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Bringing your family

Key information on UK schools and nursery care.

Please check the immigration requirements to see if you are eligible to bring dependants with you, with either of these organisations:

If you need further advice, please contact the International Student Support Service.

Accommodation

NTU does not have any family accommodation on campus. If you plan to bring family members with you, you'll have to find suitable accommodation for them. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to achieve this. Demand for rented family accommodation in Nottingham is high. The market is very competitive. It can be very challenging for students to find family accommodation. Find further advice about accommodation for families and couples.

Schools

Your children can go to a state school if they are aged between 5 and 16.

State education is free in the UK.

You should secure your accommodation in Nottingham before searching for schools or childcare. State school places in the UK are allocated on the basis of the area where you are living. It's more convenient to choose childcare provision located close to you.

Children under five years old

If your child is three or four years old, they are entitled to a free part-time nursery education place. They attend nursery before they are old enough to start primary school. These places are usually available from the school term following their third birthday. Terms typically begin in September, January or April.

There are private nurseries close to both our City and Clifton campuses if your child:

  • is under three, or
  • needs to be looked after on a full-time basis while you are studying.

Private nurseries charge fees.

Alternatively, you can choose to have your child looked after by a childminder in a private home. All childminders must be registered with the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) if:

  • they look after children under the age of eight, and
  • do so for more than two hours a day.

Find comprehensive advice and information on childcare provision in Nottingham on AskLiON. This includes an online directory of nurseries and childcare providers close to you. You can also:

  • call the Families Information Service on 0800 458 4114
  • find out more about living in the UK.

You might be living in Nottinghamshire County rather than the city of Nottingham. If so, find out about choosing childcare from the Nottinghamshire County Council website.

Children aged between 5 and 16

If your children come with you to the UK, they'll be able to attend a state school if they're between the ages of 5 and 16. Children who reach the age of 4 between 1 April and 31 August usually start school the following September.

To get advice and information about applying for a school place for your children, you can:

It can take four to six weeks to process an application for a school place. You may have to arrange alternative childcare while you wait for a decision. Please be aware that school places may not be available in your nearest or preferred school. Check which schools have places available before you sign an accommodation contract. You can get this information from the relevant council.

Find out about applying to schools in Nottingham city.

Find out about applying to schools in Nottinghamshire county. This includes Beeston and West Bridgford.

Healthcare

Permanent residents of the UK have healthcare on the National Health Service (NHS). Dependants of international students are also entitled to this if:

Working

Your dependants will be able to work if you are either:

  • a government-sponsored student taking a course that is longer than six months, or
  • taking a postgraduate course of nine months or longer.

Visit the UKCISA website for more information on:

  • work entitlements, and
  • the types of work they can do.

More support

Planning to bring your family to the UK? Email our International Student Support team for advice.

  • Last updated: 10/04/2024