Student visa
The student visa allows you to enter or stay in the United Kingdom to study on a further or higher education course. You will be allowed to stay for the duration of your course and may be eligible to switch to another visa afterwards. It's one of the most popular visas with over 500,000 applications granted in 2023.
What you can do
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Study and complete your course
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Stay for the duration of your course (typically 2-5 years)
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Undertake a limited amount of paid work (typically 20 hours per week during term time & no restrictions during vacations)
What you can't do
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Bring dependants (unless you're studying a research-based degree).
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Stay in the UK if your educational sponsor withdraws your CAS.
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Undertake work on a self-employed basis
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Claim public funds
Requirements
Valid Passport
Purpose of travel
Finances
You must have a passport which is valid for at least 6 months at the time you apply.
You must be able to show that you are a genuine student intending to study your chosen course in the UK. A part of this is established by obtaining a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your student sponsor.
You must be able to provide evidence that you can pay your course fees.
You must be able to provide evidence that you can meet the maintenance requirement. This varies depending on the length of your course and the location of the university or college. As of Spring 2024, students must have £1,334 per month (up to 9 months) for living costs in London and £1,023 per month (up to 9 months) for living costs outside of London.
Students must also pay a healthcare surcharge as part of their visa application, which entitles them to access the NHS during their stay in the UK.
English Language
You must demonstrate English language on the CEFR scale in all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) to at least level B1 for pre-sessional or below-degree level courses and at least B2 for UK degree courses and above.
If you are applying for a student visa from outside the UK, you must take a SELT from one of these approved test providers:
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Pearson
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PSI Services (UK) Ltd
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IELTS SELT Consortium
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LanguageCert
Term & Fees
Applications from outside the UK:
Applications from inside the UK:
£490
£490
£776 per year
Your course fees will be determined by your sponsoring institution, all of which publish their yearly fees on their websites. The maintenance fees will change depending on if you are studying in or outside of London.
If applying from outside the UK, the earliest you can submit your visa application is 6 months before your course start date. This is 3 months for those applying from inside the UK.
Processing
Current processing times for student visa applications are approximately 3 weeks for applications made outside of the UK and approximately 8 weeks for applications made inside the UK.
Depending on your eligibility and which country you apply from, you may be able to pay for an enhanced service. The 'priority service' should provide you with a decision within 5 working days from the date of your biometrics appointment. The 'super priority service' is even faster, providing a decision within 1 working day.
Outcome
If your application for a student visa is successful, you will receive a visa vignette inside your passport. This will confirm the length and conditions of your entry clearance. You must then collect your Biometric Residence Permit once you enter the UK.
If your application for a student visa is refused, you will receive a refusal letter outlining the reasons. There is no right of appeal but you may wish to consider an administrative review if you believe an error has been made. Your CAS cannot be reused if you decide to apply again; you must request a new CAS before applying.
Next Step
Once you have successfully completed your course, you will be able to remain in the UK for the remaining validity period of your visa. If you want to remain beyond this, you may wish to switch to a graduate visa which will enable you to look for work for up to two or three years. If you have a job offer from an employer who has a sponsor licence, you may wish to apply for a skilled worker visa instead.
