Bringing Your Family: Student Dependant Rules in Europe
Most students on a UK Student visa can no longer bring a spouse or children: since January 2024 the UK has been Europe's most restrictive destination for dependants. In Germany and Ireland family members can still join a student, but the financial and administrative requirements are substantial. If your family situation decides your destination, check each country's exact rules first.
Why This Matters Before You Apply
A student who is not aware of the dependant restrictions may plan their entire move — school enrolment for children, spouse’s job search, property rental — around an assumption that family members can join them. Discovering that the route is closed after receiving a university offer causes significant disruption. The time to understand these rules is before you apply, not after.
This post focuses on the seven European destinations covered on this site: the UK, Germany, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Hungary, and Poland.
United Kingdom: Restricted Since January 2024
The UK made the most significant change in this area. With effect from 1 January 2024, the UK Home Office amended the Immigration Rules to restrict who can bring dependants on a Student visa.
Who CAN bring dependants in the UK:
– Students enrolled on a postgraduate-level course that is a recognised research programme — typically a PhD, MPhil, or equivalent research qualification.
– Students whose Student visa is sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency that covers costs for dependants (for example, Chevening or Commonwealth Scholarship recipients whose scholarship terms include dependant support).
Who CANNOT bring dependants in the UK:
– All other students — this includes the majority of taught postgraduate students (MA, MSc, MBA etc.) and all undergraduate students, regardless of the level or duration of study.
This is a rule in the Immigration Rules, not a discretionary policy. There are no exceptions based on length of stay, marital status, or the age of children. If you fall outside the two categories above, your family members cannot obtain dependant permission to join you in the UK for the duration of your studies.
If you are a research student, your spouse may apply as a dependant under the Student route. Each dependant pays their own visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year, paid upfront for the full visa duration. The maintenance requirement for dependants follows the same monthly thresholds as the student: currently £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London.
Verify the current position at gov.uk/student-visa before applying.
Germany: Family Reunification Is Possible
Germany permits spouses and minor children to apply for a family reunification residence permit (Familiennachzug) to join a student holding a student residence permit (§16b AufenthG).
The student must demonstrate:
– Sufficient financial means to support the additional family members (this is assessed individually by the Ausländerbehörde — there is no single nationally published threshold for students’ dependants, so confirm requirements with the relevant local authority or embassy in your home country).
– Adequate accommodation — the family must have a place to live, not just the student.
The student’s spouse applies for a permit under §30 AufenthG (spousal reunification). For nationalities from which German language proficiency at A1 level is required before entry, exceptions exist — the rules on language exemptions have evolved, and you should verify the current requirement for your specific nationality with the German embassy in your home country.
Work rights for the joining spouse depend on the permit issued; this is not automatic and varies. Children may enrol in state schools free of charge.
Germany does not publish a fixed extra-funds threshold for dependants alongside a student’s blocked account. Budget for additional living costs of roughly €700–900 per adult family member per month as a planning estimate, but treat this as a working figure only — not an official requirement.
Ireland: Stamp 3 and the Work Rights Gap
Ireland allows a student’s non-EEA spouse or civil partner to apply to join them. The permission issued is typically Stamp 3, which authorises the holder to remain in Ireland but does not carry automatic work rights. A Stamp 3 holder who wishes to work would need to apply for a separate permission.
The student must demonstrate that they can financially support their dependant as part of the initial application. Ireland’s fund requirement for the student themselves is €10,000 for a one-year course (per World Study Africa verified figures, June 2026) plus course fees — having a dependant increases the financial bar, though there is no single published multiplier. Discuss the specific requirements with Irish immigration authorities or an accredited immigration adviser.
Minor children can attend Irish primary and secondary schools free of charge under the Irish school system.
The Stamp 3 permission for a spouse is not equivalent to a work permit. If the spouse arriving in Ireland needs to work — either to cover living costs or to advance their own career — factor in the additional step of obtaining work permission.
Country-by-Country Overview
| Country | Dependants allowed? | Student category required | Each dependant pays separate fee? | Dependant work rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Restricted since Jan 2024 | PhD / research or govt-sponsored only | ✅ Yes (+ IHS £776/yr each) | Research route dependants: yes |
| Germany | ✅ Yes | Any student permit (§16b) | ✅ Yes | Varies by permit type |
| Ireland | ✅ Yes (spouse/civil partner) | Any eligible student | ✅ Yes | Stamp 3 = no auto work rights |
| Malta | Possible | Enquire with Identity Malta | ✅ Yes | Varies |
| Cyprus | Possible | Enquire with Civil Registry | ✅ Yes | Varies |
| Hungary | Possible | Enquire with consulate | ✅ Yes | Varies |
| Poland | Possible | Enquire with consulate | ✅ Yes | Varies |
Note: “Possible” means no blanket prohibition is known, but requirements are not standardised in publicly available English-language official guidance. Confirm current rules directly with the embassy or consulate responsible for your home country before planning.
