Sign up

Have some pie!

International master’s students to be banned from bringing dependants to UK

International students on UK taught master’s courses will be banned from bringing family members with them as dependants, the government confirmed today. 

Only students on postgraduate research program courses will be permitted to bring dependants. Photo: pexels

The changes will come into effect for students starting courses from January 2024

Only students on postgraduate courses currently designated as research programs, which includes PhD students, will be able to bring dependants under new rules set out by home secretary Suella Braverman. 

The move is a temporary measure while the government finalises an “alternative approach” which it says will ensure “the best and the brightest students can bring dependants to our world leading universities, while continuing to reduce net migration”. 

The changes will come into effect for students starting courses from January 2024, according to Sky News.

It has previously been reported that students enrolled at top-ranking universities or on “high-value” courses would be allowed to continue bringing dependants, but there has been debate about the practicalities of implementing a merit-based policy. 

International students are also no longer able to switch from a study visa to a work visa before completing their course, following a growing trend of newly-arrived students dropping out to work in the care sector. 

Other measures announced include a clampdown on “unscrupulous education agents” who are selling “immigration not education” and a review of the “maintenance requirements” for students and dependants. The government has yet to release further details on these policy changes. 

The graduate route, which allows international students to stay and work in the UK once they graduate, remains unchanged. 

“This package strikes the right balance between acting decisively on tackling net migration and protecting the economic benefits that students can bring to the UK”

The rules have been set out ahead of the release of the latest net migration figures on Thursday, which are expected to show a significant increase, despite government commitments to reduce migration. 

Around 136,000 visas were granted to dependants of sponsored students in the year ending December 2022, an increase from 16,000 in 2019. 

In a written statement, Braverman said, “The International Education Strategy plays an important part in supporting the economy through the economic contribution students can bring to the UK, but this should not be at the expense of our commitment to the public to lower overall migration and ensure that migration to the UK is highly skilled and therefore provides the most benefit.”

Research released last week found that international students contributed £41.9 billion to the UK’s economy in the academic year 2021/22.

Braverman added, “This package strikes the right balance between acting decisively on tackling net migration and protecting the economic benefits that students can bring to the UK.”

Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, said the changes would have a “disproportionate impact on women and students from certain countries”.

He added that the announcement provided “some clarity for students and universities after many months of rumour and speculation but leaves some questions unanswered”.

“The rise in the number of dependent visas has been substantial and has likely exceeded planning assumptions in government.

“We recognise that, in some places, this has led to local challenges
around access to suitable family accommodation and schooling, with implications for the student experience.

“Given this, some targeted measures to mitigate this rise may be reasonable, for example looking at eligibility for particular types of course (such as one-year taught postgraduate programs) or enhancing the financial assurances that prospective students are required to provide,” he said.

Related articles

Still looking? Find by category:

Add your comment

7 Responses to International master’s students to be banned from bringing dependants to UK

  1. The Graduate route doesn’t exactly “remain unchanged” because there is a knock-on effect of taught Masters students not being able to bring dependants. It means they cannot have dependants under the Graduate route either.

  2. The most sensible decision. This would act as an effective deterrent against shady agents and potential immigrants using the Student Visa as a tool to simply arrive in the United Kingdom.

  3. While not allowing PG students to bring dependents may have a huge impact on the International Student recruitment sector but making changes to the Visa Switching policy will be surely welcomed by many.

  4. Good decision. The objective of most students from different countries is to migrate rather than pursue higher education or research. It will help to reduce the unwanted economic burden of the UK, and a positive impact will be reinstated in the socio-economic sector of the United Kingdom.

  5. Most of the Students’ dependent are the cheap workers for the many of the UK businesses, so it seems that, after Brexit, again the uk would be lost more international workers,

Leave a Reply to Neelum shamas khan Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Disclaimer: All user contributions posted on this site are those of the user ONLY and NOT those of The PIE Ltd or its associated trademarks, websites and services. The PIE Ltd does not necessarily endorse, support, sanction, encourage, verify or agree with any comments, opinions or statements or other content provided by users.
PIENEWS

To receive The PIE Weekly with our top stories and insights, and other updates from us, please

SIGN UP HERE