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Document list: Student visas

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.

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

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. 

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.

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 arrangementsyou 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.

If you have completed a course in the UK within the 12 months preceding your Student visa appplication 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.

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

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.

Entry clearance only: If you are a person from a country listed iAppendix Tuberculosis (TB) making an application for entry clearance 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.

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.

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

» Application form

A guide to completing your Student visa application form.

» Money

Find out the amount of money required and how you can show this.

» CAS & Qualifications

Describes how you meet the visa conditions using your unconditional offer and previous qualifications.