United Kingdom
Closed: no spouse during the degree. This route is not ranked.
Verdict
The UK fails the first test: on a taught master's your spouse gets no visa at all, on either the Student route or the Graduate route. That means no coming with you and no work rights until you win a Skilled Worker job.
It is also costly (about USD 45,000 for one person's first year), risky (26 to 28% Bangladeshi refusal rate, offers being withdrawn) and slow for PR (10 years by default, about 11+ from arrival). Recommendation: drop the UK unless a funded research degree comes up; compare your Wollongong offer and other countries instead.
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source money plan for this route compare
- Can the spouse come
- No
- Conditions
No for a taught master's.
GOV.UK and Immigration Rules Appendix Student ST 31.1 say that, for postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, a partner can be a dependant only in three cases: the course is a PhD or other doctorate (RQF 8), the course is a research-based higher degree (full time, 9+ months), or the student is government-sponsored on a course over 6 months.
A taught MSc (Business Analytics, MIS, Finance, Management and similar) does not qualify, so your spouse cannot come as a Student dependant, either with you or later.
The Graduate visa does not fix this: GOV.UK states the partner must already have been a dependant on the Student visa, so your spouse cannot newly join on the Graduate route either.
The only workarounds are: (a) a research-based master's (MRes, MSc by Research or MPhil), where your spouse can apply at the same time as you; (b) your spouse gets their own visa (their own Student or Skilled Worker visa); (c) your spouse joins once you hold a Skilled Worker visa (earliest about 1 year after arrival).
A visit visa gives no work rights.
- Spouse work rights
- None
- Spouse work in detail
On a taught master's your spouse gets no dependant visa, so no work rights at all. For reference only: where a dependant visa is allowed (research degree or PhD), Appendix Student ST 39.3 permits the partner to work, including self-employment (not as a professional sportsperson or coach), which means full work rights.
A Skilled Worker dependant partner later also has full work rights (not confirmed).
- Student work hours
20 hours/week in term time on a full-time degree-level course at a track-record university, and full time outside term time (Appendix Student ST 26.1). No self-employment, no professional sport or entertainer work, no permanent full-time vacancy. On a 12-month master's the dissertation period normally counts as term time (not confirmed).
- Cash before landing
- about 22.5 lakh USD 18,000 more than your first 15 lakh: needs part of the second 15 lakh before you land
- checked 14 Nov 2026 · source
- First year for two
- about 73.1 lakh USD 58,600 before earnings over the 35 lakh ceiling
- checked 14 Nov 2026 · source
- Tuition in detail
Not free. International taught-master's fees: Sussex MSc Business Analytics GBP 25,700 (official page); Edinburgh MSc Business Analytics GBP 36,540 (not confirmed); lower-ranked universities roughly GBP 15,000 to 19,000 (agent and blog figures only, for example Derby about GBP 14,900, not confirmed).
Typical for a decent 1-year MSc: GBP 17,000 to 22,000. CAS deposits are commonly GBP 4,000 to 10,000 (Brighton GBP 5,000 for Jan 2027, not confirmed).
- Money to show in detail
You must show unpaid first-year tuition (as on the CAS) plus living money for up to 9 months. Applications made up to 29 Nov 2026: GBP 1,171/month outside London (GBP 10,539) or GBP 1,529/month in London (GBP 13,761), which is still what the GOV.UK guide pages show.
Applications from 30 Nov 2026: GBP 1,203/month outside London (GBP 10,827) or GBP 1,570/month in London (GBP 14,130). This is set by the official Statement of Changes HC 584 (3 Sept 2026), which amends ST 12.3/12.4 with effect 30 Nov 2026.
Dependant amounts are not changed by HC 584: GBP 680/month outside London, GBP 845 London, for up to 9 months (GBP 6,120 / 7,605). They matter only on research courses where a dependant is allowed. There is no blocked account: the money must be held 28 consecutive days, with the 28-day period ending within 31 days of the application.
Accepted sources: your own account, your parents' account (with consent letter), your partner's account if your partner is applying at the same time or is in the UK, official financial sponsorship, or a student loan from a government, government-sponsored or regulated student-loan scheme. Other relatives are not listed.
Bangladesh is not on the differential-evidence list, so you must submit full financial documents.
- Budget note
Rates (Bangladesh Bank interbank, page dated 12 Nov 2026): USD 1 = BDT 124.75, GBP 1 = BDT 165.67, so GBP 1 = about USD 1.328. The cheapest tuition figure found is about GBP 15,000 (USD 19,900).
