Dependant Visas Banned? The Brutal Truth About Bringing Your Family

The Family Ban

You are a 28-year-old software engineer from India. You want to do a 1-year Master's in Data Science at the University of Glasgow. You are married and have a 3-year-old child. You plan to bring them with you to the UK while you study.

You read the news and freeze. In January 2024, the UK Government announced a sweeping ban on "Student Dependants." Are you forced to leave your family behind for a year? For 90% of students, the answer is sadly yes.

The 2024 Dependant Ban Explained

Prior to 2024, any international student studying a Master's degree (postgraduate) could bring their spouse and children to the UK. Their spouse was given a visa with full working rights.

The UK Government felt this route was being abused as a backdoor work visa. They changed the law.

If your course started AFTER January 1, 2024, you CANNOT bring dependants to the UK. This ban applies to:

All Undergraduate students (BSc, BA).

All standard taught Master's students (MSc, MA, MBA).

If you try to apply for a visa for your spouse alongside your Master's application, it will be automatically rejected.

The Two Exemptions (Who Can Still Bring Family?)

The government carved out two very specific exemptions. You can still bring your spouse and children if you fall into one of these categories:

1. Postgraduate Research Degrees (PhD, MRes) If you are enrolled in a PhD program, or a Master's degree that is explicitly designated as a "Research-based higher degree" (like an MRes), you are exempt from the ban. You are seen as a highly skilled researcher, and you may bring your family.

2. Government Sponsored Students If your entire degree and living costs are funded by the UK Government or your home government (e.g., you are a Chevening Scholar), you are exempt. You can bring your family regardless of the type of Master's degree you are studying.

The Financial Requirement for Dependants

If you are lucky enough to qualify for an exemption (e.g., you are doing a PhD), you still have to prove you can afford to keep them in the UK.

You must show extra money under the 28-Day Rule for each dependant.

Outside London: £680 per month per dependant (up to 9 months = £6,120).

Inside London: £845 per month per dependant (up to 9 months = £7,605).

If you bring a wife and child to a PhD in London, you must show an extra £15,210 in your bank account, on top of your own tuition and living costs.

The Strategy: If you are married and want to study a standard taught Master's (MSc), you must abandon the UK. Look at Canada, Australia, or Germany, which still have viable pathways for families. If you are determined to come to the UK, you must upgrade your application to a Research Master's (MRes) or secure a full government scholarship to bypass the ban.