Yes, although only dependants that are already in the UK as a Student dependant can apply to become a Graduate dependant. If your dependants are outside the UK and you want them to apply for Graduate route permission alongside you, they must join you in the UK and hold immigration permission as your Student route dependant first.
There is no deadline for dependants to join you on the Student route in the UK, other than your current Tier 4 or Student visa expiry date. Therefore, it is important your dependants join you in the UK before your Tier 4 or Student visa expires. If your dependant joins you when you have less than six months remaining on your Student permission, please note that they will not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge and would be liable to pay for any NHS treatment they receive until they successfully become a Graduate route dependant.
The Graduate route caseworker guidance confirms that a dependant does not need to apply at the same time as the main applicant. A Student dependant's deadline for switching to Graduate dependant is therefore the expiry date of their Student dependant permission.
This means that if you are studying a part-time postgraduate course or an undergraduate course, you will be unable to bring dependants under the Graduate route as these course types do not permit dependants. If this affects you, and if it is important to bring your dependants to the UK, you may want to prioritise switching from the Graduate route into another work route, for example Skilled Worker, as soon as possible.
When applying for the Graduate route, dependant partners must:
- Have, or have last been granted, permission as a dependant partner of a Student that is now applying for, or has been granted, permission on the Graduate route
Your partner must also meet the requirements outlined in Appendix Relationship with Partner.
Dependant children can also apply under the Graduate route. They must either:
- have been a dependant child under the Student route where the Student is now applying for, or has been granted, permission on the Graduate route; OR
- have been born in the UK during the last grant of Student permission of a Student that is now applying for, or has been granted, permission on the Graduate route
Your child must also meet the Independent Life Requirement, Care Requirement, and Relationship Requirement as outlined in Appendix Children. There are circumstances in which both parents may not be applying for, or currently have, permission in the UK (for example, you are the sole surviving parent). These circumstances are outlined in Appendix Children and the related caseworker guidance, however we would recommend seeking support with any applications that fit these circumstances as they are more complex and require further documentation.
There is no maintenance requirement for a Graduate route dependant. If someone who applies to switch from Student dependant to Graduate dependant, and they themselves had a government or agency scholarship for UK study, they must obtain the consent of the financial sponsor for their Graduate dependant application.
Your Graduate route dependant will have the same work conditions as you. The only prohibition is on working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
