The Student Visa category is open to individuals who are 16 years of age or older and who intend to pursue a higher or further education course in the United Kingdom.

If you are between the ages of 4 and 17 and are interested in attending an independent school in the United Kingdom, you should instead apply for a Child Student Visa.

Criteria for Obtaining a Student Visa in the United Kingdom

To be eligible for a UK student visa, you must prove to UK Visas and Immigration that:

• You are 16 years of age or older.
• An unconditional offer of enrolment in an approved course has been extended to you by a licenced student sponsor.
• You possess the ability to read, write, speak, and comprehend English to a minimum of CEFR Level B2 (if you are pursuing a degree or higher) or CEFR Level B1 (if you are pursuing a degree or lower).
• You have sufficient funds to cover the cost of your education and sustain yourself without the need for public assistance.
• If you are 16 or 17 years old, you have the consent of your parent(s) or legal guardian.

Dependent upon your circumstances, the precise requirements that must be met will differ. An immigration solicitor may be beneficial in providing you with expert guidance.

Course Requirements for a Student Visa to the United Kingdom

Student Visa applicants can apply for a visa to study the following courses:

• A full-time course that leads to a qualification below degree level (RQF level 3, 4 or 5) with at least 15 hours per week of organised daytime study;
• A full-time course that leads to a qualification that is at degree level or above (RQF level 6, 7 or 8);
• A full-time course that is at degree level or above (RQF level 6,7 or 8), that is equivalent to a UK higher education course and is being delivered as part of a longer course overseas;
• A part-time course leading to a qualification that is above degree level (RQF level 7 or above);
• A recognised foundation programme for postgraduate doctors or dentists (if you have finished a recognised UK degree in medicine or dentistry, received that degree from a registered student sponsor and spent your final year and at least one other year of studies leading to that degree in the UK);
• An English language course at level B2 or above in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Who is eligible to apply for a Student Visa?

You may also submit an application for a student visa if you are:

• Applying to extend your stay under the Doctorate Extension Scheme (as long as you are presently in the United Kingdom on a student visa or a Tier 4 (General) Student visa and your course is leading to a PhD).
• Accepting a full-time elected position as a Sabbatical Officer for the Student Union.

Requirements for the Place of Study for a Student Visa in the United Kingdom

All course-related study must be conducted on the premises of your student sponsor or a partner institution, unless you are participating in a pre-sessional course, a study abroad programme overseas, or a course-related work placement.

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

Following the offer of an unconditional place on a course of study, your education provider will provide you with a CAS reference number. Upon obtaining your CAS, you are required to submit an application for a student visa within six months.

Additionally, the education institution must not have withdrawn its offer, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must not have been utilised in a previous application that was either granted or denied.

In addition, the CAS must include specific information regarding the course of study, the level of study, the location of the study, the expense of accommodation and fees (including any payments that have been made), and the manner in which the English language requirement has been satisfied.

Financial Requirements for a Student Visa to the United Kingdom

You will be required to demonstrate to UK Visas and Immigration that you possess sufficient cash funds to cover your course fees and provide for your own expenses while in the United Kingdom.

Course Fees

You will be required to have an adequate amount of currency on hand to cover any outstanding course fees for the duration of one academic year (up to nine months), unless you are a member of one of the special categories listed below.

If the duration of your course comprises a portion of a month, the time period will be rounded up to the nearest full month.

If you have paid all or a portion of your course fees to your student sponsor, this can be deducted from the funds necessary. This is contingent upon the confirmation of the payment on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies or the provision of a receipt issued by your student sponsor specifying the amount of fees paid.

If you have submitted a deposit to your student sponsor for housing, this deposit may be offset against the necessary funds, with a maximum of £1,265.

Living Costs

Unless you are a member of one of the special categories listed below, you will be required to have an adequate amount of currency to cover your living expenses in the United Kingdom.

For each month of your course, up to a maximum of nine months, you will require £1,265 (or £1,334 starting on 1/12/2020) if you will be studying in inner London. Up to a maximum of nine months, you will require £1,015 (or £1,023 from 1/12/2020) for each month of your course if you are studying elsewhere in the UK.

In order to be eligible for the Doctorate Extension Scheme, you must demonstrate that you have a total of £2,530 for a course in London or £2,030 for a course outside of London.

In either scenario, the funds must have been held for a minimum of 28 consecutive days, with the last day not exceeding 31 days prior to the date of your Student Visa application.

If you have dependents who are also applying, you may need to provide additional funds.

Special categories

The financial requirement for a Student Visa will be automatically considered satisfied by the following categories of applicants:

• The applicant must have been in the United Kingdom with legitimate leave for a minimum of 12 months prior to the date of the student visa application.
• Applicants who are submitting applications for the position of Student Union Sabbatical Officer.
• Postgraduate doctors and dentists who are applying to a recognised foundation programme.
• The "differential evidence requirement" applies to applicants who are British nationals (Overseas) or from one of a list of specified countries or territories. Despite this, these applicants must still possess the necessary amount of funds, as UKVI reserves the right to request evidence of funds from them.

English Language Requirement for a Student Visa in the United Kingdom

You must possess the ability to read, write, speak, and comprehend English at a minimum of CEFR Level B2 (if you are pursuing a degree or higher) or CEFR Level B1 (if you are pursuing a degree or lower).

