There are many reasons to bring your family with you while studying abroad. Maybe you’re in secondary school and want to bring your parents along. Or, perhaps you’re a mature student who wants to bring your partner or children. The good news is that it’s often possible to do so! We’ll explore how to study abroad while bringing your family to Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Check out what the student visa application process looks like in five different countries.
Australia
Australia is a friendly destination with an excellent standard of living and strong education system. It offers international students quality academic institutions, cultural diversity, and a streamlined process for student visas.
You must declare your family members in your student visa application, even if they don’t plan to travel with you immediately. Otherwise, they will not be eligible for a student visa to join you in Australia. If this happens, your dependents can apply separately through ImmiAccount as subsequent entrants.
Who Are Eligible Dependents?
- Your spouse or de facto partner
- Your dependent children under 18 years old
- Your partner’s dependent children under 18 years old
Family members who are not eligible dependents (like your siblings or parents) cannot apply with you. They must apply separately for a shorter-term visitor visa (subclass 600).
Which Students Can Bring Dependents
All Subclass 500 Student visa applicants may include their eligible family members in their initial application. There are no course-level restrictions on bringing dependents.
Financial Requirements
You’ll also need to show sufficient financial capacity to support your family. As of 2025, the primary applicant must show access to at least A$29,710 for living expenses, plus travel costs, and additional cost-of-living amounts for each dependent and school costs if applicable.
The minimum additional funds for accompanying dependents are:
- Spouse or de facto partner: A$10,394
- Dependent child: A$4,449 per child
- Annual school costs: A$13,502 per child aged 5 to 17
For more information, visit the Government of Australia’s website.
Canada
Interested in studying in Canada? It’s renowned for its friendly people, safe and multicultural cities, and high-quality education system. Canada welcomes international students and their dependents, making it a top choice for international students.
Who Are Eligible Dependents?
- Your spouse or common-law partner (a person who has lived with you in a conjugal relationship for at least one year).
- Your dependent children, who must be:
- Under 22 years old and not have a spouse or common-law partner,
or - 22 years old or older, financially dependent on their parents since before the age of 22, and unable to support themselves due to a mental or physical condition.
- Under 22 years old and not have a spouse or common-law partner,
Non-dependent family members (like your siblings or parents) can apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), but must apply separately.
Which Students Can Bring Dependents
All study permit applicants (undergraduate, college, graduate) may apply to bring their eligible dependents.
Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) eligibility is restricted: Only spouses/partners of students in master’s, doctoral, or select professional degree programs (e.g., Medicine, Law, Pharmacy) are eligible for an SOWP.
- Spouses/partners of students in all other programs (undergraduate, college) are generally not eligible for an SOWP but can apply to join the student visa holder with a Temporary Resident Visa.
Application Requirements
You must submit your dependents’ visa applications online at the same time you apply for your study permit. Depending on your circumstances, your dependents may be eligible for a:
Note: If you don’t submit your family members’ applications at the same time that you apply, they may not be able to enter Canada with you.
Financial Requirements
You must show you have enough money to cover the living expenses for yourself and all dependents for at least the first year, based on the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) rates. Note that if you’re studying in Quebec, your proof of finances criteria is different.
Here are some proof of funds amounts for students in programs outside of Quebec (it scales up with every additional dependent):
- Student Only: C$22,895
- Student + 1 Dependent: C$28,502
- Student + 2 Dependents: C$35,040
Note: These amounts are effective for study permit applications submitted on or after September 1, 2025, and are subject to annual change.
For more information, visit the Government of Canada’s website.
Ireland
Ireland is a leading global education hub with a thriving tech sector, and a high quality of life. Plus, many of its higher education institutions are known for their high international graduate employment rates. However, its immigration rules for international students’ family members are more restrictive.
Generally, non-EEA international students on a Stamp 2 permission (which covers bachelor’s, master’s, and most other full-time study courses) are not entitled to bring dependent family members.
Who Are Eligible Dependents?
The following people typically qualify as immediate family for reunification:
- Your spouse or civil partner.
- Your de facto partner (proof of a cohabiting relationship similar to marriage for at least two years may be required).
- Your unmarried children under 18 years of age.
- Note: Children aged 18 to 23 are eligible only if they are in full-time education and financially dependent on the main student visa applicant.
If other family members want to visit you in Ireland, they may do so for up to 90 days. Depending on their nationality, they may need a visa:
- Non-Visa-Required Nationalities: These visitors must still present their valid passport and relevant travel documents upon arrival.
- Visa-Required Nationalities: These visitors must apply for a Short-Stay ‘C’ Tourist visa.
Important: Family members on a visitor visa (Stamp C) cannot stay longer than 90 days or switch to a long-term residence permission.
