permission for 12 months or longer generally does not need to show these funds.

Dependant children can generally attend state-funded schools in England where they are lawfully resident and the school-admission requirements are met. Education is devolved, so Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different school systems and rules. The child's immigration permission and the parent's Student route conditions should also be checked separately.

Generally, a Graduate's partner or child must already have held Student/Tier 4 dependant permission to switch to the Graduate Route. There is an important current exception for a child born in the UK during the parent's relevant Student or Graduate permission, subject to the applicable Immigration Rules. A new partner or child cannot normally join from overseas on the Graduate Route simply because the main applicant switched to it.

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