Apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you're 16 or over - eligibility, extend or switch your visa, how much it costs and how long it takes
You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:
If you’re 16 or 17, you may be eligible for a Child Student visa instead.
This visa has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa.
When you can apply depends on whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.
The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course.
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.
You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision - you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
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.
Read the guidance to find out exactly how long you can stay.
You may be able to:
A Graduate visa will allow you to stay in the UK after successfully completing your course for:
It will allow you to stay for 3 years if you completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification.
You can arrive before your course starts. This can be either:
You must not travel to the UK before the start date given on your visa, no matter when your course starts.
It costs:
You must pay the visa fee for each person that joins you.
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.
You may be able to bring your partner and children (‘dependants’).
You can:
You may be able to work - how much depends on what you’re studying and whether you’re working in or out of term-time.
You cannot:
If your application is successful, you’ll be told what you can and cannot do on a Student visa.
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.
You can do one of the following courses on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF):
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.
You can do 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’re taking up a full-time elected position as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer.
Once they’ve 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.
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.
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.
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:
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’ll need to prove you have extra money for each family member you bring with you.
You must have this money for at least 28 days in a row. The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa.
Example
If you submit your application on 1 January, 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.
Read the guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
You do not need to prove that you meet the financial requirement if either:
You do not need to prove you have enough money to support yourself if you’re a British national overseas or from one of the following countries or territories:
However, you might be asked to provide this evidence before you get a decision on your application.
If you do need to provide it, you’ll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) after you’ve submitted your application.
Read the guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.
You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re from one of the following countries or territories, or you’ve completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in one of them:
You also do not need to prove your knowledge of English if one of the following applies:
You can prove it in one of the following ways:
You can prove your knowledge of English if you have a qualification from a UK school that you began when you were under 18. You must have one of the following qualifications:
You can prove your knowledge of English if you have a degree-level qualification that was both:
If your degree was taught in English and was not awarded by a UK institution, you’ll need to apply for an assessment from Ecctis.
Ecctis will give you a code to confirm that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and was taught in English.
If you do not have any qualifications that prove your knowledge of English, you will need to pass a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider.
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 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.
When you apply for your Student visa you must provide:
You may also need to provide:
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances. Read the guidance for the full list of documents you’ll need to provide.
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:
You’ll also need to provide a copy of your birth certificate (or another government issued document) that shows the names of your parents.
You must apply online for a Student visa.
Check which documents you’ll need to apply.
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and what type of passport you have.
You’ll either:
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
If you do need an appointment:
you’ll need to take your passport with you to the centre (you’ll be able to collect it on the day)
you may have to travel to get to your nearest visa application centre (this could be in another country)
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
You may be able to apply to:
You’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to withdraw your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You’ll get an eVisa (a digital record of your identity and immigration status).
Your decision email or letter will tell you how to get access to your eVisa. You’ll need to create a UKVI account.
Your partner and children (‘dependants’) may be able to apply to come to the UK or stay longer in the UK.
You must be one of the following:
If your postgraduate level course starts on or after 1 January 2024, it must be either:
A dependant partner or child is one of the following:
You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply, for example:
Find out what other documents you can use to prove your relationship.
You’ll need to prove that your child is both:
You’ll need to provide 2 of the following documents confirming their address:
If your child pays you rent or upkeep, you’ll need to give details.
Your partner and child must each have a certain amount of money available to them. This is in addition to the money you must have to support yourself.
How much money they need depends on where you will be studying. They must have either:
If you’re applying at the same time as your partner or child (you’re applying together as a family), you’ll need to prove you have both money to pay for your course and to support yourself and additional money for each of them.
If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you (they’re applying separately) they only need to prove they have money to support themselves.
You (or your partner or child) 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 they apply for their visa.
If you have a student loan or financial sponsorship, you’ll need to provide evidence of this from your loan or sponsorship company. If your loan does not cover your partner or child, you’ll need to prove you have money to support them instead.
