Student Visa

It is compulsory for all international students to have a Student Visa in the UK.

You can apply for a student visa to study in the UK if you:

• Are 16 or over and you have been offered a place in a course
• Can speak, read, write and understand English
• Have enough money to support yourself and can pay for your course
• Are from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
• Can meet the other eligibility requirements

There is a cost for your student visa when applying from outside the UK. It is a good idea to apply 3 months before the start of your course. You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. You can check visa processing times for your country.

Once you have your visa you can arrive up to 1 week before if your course lasts 6 months or less. If your course lasts more than 6 months you can arrive up to 1 month before. While you are here you will be able to study, work as a student union sabbatical officer, apply from inside or outside the UK to extend your stay and work (depending on what level your course is and what kind of sponsor you have).

For more information regarding applying for a Student Route Visa, please visit the government website.