Financial Reality: What Dependants Actually Add to Your Budget
The financial impact of bringing family members is often underestimated.
Visa and permit fees: Each dependant application is separate and attracts its own fee. In the UK, the IHS is £776 per person per year — a student with a spouse and one child pays IHS for three people, upfront, for the full visa duration.
Living costs: Most destination countries assess the student’s financial capacity to support additional family members before granting dependant permission. You are expected to show that your resources cover both your own maintenance and that of any dependants. In practice, this means having substantially more funds than the student-only threshold.
Housing: A single room in student accommodation is not appropriate for a family. Private rental in European cities adds significantly to monthly costs. As a guide (these are not official thresholds, just typical market costs — confirm locally): a modest two-bedroom flat in a German university city might cost €900–1,400 per month; in London, £1,500–2,500 per month or more.
Healthcare: Most countries require international students and their family members to have health insurance. In the UK this is the IHS. In Germany, students join statutory health insurance (approximately €146/month as of June 2026 for the student); family members are separately assessed. In Ireland, private health insurance is standard for non-EEA residents.
Education for children: State schools in Germany and Ireland do not charge tuition for children. In the UK, state schools are free for children of those lawfully present. Private or international schools cost significantly more — factor this in if your children are not native speakers of the local language and you prefer English-medium instruction.
Scholarships and Dependants
A scholarship may affect your ability to bring dependants in two ways.
First, some scholarships (Chevening, Commonwealth CSC) specifically fund a student only and do not cover dependant costs. The scholarship terms state explicitly whether dependant support is included. Do not assume it is unless it is written into your award letter.
Second, in the UK, holding a government or scholarship agency-sponsored visa is what makes you eligible to bring dependants in the first place. If your scholarship falls into the category that UKVI recognises as a “government or international scholarship agency,” this opens the dependant route for you — but you should confirm the UKVI recognition of your specific scholarship before counting on it.
Planning Your Move
If bringing your family is essential to your study plan, work through this checklist before choosing a country:
- Confirm the destination country’s current dependant rules for your student category (taught vs research, undergraduate vs postgraduate).
- Calculate the full financial requirement — student maintenance + dependant maintenance + all visa/permit fees + housing + healthcare.
- Check whether your scholarship, if any, covers dependants and whether it qualifies you for the dependant route in UK-specific rules.
- Establish where your spouse’s and children’s permissions are processed — some countries process student dependants through a separate application at the same time as the student; others require the student to arrive and establish their permit first.
- Confirm work rights for your spouse before your arrival, especially if you are relying on their income to supplement your maintenance.
For more on the specific visa processes involved, see the visa hub. To check which countries and programmes you are eligible for based on your nationality, use the eligibility check.
How World Study Helps
World Study Africa works with students from our eight covered African origins. Our core service — country shortlisting, programme search, application support — is free. Premium visa document review is the only charged service.
We cannot advise on individual immigration law; for complex dependant situations, we recommend consulting an immigration solicitor or adviser registered with the relevant authority. What we can do is help you identify the right country and programme for your situation before you reach the visa stage.
Speak to the team on WhatsApp (link in the site footer) if you have a specific situation you want to talk through.
Frequently asked questions
Only if you are studying a postgraduate research programme (such as a PhD) or are sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency that covers costs. Since January 2024, most taught postgraduate and all undergraduate Student visa holders in the UK cannot bring a partner or children as dependants. This is a hard rule in the UK Immigration Rules, not a discretionary decision. Check the UK Home Office guidance at gov.uk before planning your move.
Germany and Ireland are generally more permissive than the UK. Germany allows spouses and children to apply for a family reunification visa to join a student, provided the student can show sufficient financial means and appropriate accommodation. Ireland also allows a student's spouse to apply to join them, typically on a Stamp 3 permission (which does not carry work rights by default). Malta, Cyprus, Hungary, and Poland permit family members to join students but requirements vary significantly — always confirm with the specific embassy or consulate.
No — dependants apply for a separate visa or permit, and each pays their own application fee. In the UK, each dependant also pays the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), currently £776 per year, for the full duration of the visa. This surcharge is per person, so a student with a spouse and one child would pay IHS for all three. Always check the current fee schedule at gov.uk/pay-uk-visa-immigration-application.
Work rights for dependants vary by country and by the category of permission they hold. In the UK, dependants of eligible students (research students) may work. In Ireland, spouses joining students on Stamp 3 permission do not automatically have work rights; separate Stamp 1 permission would be needed. In Germany, the work entitlement of the student's family members depends on the type of residence permit issued to them. Always confirm with the relevant authority — do not assume that a family reunion permit automatically grants work rights.
This varies by country and is not published as a single national standard in most cases. As a general principle, expect to demonstrate that you can support each additional family member at a level broadly equivalent to your own maintenance requirement. In the UK the maintenance requirement for dependants follows the same monthly thresholds as the student. In Germany, sufficient means for the family is assessed individually; there is no single published threshold. Get an official pre-application consultation with the relevant embassy or consulate before building your financial plan.