Can My Spouse Come With Me on a Student Visa? UK, Canada, Australia and US Rules Compared (2026)

If you are married and planning to study abroad, the question that decides your plan is not just "can my spouse come?" but "can my spouse come and work?" A spouse visa with a student visa looks very different in each country, and two of the big four have tightened their rules sharply. As of October 2026, the UK allows dependants only for research degrees, Australia has just stopped most students from including family at all, Canada ties spouse work permits to your program, and the US lets spouses come but not work. Here is what each country actually allows.

UK: Only Research Degrees (and Government-Sponsored Students)

For postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, you can bring a partner or children on a UK Student visa only if you are on a PhD, other doctorate, or research-based higher degree lasting 9 months or more, or you are a government-sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months. A taught one-year MSc or MBA no longer qualifies, which is why most Indian master's students now go to the UK alone.

If you do qualify, your partner can generally work full time (excluding professional sport). Each dependant needs funds on top of your own: £845 per month in London or £680 per month outside London, for up to 9 months, held for 28 consecutive days. Source: GOV.UK – Student visa: your partner and children.

Canada: The Spouse Open Work Permit Depends on Your Program

Canada still lets a spouse or common-law partner accompany you, but since 21 January 2025 a spousal open work permit is available only if you are enrolled in:

• a master's program of 16 months or longer,
• a doctoral program, or
• certain professional degrees (for example law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, B.Ed. or engineering degrees such as BEng/BASc) or a small list of named pilot programs.

A one-year master's, a postgraduate diploma at a college or most undergraduate programs do not qualify. Your spouse could still come as a visitor or apply for their own study permit, but they could not work. The work permit, when granted, usually runs for the same length as your study permit. Source: IRCC – help your spouse or partner work in Canada.

Budget for the extra cost too. For applications from 1 September 2026, IRCC's living-cost requirement outside Quebec rises from CAD 23,448 for a student alone to CAD 29,192 for a student plus one family member, before tuition and travel (IRCC proof of funds).

Australia: A Major Change From 2 October 2026

This is the change most families have not heard about yet. For Student visa (subclass 500) applications lodged on or after 2 October 2026, you can no longer include your partner or dependent children unless an exemption applies. The exemptions listed by the Department of Home Affairs are:

• you are studying a PhD,
• you are sponsored by Australia's DFAT or Defence, or hold a foreign government scholarship,
• you are an eligible student from a Pacific or ASEAN country, or
• you already hold a Student visa with family included and are applying again in Australia.

Family members also cannot be added after your visa is granted, and Home Affairs says there are no exemptions to that rule. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the old rules. Source: Home Affairs – changes to Student visa application rules.

In practice, for an Indian student doing a coursework master's in Australia, bringing a spouse on the student visa is now off the table. If you do qualify (for example, a PhD), plan for an additional AUD 10,394 per year for a partner on top of the AUD 29,710 student living-cost figure. Read our Evidence Level 3 guide for the other 2026 changes affecting Indian applicants.

USA: Your Spouse Can Come on F-2, But Cannot Work

The US is the simplest on paper. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can apply for F-2 dependant visas, each with their own I-20 from your university. Your I-20 funding has to cover them as well, and the amount per dependant is set by each school.

The catch is that F-2 spouses cannot take any employment, including remote work for an Indian employer while living in the US. They can study part time at an SEVP-certified school and take recreational classes, but full-time degree study needs a change to F-1 status. For a family relying on two incomes, this matters more than the visa itself. See our part-time work rules comparison for what you can earn as the student.

Which Country Works for a Married Student?

• Choose Canada if: you want your spouse to work, and you are willing to do a master's of 16 months or more. This is the strongest option for couples. Our 1-year UK vs 2-year Canada master's comparison covers the cost side of that trade-off.
• Choose the US if: your spouse is fine not working for the length of your course, and your family can fund both of you.
• Choose the UK or Australia with a spouse only if: you are doing a PhD or research degree, or have a qualifying government scholarship. Otherwise, plan to go alone.

Whatever you choose, declare your marriage honestly on every form. Hiding a spouse to fit a rule creates a misrepresentation problem that follows you into future applications. These rules have changed several times since 2024, so check the official pages linked above before you apply.

Planning to Study Abroad as a Couple?

The right course length and country can decide whether your spouse works or sits at home for two years. Goodwind's Spouse service helps couples plan both applications together. Book a consultation and we will check which programs on your shortlist let your partner come and work.