UK Student Visa Dependants From Pakistan: Who Can Bring Family, £845 a Month and £558 Fee
UK Student visa dependants from Pakistan: only PhD, research and sponsored students can bring family. Funds of £845 or £680 a month, £558 fee and how to apply.
Most Pakistani students can no longer bring a spouse or children on a UK Student visa. Since 1 January 2024, only students on a PhD, another doctorate, a research-based higher degree, or a government-sponsored course longer than 6 months can bring dependants. A taught master's, such as an MSc or MBA, does not qualify.
If you do qualify, each dependant pays £558 for the visa plus the health surcharge, and you must show £845 a month for each family member in London or £680 a month elsewhere, for up to 9 months. We read the GOV.UK Student visa family members page on 4 November 2026, and these figures come from it.
Only research degrees and sponsored students can bring family
You can bring dependants if you are a full-time postgraduate on a course at RQF level 7 or above lasting at least 9 months, and the course is a PhD, other doctorate or research-based higher degree. Government-sponsored students on courses longer than 6 months also qualify.
RQF stands for the Regulated Qualifications Framework, the UK's scale of course levels. Level 7 is master's level and level 8 is doctorate. The 1 January 2024 rule is the one that matters: for any postgraduate course starting on or after that date, a taught master's no longer qualifies, however long it is.
| Your course | Can you bring a spouse or children? |
|---|---|
| PhD or other doctorate (RQF level 8) | Yes |
| Research-based master's, such as an MPhil or MRes, at least 9 months | Yes, if it is a research-based higher degree |
| Taught master's, MSc, MA or MBA | No |
| Bachelor's degree | No |
| Government-sponsored course longer than 6 months | Yes |
Pakistani students on scholarships should check the wording. "Government-sponsored" means your course fees and living costs are paid by a government or an international scholarship agency. A partial university discount does not count. Ask your sponsor for a letter that says what it covers.
Who counts as a dependant
Three kinds of family member can come: your husband, wife or civil partner; your unmarried partner; and your children under 18, including a child born in the UK during your stay. Parents, brothers and sisters cannot come as Student dependants.
An unmarried partner usually has to prove you have lived together, which is rare for Pakistani couples, so most applications will be from a married spouse. Bring your NADRA marriage registration certificate and nikah nama, with an English translation where needed. For children, bring NADRA birth certificates.
Money you must show for each family member
On top of your own funds, you need £845 a month for each dependant if you study in London, or £680 a month outside London, for up to 9 months. The money must be held for 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of applying.
For a 9 month count, that is £7,605 per dependant in London and £6,120 outside London. A student in Manchester with a wife and one child would need £12,240 for the two of them, plus their own Student funds and tuition.
Student funds are changing. The Home Office rule change raises the main Student maintenance amounts from 30 November 2026, as our report on the UK student visa funds increase explains. The GOV.UK dependant page still showed £845 and £680 when we read it. Check it again on the day your family applies.
How your family applies from Pakistan, step by step
Your family applies online as your partner or child, using your application number. They prove identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre with fingerprints and a photo. If approved, their visa ends on the same date as yours.
- Get your own Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies and check the course is research-based or government-sponsored.
- Apply for your own Student visa first, and note your Global Web Form (GWF) or Unique Application Number (UAN).
- Open a dependant application for each family member on GOV.UK, entering your GWF or UAN.
- Pay £558 per person and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Book a TB test for each family member who needs one, then verify identity by app or at the visa centre.
- Upload the marriage and birth certificates, bank statements and your sponsor's details.
The health surcharge for Student routes is £776 a year per person, as our health surcharge guide shows. Our list of approved UK TB test clinics in Pakistan covers the screening step.
Your options if your course does not qualify
If you are on a taught master's, your family cannot join you as Student dependants. They can apply for a UK visit visa for a short trip, which is judged on its own merits. A longer family route usually opens later, through a work visa.
- Short visits. Our UK visit visa guide lists the fee and papers.
- After your degree. The Graduate route has its own rules; see our UK Graduate visa guide.
- Skilled work. A Skilled Worker visa allows dependants under its own conditions.
- Spouse route. A British or settled partner uses the UK partner visa, which is a different visa altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my wife to the UK on a master's student visa?
Not on a taught master's starting on or after 1 January 2024. Only a PhD, other doctorate or research-based higher degree, or a government-sponsored course over 6 months, allows dependants.
How much money does a UK Student dependant need?
£845 a month in London or £680 a month outside London, for up to 9 months, held for 28 days in a row. That is on top of the student's own funds.
What is the UK Student dependant visa fee?
£558 per person, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge. Giving fingerprints and a photo at the visa centre is free.
Can my child born in the UK stay with me?
Yes. A child born in the UK during your stay counts as a dependant, and you apply for their visa from inside the UK.
Can my parents come as my dependants on a UK Student visa?
No. Only a spouse or civil partner, an unmarried partner and children under 18 can be Student dependants.
When does a dependant's UK visa end?
On the same date as the main student's visa, if it is approved.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