Your partner or child does not need to prove they have this money if they’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months.
If you and your partner or child are from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’ and you’re applying at the same time, they do not need to prove they have money to support themselves.
However, they might be asked to provide this evidence before they get a decision on their application.
If they do need to provide it, they’ll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) after they’ve submitted their application.
Your partner and children must either:
They’ll need your application number - you get it when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
As part of their application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity.
They’ll either:
They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.
If they need an appointment:
They may be able to pay to get their visa faster or use other services depending on which country they’re in - check with the visa application centre.
If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.
Your partner or child can apply to extend or switch their visa either:
This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.
Your partner or child cannot apply to switch in the UK if they have one of the following visas:
Each person will need to pay:
They’ll need to have their fingerprints and a photo (biometric information) taken - there’s no fee for this.
Your partner and child must apply online. They must either:
They’ll need your application number - you get it when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
As part of their application, they’ll need to have their fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.
They’ll also need to submit their supporting documents. They can:
They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.
They may be able to pay to get a faster decision - they’ll be told if they can when they apply.
They’ll get an eVisa (a digital record of their identity and immigration status).
Their decision email or letter will tell them what to do next and how to get access to their eVisa.
They’ll need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa if they do not already have one.
If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.
You must apply for your child’s dependant visa if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.
The form you fill in depends on whether your child is inside or outside the UK. Your child must either:
You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.
You must apply for their dependant visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.
You may be able to extend your Student visa to stay longer and continue your course or study a new course. This includes if you currently have a Tier 4 (General) student visa.
To extend your visa you must:
If you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for less than 12 months, you’ll need to prove you have enough money to support yourself in the UK.
Your partner or children will need to apply separately to extend their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
You can also switch to a Graduate visa. This will allow you to stay in the UK after successfully completing your course for:
It will allow you to stay for 3 years if you completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification.
If you’re currently studying in the UK, you’ll usually need to show your studies will be at a higher academic level than your current course.
Your new course must be one of the following:
You do not need to show your studies are at a higher level if you’re doing one of the following:
You can get a CAS if you’re applying to work as a student union sabbatical officer.
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.
For example, if your visa expires on 1 December, you must apply for a new visa before 1 December. Your new course must begin by 29 December.
You must also apply within 6 months of getting a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
You can stay in the UK until you get your decision.
If you applied for an administrative review because your application was refused, you can stay in the UK until you get your review decision.
For each person, you’ll need to pay:
You’ll need to have your fingerprints and a photo (biometric information) taken - there’s no fee for this.
You must apply online.
As part of your application you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and the type of passport or resident permit you have.
You’ll either:
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
A decision will usually be made within 8 weeks.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision - you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to withdraw your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You’ll get an eVisa (a digital record of your identity and immigration status).
Your decision email or letter will tell you how to get access to your eVisa. You’ll need to create a UKVI account.
You may be able to switch to a Student visa if you already have permission to be in the UK.
You cannot switch to this visa if you have one of the following visas:
If you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you do not need to apply for a visa.
To switch to a Student visa you must:
If you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for less than 12 months, you’ll need to prove you have enough money to support yourself in the UK.
Your partner or children will need to apply separately to switch their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
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.
For example, if your visa expires on 1 December, you must apply for a new visa before 1 December. Your new course must begin by 29 December.
You must also apply within 6 months of getting a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
You can stay in the UK until you get your decision.
If you applied for an administrative review because your application was refused, you can stay in the UK until you get your review decision.
For each person, you’ll need to pay:
You’ll need to have your fingerprints and a photo (biometric information) taken - there’s no fee for this.
You must apply online.
As part of your application you’ll need to prove your identity.
How you do this depends on where you’re from and the type of passport you have.
You’ll either:
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
A decision will usually be made within 8 weeks.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to withdraw your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You’ll get an eVisa (a digital record of your identity and immigration status).
Your decision email or letter will tell you how to get access to your eVisa. You’ll need to create a UKVI account.