Student alone, year one: tuition about USD 24,000, plus visa GBP 558 and health surcharge GBP 1,164 (GBP 776/yr x 1.5 for a roughly 16-month visa), together GBP 1,722 (USD 2,290), plus living about USD 19,000. Total about USD 45,000.
Show-money for the student alone from 30 Nov 2026: GBP 10,827 (USD 14,380) outside London plus all unpaid tuition, typically USD 27,000+ held for 28 days. The couple figures in this record are hypothetical (research-based course only, outside London). Show-money: GBP 10,827 + 6,120 = GBP 16,947 = USD 22,500.
Fees: 2 x (558 + 1,164) = GBP 3,444 = USD 4,570. First year: tuition 24,000 + living 30,000 + fees 4,570 = about USD 58,600. Upfront: deposit about GBP 5,000 (USD 6,640) + fees 4,570 + flights about 1,800 + two months living about 5,000 = about USD 18,000. Parents' funds and regulated student loans are accepted for the visa.
Living and flight figures are estimates, not official.
- Realistic earnings
National Living Wage (21+) is GBP 12.71/hour, with GBP 13.21 cited from April 2027 (neither figure confirmed). Student at 20 h/week: about GBP 1,100/month gross (about USD 1,460) in term time, more in vacations. That is roughly one person's living costs outside London, with nothing toward tuition.
Spouse: zero, because there is no visa on a taught course. On a research course a spouse working full time at minimum wage would gross about GBP 2,060/month (37.5 h). The English-speaking job market is the easiest of any destination for casual work, but a sponsored graduate job at GBP 41,700+ is hard to land.
Applying
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- Visa
- Student visa (replaced Tier 4 General)
- Lands
- September 2027 (you alone) An estimate, not a promise.
September 2027 (you alone; your spouse cannot come with you on a taught master's). January 2027 is possible only in theory, if you already had an offer, CAS and 28-day-old funds in hand in the week of 14 Nov 2026.
- Next intakes
- January 2027Deadline: Varies by university. University of Lancashire (official page): apply by Mon 30 Nov 2026, deposit by Mon 7 Dec 2026. Sussex lists a January 2027 start for MSc Business Analytics (no separate January deadline shown).Still open: Technically open for about 2 weeks at some universities, but not realistic. You would need an offer, a CAS, funds already held 28 days, a TB certificate and a 3-week visa decision, and many universities are restricting Bangladeshi recruitment.
- May 2027 (few universities)Deadline: Not confirmed; typically Feb to Mar 2027Still open: Not confirmed
- September 2027 (main intake)Deadline: Sussex: 1 August 2027 for international applicants; popular courses close earlierStill open: Yes
- Typical length
- 12 months
- Where to apply from Bangladesh
Apply online on GOV.UK, then give biometrics at a VFS Global UK visa application centre inside Bangladesh (Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong; centre list not confirmed). No travel abroad is needed. A TB test is required: GOV.UK lists Bangladesh as a TB-test country with Home Office-approved clinics in Bangladesh.
It is needed for stays of 6 months or more, and the certificate is valid 6 months from the x-ray. UKVI credibility interviews and university pre-CAS interviews are common for Bangladeshi applicants (press reports).
Visa and passport risk
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- Risk for a Bangladesh passport
- High
- Why
British Council (Home Office data published 27 Aug 2026): Bangladeshi main-applicant sponsored-study visas issued were 952 in Q1 2026 (-53% year on year) and 514 in Q2 (-61%), with refusal rates of 28.3% and 26.5%. ICEF (27 May 2026): 26% refusal over Q4 2025 to Q1 2026.
TBS/FT (12 Oct 2026): withdrawn Bangladeshi study applications rose from 7.1% to 23.5% in H1 2026, as universities pull offers to stay under the new 5% visa-refusal ceiling (was 10%). That article quotes Sunderland, UEA and West of Scotland executives but names no university as having paused Bangladesh.
Lists of paused universities come only from agents and are not confirmed. Bangladesh is not on the differential-evidence (low-risk) list. No nationality-wide suspension of Bangladeshi student visas appears on the official pages.
- Visa processing time
Usually a decision within 3 weeks when applying from outside the UK (GOV.UK). The earliest you can apply is 6 months before the course starts. University pre-CAS checks and interviews for Bangladeshi applicants, and the 28-day funds rule, add several weeks before you can even apply.
- checked 14 Nov 2026 · source
- Hassle
- 9 out of 10 10 is the most hassle. This site's rating, not a checked fact.
