Living costs for dependants
The costs quoted on the undergraduate living costs and graduate living costs pages are for single students. If you are planning to bring family members or other dependants to Oxford, you will need to budget for additional costs. Please be aware that family members can only apply for visas as your dependants if your course is of at least 12 months duration and at postgraduate level, or you are a government-sponsored student and your course is of at least 6 months duration. Our Visas for your family page has further information.
If you require a visa, you will need to show that you have a certain amount of funds to support your dependants - in addition to £800 per month for Tier 4 visa applicants, you will need £450 per month for your partner and each child (amounts as of May 2012). Please see our Visas for your family page and the UK Border Agency's guidance document for further details. Please be aware that these amounts are the minimum that you will need to enter the country and are unlikely to cover all your costs.
You may find the following checklist helpful in planning your funds: Checklist of costs for graduate students with dependants 2013-14 
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When considering your budget, please take into account the following information:
- Accommodation and utilities – There is some university accommodation available for couples and families. The Daily Info website's rental listings give some idea of what you can expect to pay in the private sector. Please check whether any utility bills are included in your rent, and consider how the size of your property and the number of people living there will affect your bills.
- Council tax - a student living with non-students, whether they are family members or not, may need to pay council tax. Direct.gov provides some general information on this, and Oxford City Council gives further information specifically for Oxford residents.
- Food – self-catering for a family can reduce the cost of food per person. Comparing food prices at some major supermarkets may help you plan.
- Childcare (up to 4) - childcare in Oxford is expensive and there is extremely high demand for a place at one of the University's subsidised nurseries. Expect to wait at least a year for a place and pay (with subsidy) between £650-£800 per month per child. This includes food and nappies whilst your child is at nursery. For more information and application forms, see Childcare Services for Students. Private nursery places are likely to be around £900-£1100 per month per child. Some UK government and limited University support is available for (mainly British) student parents. From the term after they are 3 until they go to school, children are eligible for free early learning that pays for the equivalent of 15 hours per week of childcare. This is offered to all children, regardless of nationality. The Oxfordshire Family Information Service will help you learn about other forms of childcare available in Oxford.
- Education (for children 4 and over) - once children are of school age (the term after they turn 4 in Oxfordshire), they can attend a state school at no cost.
- Health – Free healthcare is available on the National Health Service, but there will be charges for prescriptions and treatment from dentists and opticians.
- Other living costs – please consider expenditure you may incur on other items such as clothes, books and entertainment.
In working out the income that will be available to you, please consider the following:
- If your partner is planning to work to help fund themselves whilst you study, please ensure that they have the right to do so (i.e. that their UK visa permits it). Unless your partner has made arrangements in advance, it may take them some time to find a job in Oxford, and you will need to budget for this period. The local Daily Info website advertises a number of short-term, part-time and casual jobs, as does Gumtree.
- If you are unfamiliar with tax arrangements in the UK, please check the information provided by HM Revenue and Customs.