Who Can Apply for Family Reunification?
Only non-EEA students holding a specific long-term permission or funding arrangement are eligible to apply for family reunification:
- PhD Students (Level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications or NFQ)
- Students pursuing an accredited doctorate program.
- Government-Sponsored Students
- Students enrolled in a program agreed between the Irish State and another State (e.g., certain scholarship programs) where the student and dependents are sufficiently funded for all expenses.
For all other student categories, including most bachelor’s (NFQ Level 7 or 8) and master’s (NFQ Level 9) degree students, family members must apply for a visa in their own right, and the student cannot act as a sponsor for family reunification under this permission type (Stamp 2).
Key Requirements when Bringing Dependents
You and your dependents must meet strict criteria, including:
- Financial Stability: You must prove adequate, independent financial resources to support all accompanying family members.
- Non-EEA students must show immediate access to at least €10,000 for the first year’s living expenses, in addition to full tuition fees.
- Dependent Requirement: You must demonstrate access to additional funds for your dependents’ living expenses. While there is no fixed amount, you must show you can support their lives while in Ireland.
- Accommodation: Evidence of suitable and adequate housing arrangements for your family must be provided for the entire duration of your stay.
- Health Insurance: All dependents must have private medical insurance for their entire stay.
For more information, visit the Government of Ireland’s website.
The UK
The UK offers international students a world-class education, flexible course options, and plenty of post-study work opportunities. Students can expect to learn from talented instructors at high-quality academic institutions while enjoying a great quality of life.
Who Are Eligible Dependents?
UK Student visa holders’ dependents must be one of the following:
- Your husband, wife, or civil partner
- Your unmarried partner (common-law)
- Your child under 18 years old (including if they were born in the UK during your stay)
If you’re under 18 and applying for a Child Student visa, you aren’t eligible to bring dependents with you (like your parents). They must apply for their own Parent of a Child Student visa.
Do you have other family members who want to visit? While they can’t live with you long-term, they may apply for a Standard Visitor visa. These visas allow non-dependent family members to visit for up to 90 days.
Current Dependent Visa Eligibility
As of January 2024, dependent visas are only available to the eligible dependents of select Student visa holders. They include::
- Postgraduate research students in courses lasting nine months or longer (research-based degrees like a PhD, doctorate, or a master’s by research)
- Government-sponsored students on courses longer than six months
Students pursuing undergraduate degrees, taught master’s programs, or other non-research courses are no longer eligible to bring dependents unless they are government-sponsored.
Financial Requirements
To prove you’re financially ready to study in the UK, each Student visa applicant must show access to the following amounts for up to nine months (an academic year):
- £1,529 for each month of your course if you’re studying in London
or - £1,171 per month of your course if you’re studying outside London
To support your dependents, you must also show you can cover their living expenses:
- £845 per month per person (for up to nine months) for courses in London
or - £680 per month per person (for up to nine months) for courses outside London
For more information, visit the Government of the United Kingdom’s website.
The US
The United States has the largest international student population in the world for a reason! The US is home to some of the best universities in the world, with cutting-edge research and technology.
International students headed for the US can bring their dependents with them by adding an F-2 visa application for each family member. This allows your eligible family members to stay in the US for the same period of time as you.
Who Qualifies as a Dependent?
- Your spouse (legally married)
- Your unmarried children under 21 years of age
If other non-dependent family members want to visit you, they may apply for a B-2 Visitor visa and stay in the US for up to six months.
Which Students Can Bring Dependents
- All F-1 Student visa applicants are eligible to apply for an F-2 visa for their immediate dependents. There is no restriction on dependent eligibility based on the student visa holder’s program level.
- Note: Each F-2 dependent must have their own Form I-20.
Application Process
Each F-2 dependent must have their status requested by the F-1 student through their college or university.
- Form I-20: Each F-2 dependent must have their own Form I-20. It’s issued by your university or college’s Designated School Official (DSO) or by its international student office.
- Visa Application: Your dependents must apply for an F-2 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate (Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa stamp requirement).
- Financial Support: You must provide proof of sufficient financial support to cover your dependents’ expenses. The specific amount is set by your university. Generally, financial support amounts range from:
- US$5,000 to US$11,000 for a spouse (per year)
- US$2,500 to US$7,750 for each child (per year)
- Relationship Documentation: You must show documentation proving your relationship (marriage certificate or birth certificate).
For more information, visit the U.S. Department of State website.
Bringing your family along while studying abroad is important for many, and it can be very doable depending on where you plan to study!
We hope this article has helped you learn how to study abroad with your family. Whether you’re studying in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, or the US, we wish you the best of luck on your study journey!
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