The law says:
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Can my dependants join me in the UK?
(GENERAL) STUDENT
From 3 March 2010, if you will be studying in the UK for six months or less you cannot bring your partners and / or children (also known as dependants) to the United Kingdom with you.
If you will be studying in the UK for longer than six months you can bring your partners and / or children with you.
Your husband, wife, civil partner or eligible partner and children under 18 can join you as your dependants in the UK if:
*you are studying in the UK for more than six months
*they have a visa for this purpose and
*you can support them without any help from public funds. If your primary site of study is in the Inner London Boroughs (see above), you will need £533 for each dependant accompanying you or joining you later in the UK, for each month they intend to be in the UK, up to a maximum of 9 months. You will need £400 for each month of stay for each of your dependants, if your primary site of study is outside the Inner London Boroughs. Different levels of maintenance apply if your family member is making an application to extend their stay (see Tier 4 Guidance).
If the Tier 4 (General) Student has official financial sponsorship (see above) this may also include the costs of the family member(s). You will need to provide a letter from the sponsoring organisation confirming this (See our Adult students - Applying section for details of what this letter must contain).
Your dependants will not be entering under the points-based system. They are entering as the dependant of a points-based system Migrant.
Can my dependants work in the UK?
From 3 March 2010, for family members of Tier 4 (General) Students only – if your grant of leave is for a course of study below degree level, that is not a foundation degree course, your family member will not be allowed to work whilst in the United Kingdom.
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Full details can be seen on
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply ... t#21818477