Does Chevening Scholarship Allow Dependents? Spouse and Children

Chevening does not fund dependants. Its terms say there is "no provision for dependants of Chevening Scholars": the scholarship pays for you only, it will not endorse your family's visa applications or pay for their travel, and it strongly advises scholars not to bring family to the UK. Whether your spouse or children could still come at your own cost depends on UK visa rules, which are decided by UK Visas and Immigration, not by Chevening.

We read Chevening's scholarship terms (August 2026 version), its FAQ on bringing family, and GOV.UK's Student visa family page on 24 October 2026. This page only reports what those official pages say. It is not visa advice; for your own case, ask your university's international office, as Chevening itself suggests.

What Chevening says about family

Chevening's terms and conditions for scholars say:

• There is no provision for dependants of Chevening Scholars, and the programme gives no financial or pastoral support for them.
• Chevening will not endorse dependants' visa applications and will not provide their travel.
• Scholars are advised against bringing dependants to the UK.

Its FAQ on bringing family adds that Chevening cannot offer any financial or immigration support for family members, that the Secretariat will not cover their travel, and that you are "strongly advised not to bring family members or dependents to the UK" because of the high cost of living. For visa questions about family, it points you to your university's international office and to UKCISA.

So the plain answer to "does Chevening allow a spouse" is: Chevening will not stop you from having a family, but it will not pay for them or help them get a visa.

What does Chevening pay for you?

The same terms list what Chevening covers for the scholar alone:

• University tuition fees
• A monthly living allowance (stipend) for accommodation and living costs, plus arrival and departure allowances
• Economy travel to and from your country of residence, for you only
• The cost of one visa application, for you only
• Up to £75 for a TB test where your visa needs one (GOV.UK lists Pakistan among the countries where one is needed; our UK country guide covers the rest of the visa)

The stipend is set for one person. Our Chevening scholarship page summarises the full package and the eligibility rules.

Can my spouse and children get UK visas to join me?

That is a UK immigration question. GOV.UK's Student visa page on family members says a student can bring a partner and children under 18 only if they are:

• a full-time student on a postgraduate course (RQF level 7 or above) of nine months or longer, which for courses starting on or after 1 January 2024 must be a PhD or other doctorate, or a research-based higher degree; or
• a government-sponsored student on a course longer than six months.

Chevening suggests applicants look for one-year taught master's courses, and a taught master's is not a research degree. Chevening's terms name your university as your visa sponsor and do not say whether a Chevening award counts as government sponsorship for this rule. Only UK Visas and Immigration can decide your family's case, so ask your university's international office before making any plans.

How much money would a family need to show?

If a partner or child does qualify, GOV.UK says each one must show money of their own, on top of the student's:

• £845 a month (for up to nine months) for courses in London
• £680 a month (for up to nine months) for courses outside London

The money must be held for at least 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of the application. For one dependant on a London course, nine months comes to £7,605, before rent, flights, visa fees and the health surcharge. Put these into our cost calculator to see the total in PKR.

Can married people apply for Chevening?

Yes. Chevening's who can apply page says "marriage or parenthood status, caste, class, or other attributes do not matter to us." Its terms only ask scholars to tell their programme officer if their marital status changes during the award. What matters is the eligibility list: an undergraduate degree, at least two years (2,800 hours) of work experience, applications to three eligible UK courses, and a commitment to return to Pakistan for at least two years after the award. Applications for 2027-28 have closed, according to the Chevening Pakistan page.

Is Chevening the right choice for a family?

That is your decision. If bringing your family matters to you, compare what each scheme pays: our Chevening vs Commonwealth comparison notes that neither pays for a spouse or children, and our guide to UK student accommodation explains what rooms cost on university price lists.

Your next step

If you plan to apply in the next Chevening round, read the terms and FAQ on chevening.org yourself, and email your chosen universities' international offices about family visas before you commit. The official Chevening and GOV.UK pages are the final word, and rules can change between rounds.