Visa Guidance for Students
It is important to ensure you have the correct visa which permits study in the UK. Your course length, type and place of study affect which visa to apply for. Here are visa types that allow you study in the UK:
· A Standard Visitor visa lets you do a short course of study that lasts no longer than 6 months.
· A Short-term Study visa lets you come to the UK to study an English language course that is over 6 months and up to 11 months.
· A Student visa is usually for a longer course. You must be sponsored by a licensed college or university and have a confirmed place. You may be able to do some work on this visa.
· A Child Student visa is for 4 to 17 year olds who want to study at an independent school. If you’re 16 or over, you can do some work on this visa.
Standard visitor visa
You can visit the UK as a standard visitor for tourism, and study a course at the same time for up to 6 months at an accredited institution (this includes English language courses).
You must apply for a Standard Visitor visa online before you travel to the UK and attend an appointment at a visa application centre. A Standard Visitor visa costs £95 for up to 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
You must prove that:
· You’ve been accepted onto a course provided by an accredited UK institution.
· The course is no more than 6 months long (unless it’s a distance learning course).
Please note: you should always refer to the most recent Home Office rules and guidance before making a Student Visa application.
If you visit the UK regularly, you can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead. This visa lasts 2, 5 or 10 years. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.
You can travel to the UK up to 1 week before if your course lasts 6 months or less.
If you want to study for more than 6 months, you’ll need to apply for either a:
· Short-term Study visa - for English Language courses up to 11 months.
· Student visa - for courses run by licensed student sponsors.
· Child Student visa - to study at an independent school if you’re between 4 and 17 years old.
Short-term Study visa
You can apply for a Short-term study visa to study English language in the UK. This visa is for English language courses lasting longer than 6 months and up to 11 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel to the UK. A Short-term study visa costs £186.
You can stay in the UK for the length of your course plus an extra 30 days as long as your stay is no longer than 11 months.
Your English language course must be with an ‘accredited institution’. An accredited institution must either have a student sponsor licence or have a valid accreditation.
As part of your online application, you’ll need to book an appointment at a visa application centre to provide your documents and prove your identity. Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
When you apply for a short-term study visa, you must provide:
· A letter of acceptance from the educational institution stating the course name, duration, and cost (including accommodation).
· a current passport (with a blank page for your visa) or other valid travel document
· evidence that you can support yourself during your trip, for example bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months
· details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans - you should not pay for accommodation or travel until you get your visa
· evidence that you’ve paid your course fees or have enough money to pay them
· contact details for at least one parent or guardian in your home country, if you’re under 18 years old
· a certified translation if any documents are not in English.
Please note: you should always refer to the most recent Home Office rules and guidance before making a Student Visa application.
Getting a decision
After you apply, you’ll get a letter or an email with the result of your application. It will explain what you need to do next. If your application is successful, you’ll be given a sticker (called a vignette) that goes in your passport - if you gave your biometric information at a visa application centre. If you notice an error in your vignette, you should contact your visa application centre immediately to correct it before you come to the UK.
Student visa (This visa has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa)
You can apply for a Student visa if you’re 16 or over and want to study on a further or higher education course in the UK.
The following guidance is provided to help you prepare your student visa application from outside the UK (entry clearance). Check what you need to do to apply for a Student visa and what to do when you arrive in the UK:
CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies):
Your student visa application must be supported with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). A CAS is a unique reference number that you must have before making a Student Visa application. Once you have received an unconditional offer of a place on a course, your education provider will send you your CAS reference number. You must write the CAS number in the appropriate field on the Student Visa application form. You must apply for your visa within 6 months of receiving your CAS.
The 'Your CAS Explained document' outlines the information that is included in the CAS Statement. When you receive your CAS, check it against this document. You should make sure that all of the details in your CAS Statement are correct and if there are any errors, you should let the office who issued your CAS know as soon as possible. These will need to be corrected prior to you making your visa application.
