UK Student Visa Requirements
You can apply for a Student Visitor visa if:
- you re doing a short course of study in the UK
- you are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
With a Student Visitor Visa you can:
- do a short course of study in the UK, such as an English language course or a training course
With a Student Visitor Visa you cannot:
- study at a state school
- work or carry out any business
- marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or a civil partnership
- come to the UK specifically for private medical treatment
- extend this visa
- bring family members (‘dependants') with you - they must apply separately
- get public funds
Visa Duration:
- 6 months - for any short course including English language courses
- 11 months - an extended visa for English language courses only
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
Eligibility:
- are 18 or over
- have been offered a place on a course in the UK at an accepted place of study
- have enough money to support yourself without working or help from public funds, or that relatives and friends can support and house you
- can pay for your return or onward journey
*You may be able to apply for a Child Visitor visa if you are under 18.
Required documentation:
- a current passport or other valid travel identification
- 2 passport size colour photographs
- evidence that you can support yourself during your trip, eg bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months
- details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans - you should not pay for accommodation or travel until you get your visa
- your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you are from a country where you have to take the test
You will need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put the visa.
You will need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.
Study as a child visitor
You can take a short study course (up to 6 months) during your visit.
You must be accepted on a course at a place of study that's one of the following:
- accredited by Accreditation UK, Accreditation Body for Language Services, British Accreditation Council, Accreditation Service for International Colleges
- an organisation that is licensed to sponsor Tier 4 migrants
Otherwise your course will need to be held at an educational institution listed by one of the following:
- Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)
- Education and Training Inspectorate (in Northern Ireland)
- Estyn (in Wales)
- HM Inspectorate of Education (in Scotland)
- Independent Schools Inspectorate
- Schools Inspection Service
- Bridge School Inspectorate
You cannot study at a government-funded school (a ‘maintained school') unless you are coming to the UK as part of an exchange programme or educational visit.
Links to Related Information:
Embassy Contact Information:
Contact the nearest Embassy / Consulate for UK for the most up-to-date information on what documentation you specifically may require to enter UK.
Disclaimer: The contents of this page and other such web pages on this website are provided in good faith as a general information guide only, and the use of this website as an information resource or other is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any other website to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- UK Visas and Immigration (part of Home Office) - URL: Gov.uk
- The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office - URL: www.fco.gov.uk
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.