Bringing Dependents on a Student Visa: Can Your Spouse and Children Join You, and What About Parents Accompanying Their Children?

Among graduate and doctoral students, many are already married and wish to bring their spouses and children along. For families of young students studying overseas, parents often consider accompanying them. Whether dependents can be brought, if spouses can work, and if children can attend school vary significantly by country, and both the UK and Canada have notably tightened their policies in recent years. Based on information from official government websites, this article is divided into two parts: students bringing spouses and children, and parents accompanying their children.

1. The Bottom Line

2. US: F-2 Dependents

• Who is eligible: Spouses and children of F-1 students can apply for F-2 status to accompany them. The school will issue a separate I-20 for each dependent, and many schools have specific forms to fill out.
• Work: F-2 dependents cannot work.
• Study: F-2 dependents can study at SEVP-certified schools, but only on a part-time basis; minor children can attend primary and secondary schools at the appropriate grade level without changing to F-1 status.
• Status tied to the student: The dependent's legal status depends on the F-1 student maintaining their status, including during the approved OPT period after graduation.

For families who want their spouse to work or study full-time in the US, this needs to be considered in advance: if the spouse wishes to pursue a full-time degree, they must apply for their own student status.

3. UK: Most Taught Master's Programs Can No Longer Bring Dependents

This is where the biggest changes have occurred in recent years. According to GOV.UK, a student visa allows dependents in the following cases:

• Government-sponsored students enrolled in a course lasting 6 months or longer;
• Full-time postgraduate courses lasting 9 months or longer, but for courses starting on or after January 1, 2024, they must be PhD or research-based programs.

This means that the vast majority of one-year taught master's programs can no longer bring dependents.

For those eligible, the dependents who can be brought are a spouse or civil partner, an unmarried partner, and children under 18. For each dependent:

• The visa fee is £558, plus the healthcare surcharge;
• Financial requirements: £845 per month in London or £680 per month outside London, calculated for a maximum of 9 months.

4. Canada: Dependents Allowed, but Spousal Work Permits Tightened

Spouses

Starting January 21, 2025, spouses or common-law partners of students applying for an open work permit are limited to cases where the student is enrolled in the following programs:

• Master's degree programs of 16 months or longer;
• Doctoral degree programs;
• Designated professional degrees, such as dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, nursing, education, engineering, etc.;
• A small number of designated pilot programs.

Spouses of undergraduate students, college students, and master's students in programs shorter than 16 months generally can no longer obtain an open work permit through this route.

Children

Minor children accompanying parents in Canada who hold a study or work permit can attend kindergarten, primary, or secondary school without a study permit, though IRCC recommends applying for one anyway; if not, they must maintain valid visitor status. Once the child reaches the age of majority in their province, they must apply for a study permit if they wish to continue studying.

Finances

Bringing dependents also increases the financial requirements. For applications submitted from September 1, 2026, outside Quebec, the cost of living standards are: CAD 23,448 per year for 1 person, CAD 29,192 for 2 people, CAD 35,888 for 3 people, plus an additional CAD 6,318 for each additional person (excluding tuition and transportation).

5. Australia: Dependents Allowed, but Must Be Declared When Applying

• Who is eligible: Spouse (including de facto partner), children under 18, and the spouse's children under 18.
• Must be declared: All family members must be declared when applying, even if they do not plan to travel together immediately. Those not declared can never later join the student in Australia as a dependent.
• Health and character: Dependents must also meet health and character requirements, which may include medical exams and police clearance certificates.
• Spouse work: Work rights may differ from the student's, subject to the conditions on the visa grant letter.
• Children's education: Attending public or private schools in Australia requires paying tuition fees out of pocket.

6. Parents Accompanying Children

UK: Parent of a Child Student Visa

• The child must be between 4 and 11 years old when applying and studying at an independent school (private school) in the UK;
• The parent cannot engage in paid work;
• Other children can be brought along, provided they also hold or are applying for a Child Student visa;
• The visa fee is £637;
• You can stay until the child's visa expires or the child turns 12, whichever comes first.

Once the child turns 12, you can no longer accompany them under this visa.

Australia: Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)

• Students under 18 can be accompanied and cared for by an adult;
• The accompanying person must be a parent, legal guardian, or a relative over 21;
• They must have sufficient funds to support themselves and the student, and provide accommodation, welfare, and other care;
• Student Guardian visa holders cannot work in Australia and must live with the student.

7. Things to Consider Before Bringing Dependents

• Check if the program allows it. For taught master's programs in the UK or short-term programs in Canada, dependent policies may be completely different from what you expect. Factor this in when choosing schools.
• Can the spouse work? F-2 spouses in the US cannot work; in Canada, only spouses in certain programs can get an open work permit; in Australia, it depends on the grant letter. If family income relies on the spouse working, verify this in advance.
• Financial requirements will increase significantly. For each additional dependent, proof of funds and visa fees must be increased accordingly.
• Children's education costs. Primary and secondary schools in Australia require out-of-pocket tuition; check the costs for other countries in advance as well.
• Declare family members truthfully. Failing to declare dependents for Australia means permanently losing the chance to reunite as a student dependent; concealing family information carries risks in any country.

Final Thoughts

When bringing dependents to study overseas, it's not just about whether the visa will be approved; you also need to account for the spouse's work, the children's education, and the family's living expenses. With the UK and Canada tightening their dependent policies in recent years, dependent arrangements must be considered when selecting schools and programs, rather than finding out you cannot bring them only after receiving an admission offer.

For more visa information, check out our 20 FAQs on Student Visas and How to Prepare Proof of Financial Support for Visas. If you are planning to bring dependents while applying to universities, feel free to chat with our visa counselors.

Verification note: This article was verified in September 2026. The US section is based on the dependent information on the US Department of Homeland Security's "Study in the States" website; the UK section is based on the GOV.UK student visa family members page and the Parent of a Child Student visa page; the Canada section is based on the IRCC spousal work permit page (updated February 3, 2026) and the proof of financial support page, with the minor children study permit exemption based on a search snippet from the IRCC website; the Australia section is based on the "Bringing your family" page on the Australian Government's Study Australia website, with the relative age and financial conditions for the guardian visa based on a search snippet from that site. The Australian Department of Home Affairs website uses CAPTCHA, so please refer to their official website for specific regulations. Policies are subject to change; please refer to the latest official information.

References:

• Study in the States: Bringing Dependents to the United States
• GOV.UK: Student visa – Family members
• GOV.UK: Parent of a Child Student visa
• IRCC: Help your spouse or common-law partner work in Canada
• IRCC: Who can study without a permit
• IRCC: Proof of financial support
• Study Australia: Bringing your family