After the degree and PR
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- Work after the degree
Graduate visa: 2 years only if applied for on or before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months for applications on or after 1 Jan 2027 (so 18 months for you); 3 years after a PhD. Fee GBP 937 plus health surcharge GBP 1,035 per year. It cannot be extended; you must switch (for example to Skilled Worker) to stay.
A partner can be included only if already a Student dependant, so your spouse cannot be included. All of this is stated on GOV.UK.
- no single source · see all sources
- PR route
Taught MSc (1 year), then Graduate visa (18 months, optional), then Skilled Worker visa with a licensed sponsor at GBP 41,700+ or the job's going rate if higher (a reduced GBP 33,400 floor exists in some cases; both figures are on GOV.UK), then settlement under 'earned settlement' (GOV.UK news 2 Nov 2026).
Settlement takes 10 years by default; 5 years if you earn more than GBP 50,271 or work in certain public-service roles (doctors, nurses, teachers); 3 years for the highest earners. Conditions apply at the point of application regardless of arrival date.
Requirements listed in the government response: character and suitability, no government debt, English, Life in the UK test, sustained contribution. Detailed rules and commencement dates are not confirmed. Your spouse can join as a Skilled Worker dependant once you hold that visa. Citizenship normally comes 12 months after settlement.
- Language for PR
English 'to a high standard', described by the Home Office as equivalent to A-level English as a foreign language (about B2), plus the Life in the UK test. Your IELTS 7.5 is well above the level, but what counts is an approved test (SELT) or an English-taught degree accepted by the Home Office.
Recent rule changes
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- 2025 and 2026
1) The dependant ban for taught master's (courses from 1 Jan 2024) is still in force in the Rules.
2) The Graduate visa is cut from 2 years to 18 months for applications from 1 Jan 2027.
3) HC 584 (3 Sept 2026): student maintenance rises to GBP 1,203/month outside London and GBP 1,570 London for applications from 30 Nov 2026; dependant amounts are unchanged (official statement).
4) The university visa-refusal ceiling is cut from 10% to 5% (press; effective date not confirmed), which is driving offer withdrawals for Bangladesh.
5) Skilled Worker threshold GBP 41,700 (start date not confirmed).
6) Earned settlement government response, 2 Nov 2026: default 10 years to settlement, 5 years above GBP 50,271, 3 years for the highest earners (GOV.UK news).
7) Fees: Student visa GBP 558, student health surcharge GBP 776/year, Graduate visa GBP 937 + GBP 1,035/year. Other 2026 statements of changes exist (HC 259 of 9 July, a March statement); their contents are not confirmed.
- Corrected in this check
- Spouse on the Graduate route: GOV.UK states a partner must already have been a Student dependant, so your spouse cannot newly join on the Graduate visa.
- Student-dependant work rights: Appendix Student ST 39.3 permits work, including self-employment (research courses only).
- 30 Nov 2026 maintenance rise: set by the official HC 584 text, which also shows dependant amounts (GBP 680/845) are not changed.
- TB test: GOV.UK lists Bangladesh; the test is required for stays of 6+ months and the certificate is valid 6 months.
- Settlement threshold: 'more than GBP 50,271', as worded on GOV.UK. The GBP 125,140 top-earner figure, GBP 12,571 minimum earnings, 'Student/Graduate time not counted' and 'rules from December 2026, in force 2027' are not confirmed.
- Bangladesh risk note: the TBS/FT article does not name Coventry, Portsmouth, Middlesex, Roehampton or Hertfordshire and gives no 1 June 2026 date for the 5% ceiling. Those are agent claims and are not confirmed.
- Currency: figures use Bangladesh Bank rates (GBP 1 = USD 1.328). Show-money for a couple USD 22,500; fees for a couple USD 4,570; first-year total USD 58,600; living USD 30,000.
- GOV.UK pages show no 'page updated 12/13 Nov 2026' date.
- British Council, ICEF, Lancashire and Sussex figures come from the pages themselves. Issued-visa counts for Q1 and Q2 2026 are 952 and 514.
- January 2027 is not realistic; the earliest arrival is September 2027.
Not verified
unverified- Any rule changes published after 2 Nov 2026
- Earned settlement detail: top-earner salary figure (GBP 125,140), minimum earnings (GBP 12,571), whether Student and Graduate years count, and the commencement date
- Effective date of the 5% university refusal ceiling (1 June 2026) and the Skilled Worker threshold date (22 July 2025)
- Which universities currently refuse Bangladeshi applicants: there is no official list, only agent lists
- VFS centre list (Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong)
- Whether a Skilled Worker dependant partner has full work rights
- National Living Wage figures (GBP 12.71, and GBP 13.21 from April 2027)
- Edinburgh fee GBP 36,540, Brighton GBP 5,000 deposit and Derby GBP 14,900 (Derby is an agent figure only)
- May 2027 intake availability and deadlines
- Contents of HC 259 (9 July 2026) and the March 2026 statement of changes
- Whether the dissertation period counts as term time for work-hour limits
- Living-cost and flight figures are estimates, not official; pr_years_min 11 assumes the 10-year default (about 6 only with salary above GBP 50,271)
- Citizenship timing under the 2026 reforms: GOV.UK still shows 12 months after ILR; 12 years total is an estimate
Confidence in this page: High.
