Student Visa
The Student Visa is a type of visa that allows you to study in the UK for a course that is longer than six months. It replaced the Tier 4 (General) Student Visa on October 5, 2020. To apply for the Student Visa, you need to have a confirmed place on a course from a licensed student sponsor, enough money to support yourself and pay for your course, and a good level of English language proficiency.
The Student Visa is open to both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA nationals who want to study in the UK after January 1, 2021. You can apply for the visa up to six months before your course starts if you are outside the UK, or up to three months before if you are inside the UK.
The EU Settlement Scheme t allows EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members who lived in the UK by 31 December 2020 to continue to stay, work and access services in the UK. The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021 for most people, but some may have a later deadline or reasonable grounds for not applying by then. The scheme grants either settled or pre-settled status depending on how long the applicants have lived in the UK.
At present, it gives you the opportunity to stay in the UK after you graduate under the Graduate Visa route. This allows you to live, work and look for work in the UK for up to two years if you have completed an undergraduate or master's degree, or up to three years if you have completed a PhD.
If you are looking to apply for a UK Student Visa, you must fulfil the followig requirements:
- You must have received an unconditional offer of study from an institution approved to sponsor
- You must have received a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from your sponsoring institution
- You must score at least 70 points on the points-based system
- You meet with the relevant academic qualifications needed to take the course and have genuine intention to study in the UK
- You can financially support yourself in the UK (and any family members/dependents who will be joining you)
Though the points-based immigration system might seem daunting, it is actually relatively straightforward to meet the 70-point threshold. Ultimately, if you meet the main eligibility criteria, you will hit the 70-point threshold.
This is how the points work:
50 points: Receiving a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies
10 points: Meeting the financial requirements
10 points: Able to demonstrate your English language ability is at the level of B2 as set bye the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Eligible courses include:
- Full-time course which will lead to a qualification at below degree level (RQF level 3, 4 or 5). There must be at least 15 hours a week of organised daytime study
- Full-time course which will lead to a qualification at degree level or above (RQF level 6, 7 or 8)
- Full-time course at degree level or above (RQF level 6, 7 or 8) which is equivalent to a UK higher education course, and will be delivered as part of an overseas course
- Part-time course which will lead to a qualification that is above degree level (RQF level 7 or above)
- A recognised foundation programme for postgraduate doctors or dentists
- An English language course which is at the level of B2 as set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
You can also apply for this visa if you're taking up a full-time elected position as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer.
You may also need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if you're studying or researching sensitive topics at RQF level 7 or above.
Please note that the qualification levels are different in Scotland.
Once you have been offered a place on the eligible course, your education provider will send you a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.
This reference number must be entered on your visa application.
You must apply for your visa within 6 months of receiving your CAS.
You'll need to show you have enough money to support yourself - unless you've been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application.
How much money you need depends on where you will be studying.
The financial requirements for are as follows:
£1,334 per month for up to 9 months for courses based in London
£1,023 per month for up to 9 months for courses based outside London
£2,668 per month four the Doctorate Extension Scheme if based in London
£2,046 per month for courses outside London if based outside London
You will need to be able to prove that you have this money for 28 consecutive days, and the end-date of this period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for the visa.
When you do not need to prove you have money to support yourself
You do not need to prove the financial requirement if:
you've had a UK visa for 12 months prior to the date of your Student visa application - you must currently be in the UK
you're applying as a student union sabbatical officer
you're applying as a postgraduate doctor or dentist on a recognised foundation programme
If you're from a country listed under the 'differential evidence requirement'
You do not need to prove you have enough money to support yourself if you're a British national overseas or from one of the following countries or territories:
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Barbados
Belgium
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Chile
China
Croatia
Republic of Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
The Dominican Republic
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
United States of America
However, you might be asked to provide this evidence before you get a decision on your application.
If you do need to provide it, you'll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) after you've submitted your application.
Read the guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
If you want to study in the UK, you must be able to demonstrate a certain level of English language ability. Those studying below degree level need to prove a level of B1, whereas those studying at degree level or above must have a B2 level.
The most common way of demonstrating your English ability is to take a SELT English language test. The four approved SELT test providers are Trinity College London, ITELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert and Pearson Education Ltd.
