Because of stricter visa rules, the rules for bringing family (dependants) to the UK will be different in 2026. Most international master’s students won’t be able to bring dependents after January 2024, unless they are in a research-based higher degree programme (like a PhD) or a government-sponsored programme.
If you seek “full-ride” funding that allows you to bring your spouse or children, it is essential to concentrate on these specific groups.
1. Scholarships for PhD students in the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) is still one of the few organisations that clearly says it will help pay for family members.
- Family Allowances: If you have a spouse and children with you, you may be able to get a Spouse Allowance (about £297 per month) and a Child Allowance (about £297 per month for the first child and £146 per month for the second and third).
- Eligibility: This is mostly for PhD students from Commonwealth countries that are “least developed” or “vulnerable”.
- Deadline: Applications for the 2026/2027 cycle usually open in September 2025 and close in October 2025.
2. Gates Cambridge Scholarship (for PhD students)
The scholarship is meant for one person, but it provides a lot of extra money to people with kids.
- Dependent Children Allowance: For 2025/2026, this was up to £12,184 per year for one child and up to £17,375 for two or more children.
- Note on Spouses: You can’t get money for a partner or spouse, but as a PhD student at Cambridge, you can legally sponsor a partner visa (Dependent Visa) under UK immigration rules in 2026.
- The deadline is 2026. Applications for the 2027/2028 cycle open in September 2026.
3. Chevening Scholarships (Rule from the Government)
Chevening is a “government-sponsored” scholarship, which means that you can technically bring dependants to the UK under the 2026 visa exceptions.
- Financial Catch: Chevening pays for everything for the scholar, but it doesn’t help family members with any of their costs. To get their visas, you need to show that you have the extra money (about £845 per month for each dependent) in your own bank account.
- Visa Eligibility: Since Chevening is a government-funded programme that lasts more than six months, you don’t have to follow the general Master’s dependent ban.
4. Rhodes Scholarships at the University of Oxford
The Rhodes Scholarship is very helpful for PhD (DPhil) students who have families, just like Gates Cambridge.
- Stipend: The annual stipend of about £20,400 is only for the scholar, but DPhil students can bring their dependents to Oxford.
- Support: Rhodes House offers special help for “Scholars with Partners” to help them find housing and childcare in Oxford, but you have to pay for their living expenses yourself.
5. International Training Fellowships from the Wellcome Trust
These fellowships are very generous for health and science researchers.
- Family Support: They often pay for their dependents’ visa and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) costs.
- Level: These are for PhD or postdoctoral researchers, not for master’s students who are learning.
Visa Requirements for Dependents in 2026
You must still meet the UK Home Office’s “Points-Based System” for your family, even if you obtain a scholarship:
- If you are studying outside of London, you need to show that you have £845 per month for each dependent for up to 9 months. If you are studying in London, you need to show that you have £1,200 or more.
- You have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for each family member (about £776 per year per person) unless your scholarship says it covers it.
Final Thoughts
If you want to bring your family to the UK on a scholarship in 2026, the best way to do it is to apply for PhD-level funding (like Gates Cambridge or Commonwealth PhD) or a government-sponsored master’s (like Chevening). The Commonwealth PhD is the only major award that gives you a specific “cash allowance” for your kids. Other PhD scholarships, on the other hand, offer a legal way to get sponsorship that is no longer available to regular master’s applicants. Make sure that your scholarship provider will give your dependents a “Letter of Support” to make the visa process easier.
Are you currently searching for a PhD position, or are you trying to find a way to bring your family to a one-year master’s programme?