Programmes
0 in the programme listSources
25 official pagesDependants only for PhD/research-based postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 Jan 2024; dependant funds GBP 680/845 per month; fee GBP 558
www.gov.uk/student-visa/family-membersAppendix Student: ST 26.1 work 20 h/week; ST 31.1 dependant course rule; ST 39.3 dependants may work incl. self-employment; ST 33.2 dependant funds
www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/appendix-studentMaintenance GBP 1,171/1,529 per month up to 9 months, 28-day/31-day rule, Bangladesh not on differential evidence list
www.gov.uk/student-visa/moneyHC 584: ST 12.3/12.4 amounts become GBP 1,570 and GBP 1,203 from 30 Nov 2026; no change to dependant amounts, dependants or Graduate route
www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-584-3-september-2026/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-584-3-september-2026-accessible2026 statements of changes: HC 584 (3 Sept), HC 259 (9 July), March statement
www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-rules-statement-of-changesVisa fee GBP 558, decision 3 weeks, apply up to 6 months ahead, Graduate visa 2 years / 18 months from 1 Jan 2027
www.gov.uk/student-visaGraduate visa length, GBP 937 fee, GBP 1,035/yr surcharge, cannot be extended
www.gov.uk/graduate-visaGraduate visa partner must already have been a Student dependant
www.gov.uk/graduate-visa/your-partner-and-childrenHealth surcharge GBP 776/year students and dependants; over 12 and up to 18 months = GBP 1,164
www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/how-much-payAcceptable fund sources (own, parents, partner, official sponsor), student loan rules
www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-evidence-for-student-and-child-student-route-applicantsBangladesh is a TB-test country with approved clinics
www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa/countries-where-you-need-a-tb-test-to-enter-the-ukTB test needed for stays of 6 months or more; certificate valid 6 months
www.gov.uk/tb-test-visaSkilled Worker minimum GBP 41,700 or going rate; reduced GBP 33,400
www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-jobEarned settlement: 3 / 5 (over GBP 50,271) / 10-year periods, A-level-equivalent English, applies regardless of arrival date
www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-unveils-new-rules-for-migrants-settling-in-the-ukEarned settlement government response added 2 Nov 2026; baseline 5 to 10 years; mandatory requirements; detailed rules still to come
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlementCitizenship: usually 12 months after ILR
www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen/if-you-have-indefinite-leave-to-remainBangladesh sponsored-study visas: Q1 2026 952 issued (-53%), refusal 28.3%; Q2 514 (-61%), refusal 26.5%
opportunities-insight.britishcouncil.org/short-articles/news/decline-uk-student-visas-issued-first-half-of-202626% Bangladeshi refusal rate Q4 2025-Q1 2026; 5% BCA refusal ceiling
monitor.icef.com/2026/05/uk-sponsored-study-visa-issuances-down-rejection-rates-up-and-more/Withdrawn Bangladeshi study applications 7.1% to 23.5% in H1 2026; threshold 10% to 5%
www.tbsnews.net/worldbiz/europe/uk-universities-restrict-recruitment-bangladesh-pakistan-and-nigeria-over-visa-rulesNews report of maintenance rise from 30 Nov 2026 (matches HC 584)
www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/education/uk-increases-student-visa-fund-requirements-30-nov-1587786January 2027 intake: apply by 30 Nov 2026, deposit by 7 Dec 2026
www.lancashire.ac.uk/study/international-jan-startsSussex MSc Business Analytics: GBP 25,700, starts Jan 2027 / Sept 2027, international deadline 1 Aug 2027, 1 year
www.sussex.ac.uk/study/masters/courses/business-analytics-mscUSD/BDT 124.75; GBP/BDT 165.67-165.71
www.bb.org.bd/en/index.php/econdata/exchangerateUK visa application centres in Bangladesh
visa.vfsglobal.com/bgd/en/gbr/attend-centreAgent list of universities restricting Bangladesh
www.graduatetrack.com/uk-university-restrictions-bangladesh/