One of the great things about coming here with children is that I see a different dynamic to life in Exeter.
Students with families
Bringing your partner and children to the UK requires additional planning and finances. You can find some useful information below to help you prepare, and your family to settle quickly.
If your family plan to apply for Dependant visas, they will need to meet the financial requirements for living expenses of £680/month for up to 9 months per person (our visa advice pages contains more detail). This is in addition to your own living expenses.
Budgeting for a family is really important and your actual living costs will vary according to your lifestyle. The International Student Guidehas some examples of anticipated living costs.
To bring dependants to the UK, you must:
- Hold or be applying for a Student visa AND
- Be studying a full time ‘research-based’ programme of at least 9 months. At the University of Exeter, these are PhD, MPhil or MbyRES programmes. MRES programmes, including Pathway to PhD, are taught programmes and therefore not eligible for dependants in most circumstances. The only exception to this is if you are receiving Government sponsorship and are studying any course of more than 6 months.
Your dependants must be:
- Your spouse (husband or wife), civil partner, unmarried partner;
- Your child. Your children can join you in the UK only if both parents are lawfully present in the UK or are applying with the child (you are not considered "lawfully present" if you have a Visitor or Short Term Study visa). A lone parent can apply for their child to accompany them only in exceptional circumstances, contact us for further guidance if you are considering this.
See our dependant page for more details.
Most healthcare in the UK is provided by the National Health Service (NHS). This service provides emergency, routine and occasional medical treatment to people within the UK. All medical treatment within the UK will be treated in the strictest medical confidence and will not be told to anyone without your consent.
Further information on our healthcare page.
Our university-run student accommodation is not suitable to house students with children which means that students with children will need to seek private accommodation.
Currently, the demand for accommodation suitable for families in the South West of England exceeds the supply available and securing accommodation will be difficult, take time to find and be expensive.
Therefore, we recommend that you do not bring dependants with you to Exeter unless you have secured accommodation. To secure a school place (years 5 – 16), you will need to have a UK address.
The Accommodation team in Exeter and Cornwall have local information to help you with your search.
Renting in the private sector
We recommend you view a property to ensure it is suitable for your needs before signing any private accommodation contract. Once your contract is signed, you will be responsible for full payments of the rent for the duration of the contract. The Guild Advice Unit (Exeter) or the SU Advice Service (Cornwall) can assist with checking contracts.
UKCISA have further information about what you can expect from private rented housing in the UK.
Many letting agencies and landlords in the UK require tenants to have a UK bank account before signing a rental contract. Some landlords may accept 3 months' rent upfront plus a deposit instead of requiring a UK bank account. However, this can be expensive for families. You may want to consider an online only bank account as you may be able to open this before arriving into the UK.
If your children are young, you will probably have to look after them yourselves as help can be hard to find and very expensive. The options in the UK for care for children under 5 years old, are private day nurseries or childminders. Both options usually have waiting lists and costs may be higher than you are expecting (typically £65-£75 per day).
International students are usually not eligible for the Government's free childcare scheme. Full eligibility can be seen on this Gov.uk webpage.
Exeter campuses
Tops Day Nursery on the Streatham Campus is run by qualified staff and takes children from six weeks to five years of age. Apply well in advance as demand is very high and places are limited.
The Devon Information on Services for Children website has details of playgroups, nurseries, childminders and out of school clubs.
Cornwall campuses
Little Wonders Nursery have centres on both the Penryn and Falmouth campus and provide a high quality of childcare and education for children up to five, with after school care for children up to 8 years.
The Cornwall Family Information Service Directory has information on childcare services in Cornwall.
Children aged 5 to 16 must attend school. In England, children aged 16 to 18 must be in some form of education or training.
Education is free at state schools, and children are placed in primary school (ages 5-11) and then secondary school (ages 11-16). Families moving to the UK should apply for a school place through the local council as soon as possible, as spaces can be limited.
You must have proof of address before making a school place application.
If you want to apply while you are outside the UK, contact the local council in the area where you’re going to live. You may need:
- evidence of your new address, for example a mortgage or rental agreement or deeds for the property
- evidence that you’ll live in the area before the start of the next school term
To find out what schools are nearby, see the Devon council pages for students in Exeter, and the Cornwall council pages for students in Penryn or Truro.
Childcare outside school hours: options include breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, and childminders, which provide supervision before and after school. Some schools offer these services, while private providers also operate in local areas. Families can check with schools or local council websites to find suitable childcare options.
Exeter campuses
Exeter International Study Centre offers weekly classes for partners of students registered at the University. They address the communication needs required to adapt to life in the UK in a motivating, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Please note there is a charge for these classes.
Cornwall campuses
Subject to availability, the Language Skills team run weekly family classes. A chance for the spouses and partners of staff/students at the universities to get together for conversational English language practice. The sessions are hosted by one of the language tutors who will provide guidance on functional language, useful expressions and answer any questions about life in Cornwall.
University networks
The Parents and Carers networks are open to all staff and PGR students. These are primarily online communities where members can start conversations about any parenting, caring, or related questions; ask for advice from other members; and keep up to date with relevant information and policies.
Local recommendations
While there is no single comprehensive resource for family friendly communities in the local areas, we've put together the links below to help give ideas and signpost you to some local activities. The University of Exeter does not officially endorse or have any affiliation with these organisations.
Exeter campuses
- The Baby Room Exeter
- Visit Exeter: the official tourism webpage for Exeter provides an up to date list of family friendly events.
- Eventbrite events lists various children's activities and events in Exeter such as workshops, classes and gatherings.
- Facebook groups such as Exeter Family Friendly Events, provide a community-driven space where members can share information.
Cornwall campuses
- Eventbrite events lists various children's activities and events in Falmouth such as workshops, classes and gatherings.
- Day Out with The Kids provides a list of family friendly events.
- Tots About classes and events for babies and children under 5.