Student visas

Most non-UK students coming to study in the UK will need a Student visa. This includes EEA and Swiss students. Your Student visa will allow you to stay in the UK for the whole of your course and comes with both privileges and restrictions.

Have a question about visas? Get in touch with International Student Advice.

Students using laptop

Here's what you need to do

Attend or watch a webinar.
Prepare your supporting documents: the Money page describes the financial requirements and how to evidence this as part of your visa application. Our CAS page explains how you evidence your unconditional offer.
Read our document list as a final checklist to make sure you have everything you need.

The process thereafter differs slightly if you are applying from outside the UK or applying to extend your visa from inside the UK. Note that you cannot apply from inside the UK if you are currently on a Visitor visa.

Key Facts

Eligibility	To come to the UK and study on a Student visa, you will need to show that: - You have an unconditional offer for a course in the UK at a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) registered sponsor (for example a CAS number from the University of Exeter) - You are qualified to undertake that course - You can fund your studies in the UK without working
Cost	Application fee: £524 (rising to £558 from 08/Apr/26) You may be charged additional fees if you are required to attend a biometric appointment as part of your application. Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £776 per person, per year of your visa. You will be charged £388 for part of a year under 6 months and £776 for part of a year over 6 months. If you are coming to the UK to study for less than 6 months, you are not required to pay the IHS. See eligibility to access medical treatment in the UK on our healthcare page for more information. There are limited circumstance where you will be eligible for a refund, please read the IHS webpage for details.
Duration	The length of your visa depends on the length and level of your course. Programmes that are 12 months or more: +4 months (PhD students extending their visa for less than 12 months should still get a 4 months post study period) Programmes between 6 and less than 12 months: +2 months Pre-sessional programmes less than 6 months: +1 month All other programmes less than 6 months: +7 days
Work	Full-time students: work up to 20 hours per week during term-time* Part-time students: work is prohibited *Note that students at the International Study Centre may have different work restrictions
Study	Your visa is linked to a specific course and institution – you will likely need a new visa if you wish to change
Processing times	Applying for a visa from outside the UK (Entry Clearance): if you pay for the standard service, you will usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. Check current visa processing times. Applying for a visa from inside the UK: if you pay for the standard service, you will usually get a decision within 8 weeks. There may be priority services if you require a decision sooner than this. However, processing times for standard and priority services cannot be guaranteed. Please contact us for further advice.
Visa conditions	To read through the visa restrictions associated with a Student visa please see our Visa Conditions page.

Applying for a student visa

Student visa conditions

If you plan to submit your visa application from inside the UK, we provide a free Student Visa Extension Service where we check your application form and supporting documents then help you submit your application to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

Document list

This list will help you to make sure that you have everything you need to successfully apply for your Student visa. It is extremely important that you provide the correct documents as described in each of the sections otherwise your application may be refused.

If any of the information you supply to UK Visas & Immigration is found to be fraudulent your visa will be rejected and you could be banned from entering the UK for 10 years.

Application form

Complete your visa application form using our Application Form Guides. Make sure to choose the correct guide and form for applying Inside or Outside the UK.

Once you submit and pay for your online application, you should download and save the following as PDFs for your records:

your application form
UKVI document checklist

Passport(s) and visas

You must provide a current valid passport.

If you have a current or previous UK visa issued on a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card, you must include it with your application.

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

Your CAS statement lists your CAS number and other important information which you will need to include on your application form. Full details available here.

Evidence of money

Our Money section details the financial requirements for a Student visa application. You will need to prepare documents that meet the rules listed there. If you qualify for differentiation arrangements, you will not need to submit these documents with your initial application but they may be requested by UK Visas and Immigration while your application is being processed. Note that if you are using a parent's bank statement, you will need additional documents as explained on the Money page.

If you are making a Student visa extension application in the UK and you have been living in the UK for at least 12 months, you may not be required to prepare finances for your visa application, please check the Money section.

Sponsors permission letter

If you have completed a course in the UK within the 12 months preceding your Student visa application AND you had official financial sponsorship from a government or international scholarship agency covering both course fees and living costs, you are required to provide a letter from your sponsor giving you permission to a further application for permission to study in the UK.

Translations

If any of your documents are not in English you will need to provide a fully certified translation by a professional translator or translation company.

Any translations you submit with your application must include the following:

Confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document
The date of the translation
The full name and signature of the translator or an official from the translation company
The contact details of the translator / translation company

ATAS

People who want to study at advanced levels within certain subject areas must obtain clearance certificates under the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) before they make any immigration application to study, or extend their study period, in the UK. If your offer letter states that you require ATAS, or you are extending your visa on a programme that required ATAS when you started, you will need to apply for it. You must apply for ATAS clearance at at least 4-6 weeks before you need to apply for your visa. Make sure to familiarise yourself with our in-depth ATAS information to prepare.

TB certificate (outside the UK only)

Outside the UK only: If you are a person from a country listed in Appendix Tuberculosis (TB) making an application to come to the UK for more than six months, you must present a valid medical certificate confirming that you have been tested for TB.

You won’t need a TB test if any of the following apply:

you’re a diplomat accredited to the UK
you’re a returning UK resident and haven’t been away for more than 2 years
you lived for at least 6 months in a country where TB screening is not required by the UK, and you’ve been away from that country for no more than 6 months

Children

All children must see a clinician who will decide if they need a chest x-ray. Children under 11 will not normally have a chest x-ray. If the clinician decides your child doesn’t have TB they’ll give you a certificate. Include this certificate with your child’s UK visa application.

For more information click here.

Under 18 years old

If you are 16 or 17 when you apply for your visa, you will need to include a signed letter from your parents or legal guardian confirming:

The relationship between you and your parent(s) or legal guardian(s)
That your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have given their consent to your application
That your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have given their consent to you living independently in the UK; and
That your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have given their consent to your independent travel to the UK; and
That your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have legal custody or sole responsibility for you.

You will also need to include your original birth certificate, certificate of adoption or a court document naming your legal guardian.

Additional documents

The Home Office should not request any additional documents except in exceptional circumstances.