Typically, it is necessary to successfully complete a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. Nevertheless, individuals who have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree taught in English in one of these countries are not obligated to demonstrate their English language proficiency, nor are nationals of certain predominant English-speaking country.

If you are a Canadian national, applying to study abroad in the UK as part of a university degree programme in the United States, or have previously demonstrated your proficiency in English in a visa application, you will not be required to provide evidence of your English proficiency.

Rule of the Genuine Student

The majority of student visa applicants undergo an interview with UK Visas and Immigration prior to being granted permission to enter the country.

You can anticipate inquiries regarding your immigration history, educational background, course, desired location, reasons for studying in the UK, post-graduate plans, and personal and financial circumstances.

Your application for a Student Visa may be denied if the Entry Clearance Officer is not convinced that you are a genuine student.

Switching into the Student route

If you currently have valid leave to remain in the UK, you may apply to transition to the Student route, provided that you do not have, or were not previously granted, permission to remain as a Visitor, Short-term Student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household, or outside the Immigration Rules (unless leave outside the rules was granted intentionally for the purpose of locating a new student sponsor). It is also necessary that you are not currently on immigration bond.

Apply for a student visa in the United Kingdom.

If you are submitting a Student Visa application from outside the United Kingdom, the deadline for submitting your application is six months prior to the commencement of your course.

If you are submitting an application from within the United Kingdom, the earliest date at which you can register for a student visa is three months prior to the commencement of your course.

Your course must commence no later than 28 days following the expiration of your previous leave.

Processing Times for Student Visas

If you are applying for a UK student visa from outside the UK, you should expect to receive a decision on your application within three weeks.

If you submit an application for permission to remain as a student from within the United Kingdom, you should anticipate receiving a decision within eight weeks.

Travel to the United Kingdom on a Student Visa

If your Student Visa application is approved, you will be permitted to travel to the United Kingdom up to one week prior to the commencement of your course if it is scheduled to last six months or less, and up to one month prior to the commencement of your course if it is scheduled to last more than six months.

The duration of a student visa in the United Kingdom is as follows:

Typically, students who are 18 years of age or older and enrolled in a degree-level course will be permitted to remain in the United Kingdom for a maximum of five years.

In general, you will be permitted to remain in the United Kingdom on the Student route for a maximum of two years if your course is below the level of a degree.

Exceptions to the aforementioned norm exist, including architecture, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and science, law, and certain music courses.

This calculation is based on the entire duration of your leave, rather than the duration of the course or the time you spent studying. In addition, any period of permission on the Student route that is extended under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 will be included in the period of permission granted.

The cap applies regardless of whether the student visa application is submitted within or outside the United Kingdom, and the time limit can be used to pursue a single course or multiple courses as a student migrant.

Employed on a Student Visa

When you are enrolled in a full-time course of study at the degree level or higher, you are eligible to work 20 hours per week during term time and full-time outside of term time.

If you are a student enrolled in a full-time course of study below the degree level, you are permitted to work for a maximum of 10 hours per week during term-time and full-time outdoors of term-time.

Working is prohibited for all students, including those who are part-time.

Dependent Family Members of Students

Courses that commence prior to January 1, 2024

The following students are eligible to bring a dependent companion and/or dependent child to the United Kingdom:

• A full-time student on a postgraduate level course (RQF level 7 or above) that lasts 9 months or longer;
• A new government-sponsored student on a course that lasts longer than 6 months;
• A Doctorate Extension Scheme student.

For courses in London, partners and children must each have £845 per month (for a maximum of 9 months) of available funds, or £680 per month (for a maximum of 9 months) for courses outside of London.

In either scenario, the funds must be retained for a minimum of 28 consecutive days, with the end date not exceeding 31 days prior to the dependent visa application date.

No maintenance funds are required for partners and children who have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or who are from a country specified under the "differential evidence requirement" where the main applicant is applying at the same time.

Courses commencing on or after January 1, 2024

The UK no longer allows international students to bring dependents with them if their course commences on or after January 1, 2024.

International students who are pursuing a PhD, other doctoral qualification, or a research-based higher degree (as defined in the Immigration Rules) are able to bring their dependents to the UK even after January 1, 2024. This exception is granted.

The remain of student dependents who are currently in the United Kingdom may be extended.

Extension of Stay as a Student

The student route may allow you to extend your stay in the UK if you are currently in the country with leave as a student or Tier 4 (General) Student. Your dependents may be eligible to extend at the same time.

You must possess an unconditional offer of enrolment in a course from a licenced student sponsor and, with the exception of a few exceptions, demonstrate that the studies you intend to pursue are at a higher academic level than your current course.

You will also be required to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to sustain yourself in the UK if you have been in the country with a valid visa for less than 12 months.

Immigration to the United Kingdom as a student

The route to settlement is not the student route. Nevertheless, student visa holders may be eligible to extend their stay through alternative immigration pathways, which may result in settlement rights.

Transitioning from a Student Visa to Work Routes

Students enrolled in degree-level courses or higher may submit an application to transition to a sponsored work route prior to the completion of their course, provided that their employment commences on or after the completion of their course.

After 24 months of study, individuals who are pursuing a PhD are permitted to transition to a work-related path.