What international students need to know about the UK May Elections 2026
March 19, 2026
Can I vote at the May elections?
You may have heard that there are going to be elections in many parts of the UK on 7 May 2026. Some international students are entitled to register to vote, so here is some key information for you.
What elections are happening in Scotland?
There will be elections for all the Members of the Scottish Parliament on 7 May 2026. Most international students living in Scotland are allowed to register to vote in these elections. If you want to register to vote, you can start that process online on the UK Government website. Start the process now, because if you do not have a National Insurance number, they will need time to ask you for some extra documents.
What elections are happening in Wales?
There will be elections for all members of the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) in Wales on 7 May 2026. Most international students living in Wales are allowed to register to vote in these elections. If you want to register to vote, you can start that process online on the UK Government website. Start the process now, because if you do not have a National Insurance number, they will need time to ask you for some extra documents.
What elections are happening in England?
There will be local government elections in many parts of England on 7 May 2026. Only the following groups of people are allowed to register to vote in these elections:
- British citizens
- Irish citizens
- Commonwealth citizens, who have valid immigration permission for the UK or who do not need it, who are resident in the UK. This includes citizens of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British Overseas Territory
- former residents of Hong Kong who hold British National (Overseas) passports, British Dependent Territories citizen passports, or British Overseas citizen passports
- a limited number of European Union citizens – see the Electoral Commission’s website for more detail about who is included
If you want to register to vote, you can start that process online on the UK Government website. Start the process now, because if you do not have a National Insurance number, they will need time to ask you for some extra documents.
Do I have to have a National Insurance number to register to vote?
You do not have to have a National Insurance number to register to vote. If you don’t have a National Insurance number, you can answer the registration questions in the following way:
Question: 'What is your National Insurance number?'
Answer: 'I can't provide a National Insurance number'
Question: 'Why can't you provide a National Insurance number?'
Answer by providing an explanation, for example, 'I have come to the UK to study and do not have a National Insurance number'
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