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Applying for a Student Dependant visa for full-time Student visa holders

If you are coming to the UK to study full-time under a Student visa, you can usually bring certain members of your family on a Student Dependant visa if:

  • you are government-sponsored and your course is over six months long or
  • you are doing a postgraduate level course of nine months or longer. 

If your postgraduate level course start date is on or after 1 January 2024, you can only bring dependants to the UK if your course is a PhD, other doctoral qualification or a research-based higher degree. Our MRes programmes do not fall under the category of research-based higher degrees for this purpose. However, our PhD programmes do meet the Home Office definition of a research-based higher degree, allowing PhD students to bring their dependants.

Check the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) guide for full details. (Please note: Birkbeck's visa service is usually for the Student visa holder. The guidance mentioned above will provide you with enough information to support your Dependant visa application process.

Important: Students who would like to bring their family with them will be considered as the sponsor of their dependants and no documentation is required from the College for this process.