You can take a test at test centres throughout the world. A list of approved test centres can be found here.
Exemptions from English language requirement
International students exempt from the English language requirement if:
You have already studied a course in English at either undergraduate or postgraduate level at an approved educational provider
You have already proved the required level of English in another visa application
You are applying to come to the UK for a study abroad programme as part of a university degree course in the USA
Also, those from majority English-speaking countries will not need to fulfil the English language requirements.
Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English
You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you're from one of the following countries or territories, or you've completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in one of them:
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
the Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
the British overseas territories
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
Malta
New Zealand
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
UK
USA
You also do not need to prove your knowledge of English if one of the following applies:
you're a national of Canada
you're applying to come to the UK for a study abroad programme as part of a university degree course in the USA
you proved your level of English in a previous visa application
As part of the Student Visa application process, you will need to submit certain information and documents. Without providing the necessary information and documentation, your application will not be successful.
Some of the required information and documents for the UK Student Visa are as follows:
- Current passport or another valid travel document (necessary)
- A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from your course provider (necessary)
- Proof that you have the necessary financial means, such as bank statements (if applicable)
- A valid Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate if course requires it
- Tuberculosis test results (if applicable)
- Written consent from your sponsor if they have agreed to financially support you for your course fees and living costs
If you are under 18, please refer to Child Student Visa section below.
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
You need a blank page in your passport for your visa if you need to give your biometric information (fingerprints and a photograph) at a visa application centre. You'll be told if you need to do this when you apply.
The Student Visa application is done online, and you can apply from both inside and outside the UK. Most applicants choose to complete their visa application from their home country.
The first step is to complete the application form online. Once you have completed it, you will need to pay the application fee.
The current UK Student Visa fees are as follows:
£363 for applications made outside the UK
£490 for application made inside the UK
£490 for Student Visa extensions (for details please refer to Visa Extension tab below)
the healthcare surcharge - calculate your immigration heathcare surcharge
If you complete your application outside the UK, you can expect to receive a decision within three weeks. Applications made inside the UK usually have a processing time of around eight weeks.
You may be able to extend your Student visa to stay longer and continue your course or study a new course. This includes if you currently have a Tier 4 (General) student visa.
To extend your visa you must:
- be in the UK on a Student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa
- have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed student sponsor - shown by your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
- show that your studies are at a higher academic level than your current course (called the 'academic progress requirement') - there are some exceptions
If you've been in the UK with a valid visa for less than 12 months, you'll need to prove you have enough money to support yourself in the UK.
Your partner or children will need to apply separately to extend their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
You can also switch to a Graduate visa to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing your course.
Showing academic progress
If you're currently studying in the UK, you'll usually need to show your studies will be at a higher academic level than your current course.
Your new course must be one of the following:
- at a higher academic level than your current course
- at the same level and related to your previous course or career aspirations - it must be degree level or above at a Higher Education Provider (HEP)
- intercalated to a medicine, dentistry or medical science course you started studying under your Student visa (including a Tier 4 (General) student visa)
You do not need to show your studies are at a higher level if you're doing one of the following:
- resitting exams or repeating modules
- applying for the first time to a new institution to complete a course you started at an institution that lost its student sponsorship licence
- applying after working as a student union sabbatical officer to complete a qualification you started studying under your last Student visa (including a Tier 4 (General) student visa)
- completing a PhD or other doctorate that you started studying under your last Student visa (including a Tier 4 (General) student visa)
- continuing your medical, dentistry or medical science degree after completing an intercalated course
- applying to extend your stay to complete your studies because you've done (or want to do) a work placement or study abroad programme
If you're applying to work in the UK
You can get a CAS if you're applying to work as a student union sabbatical officer.
When to apply
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts.
You must apply before your current visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring.
For example, if your visa expires on 1 December, you must apply for a new visa before 1 December. Your new course must begin by 29 December.
You must also apply within 6 months of getting a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
You can stay in the UK until you get your decision.
If you applied for an administrative review because your application was refused, you can stay in the UK until you get your review decision.
Fees
For each person, you'll need to pay:
£490 to extend this visa
the healthcare surcharge - calculate your immigration heathcare surcharge
You'll need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken - there's no fee for this.
Please click here to visit our Student Visa page