Student

Our fees start from just £150 (£180 including VAT).

 

You can apply for a Student Visa to study in the UK if you are 16 or over.

 

Curtailment of student leave

Curtailment of leave means that the expiry date of your Student visa is cut short (brought forward), effectively giving you a shorter visa end date.

 

Leave is usually curtailed when a sponsor makes an official report to the Home Office confirming that a student has failed to comply with the requirements of the course. The amount of time by which the Home Office brings forward the visa expiry date depends on the type of report which has been made. A sponsor of a Student Visa,is obligated to make reports regarding any change of circumstances affecting their students.

 

The Home Office may also use its own discretion to curtail a student visa where it considers that:

  • you made 'false representations' or did not 'disclose material facts' in order to obtain leave to enter/remain in the UK

  • you have not complied with the conditions of your leave (e.g. you have worked more than the number of hours permitted)

  • you no longer meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules under which you were granted leave

  • you have not maintained and accommodated yourself and any dependants without claiming public funds

  • it is not desirable to let you remain in the UK because of your character, conduct or associations (usually connected with a criminal offence or a connection with terrorist groups)

  • you are a danger to national security

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Eligibility

You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:

 

  • have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor

  • have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course - the amount will vary depending on your circumstances

  • can speak, read, write and understand English

  • have consent from your parents if you’re 16 or 17 - you’ll need evidence of this when you apply

 

If you’re 16 or 17 and you want to study at an independent school in the UK, you may be eligible for a Child Student visa instead.

 

Requirements

 

Your course

 

You must have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed student sponsor.

 

To prove this, your education provider will send you a reference number (called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)) once they’ve offered you a place on the course. You need a CAS before you can apply for your visa.

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You can do one of the following courses:

 

  • a full-time course leading to a qualification that’s below degree level (RQF level 3, 4 or 5) with at least 15 hours a week of organised daytime study

  • a full-time course leading to a qualification that’s degree level or above (RQF level 6, 7 or 8)

  • a full-time course at degree level or above (RQF level 6,7 or 8) that’s 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’s above degree level (RQF level 7 or above)

  • a recognised foundation programme for postgraduate doctors or dentists

  • an English language course at level B2 or above in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

 

You can also apply for this visa if you are taking up a full-time elected position as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer.

 

You may also need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if you’re studying or researching sensitive topics at RQF level 7 or above.

 

Postgraduate doctors and dentists

You can apply for this visa if you’re sponsored to do a recognised foundation programme and you’ve:

 

  • finished a recognised UK degree in medicine or dentistry

received that degree from a registered student sponsor

  • spent your final year and at least 1 other year of studies leading to that degree in the UK

 

Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

Once they have offered you a place on the course, your education provider will send you a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.

 

  • You must enter this reference number on your visa application.

 

  • You must apply for your visa within 6 months of receiving your CAS.

 

  • Money you need

 

You must have enough money to pay for your course and support yourself in the UK. How much money you need depends on your circumstances and what you’re applying for.

 

Course fee

You need enough money to pay for your course for 1 academic year (up to 9 months). The amount you need to pay will be on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

 

If you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, you do not need to prove you have this money for your visa application.

 

Money to support yourself (‘financial requirement’)

You’ll need to show you have enough money to support yourself - unless you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application.

 

How much money you need depends on where you will be studying. You’ll need either:

 

  • £1,334 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses in London

  • £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses outside London

If you’re boarding at a residential independent school, you’ll need to pay boarding fees instead. The amount you need to pay will be on your CAS.

 

London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs.

 

You will need to prove you have extra money for each family member you bring with you.

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You must have this money for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa.

 

For example

If you submit your application on 1 January 2021, you’d have to show that the funds were in your bank account for at least the 28-day period ending on 1 December.

 

If you have a student loan or financial sponsorship, you’ll need to provide evidence of this from your loan or sponsorship company.

 

When you do not need to prove you have money to support yourself

You do not need to prove the financial requirement if:

 

  • you’ve had a UK visa for 12 months prior to the date of your Student Visa application - you must currently be in the UK

  • you’re applying as a student union sabbatical officer

  • you’re applying as a postgraduate doctor or dentist on a recognised foundation programme

 

Knowledge of English

You must prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply. Please note that some nationals are exempt, along with individuals with certain qualifications. We can advise on this.

 

You can prove your knowledge of English by:

 

  • passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider

  • having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18

 

Level of English

You must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to a certain level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

 

What you’re studying           Level

Degree level or above          Equivalent to CEFR level B2

Below degree level               CEFR level B1

 

 

If you’re studying with a Higher Education Provider

If you’re studying at degree level or above, your Higher Education Provider (HEP) can assess your level of English themselves. This means they may ask you to do a different test.

 

This must still be equivalent to a CEFR level B2.

 

Documents you will need to apply

 

When you apply for your Student Visa you must provide:

 

  • a current passport or other valid travel documentation

  • a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your course provider

 

You may also need to provide:

 

  • proof you have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course - this will vary depending on your circumstances

  • a valid ATAS certificate if your course and nationality require it

  • proof of parental or other legal guardian consent if you’re under 18

  • proof of your relationship to your parent or guardian if you’re under 18

  • your tuberculosis test results

  • written consent for your application from your financial sponsor if you’ve received sponsorship for your course fees and living costs in the last 12 months

 

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

 

You need a blank page in your passport for your visa if you need to give your biometric information (fingerprints and a photograph) at a visa application centre. You’ll be told if you need to do this when you apply.

 

If you’re under 18

If you’re under 18 you’ll need written consent from both parents or legal guardians (or one parent if they have sole responsibility).

 

This must include their consent for:

 

  • your visa application

  • your living and care arrangements in the UK

  • your travel to the UK

 

You will also need to provide a copy of your birth certificate (or another government issued document) that shows the names of your parents.

 

Dependants

If certain requirements are met, students can bring dependants to live with them in the UK whilst they are studying.

 

How to apply

When you can apply depends on whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.

 

Applying from outside the UK

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course.

 

You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

 

Applying from inside the UK

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts.

 

You must apply before your current visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring.

 

Timescale

You will usually get a decision within 8 weeks.

 

Fees

It costs:

 

  • £348 to apply for a Student Visa from outside the UK

  • £475 to extend or switch to a Student Visa from inside the UK

 

You must pay the visa fee for each person that joins you.

 

If you are applying from inside the UK, it cost an additional £800 for super priority processing (24 hour) and £500 for priority processing (5-day processing), where eligible.

 

If you are applying from outside the UK, for an extra charge, you might be able to apply for a priority or super priority service. 

 

Healthcare surcharge

You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.

 

How much you pay depends on how long your visa lasts. We can confirm exactly how much you need to pay.

 

How long you can stay

How long you can stay depends on the length of your course and what study you’ve already completed in the UK.

 

If you’re 18 or over and your course is at degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 5 years. If it’s below degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 2 years.

 

We can advise on exactly how long you can stay.

 

Staying longer in the UK

You may be able to:

 

  • extend your visa if you’re eligible, for example to continue your studies in the UK

  • switch to a Student visa from another visa if you’re already in the UK

  • switch to a Graduate visa to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing your course

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