UK Student Dependant Rules: Why Only PhD-Level Canadians Can Bring Family
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Jul 29, 2026 • Canadians Studying Abroad, Canada Higher Ed News & Policy
Only PhD students, other doctoral students, and research based postgraduates such as MRes or MPhil candidates qualify to bring a partner or children to the UK on a Student visa. Standard taught master's and undergraduate students do not qualify, unless a government scholarship sponsors a course of 6 months or more.
🎓 Rule applies to postgraduate courses starting January 1, 2024 or later
Dependants: spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, or children under 18
💵 Money needed per dependant: 845 pounds a month for London courses, 680 pounds a month outside London
Government-sponsored students on courses of 6+ months qualify to bring dependants at any study level
Dependant visa fee: 558 pounds plus the Immigration Health Surcharge
Who qualifies to bring a partner or child
The UK tightened dependant rules for international students starting with postgraduate courses that begin on or after January 1, 2024. Since that date, two groups of students qualify to add a partner or children to a Student visa application, according to gov.uk guidance on student visa family members .
Full-time postgraduate students on a PhD, another doctorate at RQF level 8, or a research based higher degree such as an MRes or MPhil, studying a course of 9 months or longer.
Government-sponsored students on a course lasting 6 months or longer, at any study level, sponsored by a government or an approved international scholarship agency.
A standard taught master's degree, an undergraduate degree, and pre-sessional or foundation courses fall outside this route. Students on these courses study without a partner or children joining them on a dependant visa, regardless of how prestigious the university or how long the course runs.
Why the rule changed in January 2024
The UK government introduced this restriction in December 2023 as part of a wider package aimed at reducing net migration. Before the change, students on any taught postgraduate course, including a one year master's, qualified to bring a partner and children. The government narrowed eligibility to postgraduate research and government-sponsored routes only, applying the new limits to courses starting on or after January 1, 2024. Courses that started before that date keep the rules that applied when the student first enrolled.
Who counts as a dependant
A dependant is your spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner, or a child under 18, including a child born in the UK during your course. You show your relationship with documents such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate when you apply.
The money each dependant needs
Each dependant must show funds on top of what you need for your own visa. The amount depends on where you study and how long your course runs, up to a maximum of 9 months of costs.
| Course location | Funds required per dependant, per month |
|---|---|
| Inner or outer London | 845 pounds |
| Outside London | 680 pounds |
Hold the money for at least 28 consecutive days, with that 28 day period ending within 31 days of the date your dependant applies. Dependants already in the UK on a visa valid for 12 months or more do not need to prove funds again.
How the application works
Your dependant needs your application reference number, either a GWF reference or a UAN, before applying. In practice, most students and their dependants apply around the same time, using the online form for a partner or a child.
Applying from outside the UK: your dependant completes the online form, verifies identity through the UK Immigration ID Check app or a visa application centre appointment, and submits supporting documents proving the relationship and the funds.
Applying from inside the UK: your dependant extends or switches alongside you, applying online and attending a UKVCAS appointment for biometrics.
Cost: 558 pounds per dependant for the visa application, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge for the length of the visa.
Dependant visas run to match your Student visa end date. A PhD that runs 4 years gives your partner and children leave lasting the same 4 years.
What happens if you switch or extend your visa
If you started a course before January 1, 2024 with dependants already in the UK, and you later extend or switch your Student visa into a new course, the rules for the new application apply. Your dependants requalify under the postgraduate research or government-sponsorship route to extend alongside you.
Moving from a taught master's into a PhD makes your dependants newly eligible once your Student visa for the PhD is granted. Confirm switching timelines with your university's international student office, since a gap in status between courses can affect your dependants' continuous leave in the UK.
What this means if you are planning to study with a partner or child
Check your course type before you commit if bringing family matters to your decision. A taught master's, even a 1 year course at a Russell Group university, does not qualify you to bring a partner or children under the current rules. A PhD, an MPhil, an MRes, or a fully government-funded scholarship on a course of 6 months or more does qualify.
If your course does not qualify and you have a partner or children, look at whether your partner has an independent route into the UK, such as their own work visa, or plan for the family to stay in Canada during your taught postgraduate year. Confirm your specific course's classification with your university's international student office before you apply: RQF level and research content determine eligibility, not the degree title alone.