In order to apply for your CAS number, you will need to provide certain information, including:
1. Details of any student visas you have held to study in the United Kingdom.
2. Evidence that you have enough money to support yourself whilst studying in the UK:
If you are sponsored by an official financial sponsor, you will need an official sponsor letter as evidence.
If you are supporting yourself, you will need to show that the required maintenance amount and any outstanding tuition fee amounts have been held in your bank account for 28 consecutive days.
You can find information on how much money you need to show to meet the Home Office’s requirements and how to demonstrate this in the Home Office’s Student Visa Policy Guidance.
Your CAS is valid for six months from the date it was assigned by the universities you applied for. You cannot make a Student Visa application with a CAS number that has already expired or with a CAS number that has already been used in an application.
A CAS can only be used for one visa application. If your visa application is refused, you must request a new CAS. This will only be issued upon receipt of your full refusal letter and if the education provider is satisfied you will be able to meet the requirements for a new visa application.
When to apply for your visa:
You must apply for your student visa before you travel to the UK and start your studies. You can only submit and pay for your application once you have been issued your CAS.
You must ensure you make your application on time so that you will receive a decision in time to arrive for the start date of your course.
You must apply for your visa within 6 months of receiving your CAS. The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course. You will usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks but the timeframe can vary depending on when and where you make your application.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
How to apply for your visa:
To apply for a Student Visa, you will need to complete an online application which includes paying the relevant fee. The cost of a standard student visa application is currently £348. Priority and super priority services may be available at a higher cost.
As part of the online application, you should upload any supporting documents and give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a visa application centre. The application provides instructions on how to do this.
In most countries your appointment will be at a UK Visa Application Centre and you will submit your passport when you attend.
You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks, but you may be able to pay to get a faster decision- you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
It is possible to be asked to have a ‘credibility interview’. If requested, the questions will focus on your chosen course of study, how you will pay for your course, your previous immigration history and reasons for studying in the UK. The interview will be conducted in English and may be via video link or in person.
Please note: you should always refer to the most recent Home Office rules and guidance before making a Student Visa application.
Getting a decision
You’ll get a letter or an email with the result of your application. It will explain what you need to do next.
If your application is successful and you have been granted a student visa for 6 months or more, you will be issued with an entry vignette in your passport which will enable you to travel to the UK. You must arrive in the UK on or after the start date of the entry vignette to enter on your student visa.
If you notice an error in your vignette, you should contact your visa application centre immediately to correct it before you come to the UK.
If you notice the error after you’ve arrived in the UK, you must report it to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) within 3 months of arriving or you’ll need to make a new application.
Child student visa
You can apply for a Child Student visa if you’re between 4 and 17 years old and you want to study at an independent school in the UK.
You must:
· have an unconditional offer of a place on a course at an independent school
· be able to show you’ll have access to enough money to support you in the UK and pay for your course
· have the consent of your parent or guardian to study in the UK - you’ll need to prove this when you apply
The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course. You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You can arrive up to 1 month before your course starts, but no earlier than the start date given on your visa. The cost of a child Student visa is £348.
CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies):
You must have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed Child Student sponsor. To prove this, your education provider will send you a reference number (called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)) once they’ve offered you a place on the course. You’ll need to enter this reference number on your visa application. You must apply for your visa within 6 months of receiving your CAS.
How to apply for your visa:
You must apply online for a Child Student visa. As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre. You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You’ll get a letter or an email with the result of your application. It will explain what you need to do next. If your application is successful, you will be given a sticker (called a vignette) that goes in your passport - if you gave your biometric information at a visa application centre. If you notice an error in your vignette, you should contact your visa application centre immediately to correct it before you come to the UK.
Please note: you should always refer to the most recent Home Office rules and guidance before making a Student Visa application.
When you can travel to the UK:
You can arrive before your course starts. This can be either:
· up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or less
· up to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months
You must not travel to the UK before the start date given on your visa, no matter when your course starts.
