Dependants

In order to bring dependants with you to the UK, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• you must be undertaking doctoral level study (PhD) or research based higher degree (MRes)   OR
• You must be in receipt of an award from a Government and your course must be full time and at least 6 months long

Please see further details here for more information about whether you can have dependants with you in the UK. If you are not sure, please email us

Who cannot bring dependants to the UK?

• Undergraduate or postgraduate Masters students not in receipt of a Government award towards their studies
• Pre-sessional students holding a conditional offer for their Undergraduate / Masters / PhD course will not be able to bring family members to the UK under the Student Visa route for the pre-sessional course.
• Students studying on a part-time course that meets the Student Visa requirements.

If your dependants wish to come to visit for a period of up to six months only, they may wish to come as a visitor. Please note, however, that it is not possible to switch from a visitor visa into a Points Based System dependant visa or any other visa from within the UK.

A dependant partner or child is one of the following:

• your husband, wife or civil partner
• your unmarried partner
• your child under 18 years old - including if they were born in the UK during your stay

Please see the Home Office guidelines on assessing Student partner and child dependant applications here .

Outside the UK

If your dependants are currently outside the UK they must:

• Apply for 'entry clearance' from the Visa Application Centre in their home country before they travel to the UK.
• Complete the online application form and pay the required fees. The application and Immigration Health Surcharge fees are the same as those for a student visa.

Dependants will need to provide:

• Proof of relationship (e.g. marriage certificate/birth certificate), proof of durable relationship if unmarried partners.
• Your dependants will need to know your course details and Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number in order to complete the application form.   You can also provide a letter of registration  (unless you are applying at the same time and haven’t yet received your visa / registered on your course)
• Evidence of funds and accommodation (if required)    

Apply online via the GOV.UK website and read more information about dependants.

Within the UK

Dependants should ideally apply at the same time as the main Student Visa applicant. When the main applicant is completing the online application form there is an opportunity to select the number of dependants so the dependant application forms will also be completed online. 

• If Dependants are applying after the main applicant has been granted their Student visa, there are separate links for PBS - Partner and PBS - child

See further guidance on how to apply here.

New student dependants applying outside the UK:

Anyone applying with a main applicant for a new course of study will need to have enough money to support them for 9 months.

This money must have been maintained in a bank account for 28 days prior to making the visa application, or in the form of a scholarship which covers living costs for family members as well as for the main applicant.

Differentiation arrangements : requirements for Dependants

If your dependant qualifies for Differentiation  Arrangements they must have the right amount of money for the right period held by an acceptable financial institution, but they do not have to provide any evidence of that with their immigration application. The Home Office calls this the 'differentiation arrangement' .

A dependant of a Student will qualify for the differentiation arrangements if all of the following apply:

• they are applying at the same time as the Student

• they are applying for permission in their country of nationality, the country they are living in, or in the UK

• both their nationality and the nationality of the Student are listed within Appendix Student ST 22.1

It is very important your dependant should obtain the evidence that they meet the financial requirements, even though they do not need to send it in. This is because the Home Office are entitled to ask them for it at any point while they are processing the application, and if the applicant is unable to produce it within a short period of time then their application will be refused. 

Student dependants already in the UK:  

Student dependants who apply for Student dependant permission from within the UK and who have been living in the UK with immigration permission or 12 months or longer when they apply do not now need to meet a financial requirement. 

Please read the additional guidance on meeting the financial requirements here.

If you are unsure how much money your dependants will need to demonstrate then please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Immigration Health Surcharge  

For Student route applications, and Student route dependant applications,the IHS fee will be £776 per applicant, per year of permission applied for. 

For Graduate route applications, and Graduate route dependant applications, the IHS fee will be £1035 per applicant, per year of permission applied for.