Study abroad: UK’s International Students’ Dependent Policy Change From January 2024 Explained

From January 2024 onwards, foreign postgraduate students enrolled in non-research courses in the United Kingdom (UK) will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK.?

Till now, under the dependent visa policy, international students were allowed to bring their family members, including spouses and children, to the UK.?

This policy applies only to postgraduate students and not undergraduate students, the latter were already prohibited from bringing dependents with them.?

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What do the new UK student visa rules state??

According to the change in UK Student visa rules, from 1st January 2024, international students will be able to bring their dependent partner or children to the UK only if they are enrolled in a PhD or postgraduate research programme.?

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Who is a 'dependent??

The definition of a 'dependent' varies from one country to another. A dependent is defined in immigration and visa regulations.In the UK, a 'dependent' is generally defined as a family member who relies on the primary visa holder for their financial support and is allowed to join them in the UK.?

This could include the spouse, unmarried, or civil partner of the sponsor. Children under the age of 18 years can also accompany the sponsor to the UK as the sponsor's dependents.?

In some specific visa categories, dependent visas can also be issued to other family members, such as children over 18, parents, or grandparents.?

Benefits for dependents in the UK include include legal residence, work rights for adult dependents, access to healthcare through the National Health Service (NHS), access to education for dependent children, and the ability to travel in and out of the UK while the primary visa holder's visa is valid.?

How is the policy expected to impact Indian students' decision to study in UK??

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The policy change may influence the decision-making process for prospective students from India.?

It could dissuade students from considering the UK as a study destination.However, postgraduate courses in UK take only a year to complete so the impact may not be as expected.??

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