Student visas

Most international students need a student visa to study in the UK. Finding out whether you need a visa to study is easy, simply check the UK government website.

Your visa will allow you to live and study in the UK for the duration of your course.

Applying for your student visa

If you are 16 or over and want to study a course at higher education level in the UK lasting longer than six months, you will most likely need to apply for a student visa through the Student Route.

This costs £490 per applicant. If you want a priority or super-priority service, it will cost more.

Please note: from January 2025 onwards, you must register with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and apply for an eVisa. See more guidance in the FAQs section below.

Follow this step-by-step guide to applying for your student visa:

Step 1: apply to your chosen university and receive an unconditional offer

Apply to your chosen university (or universities) and receive an unconditional offer.

Step 2: get your Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS)

Once you have received your unconditional offer, and you have accepted it, your university will give you a document called a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (or CAS). This will cost £25.

Step 3: begin the application process

Once you have your CAS, you can begin the visa application process. You can apply for your student visa up to six months before your course starts. You must pay an application fee (£490 for students) and have a current passport.

European students: If you’re from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app on a smartphone to complete the identity stage of your application.

Step 4: calculate your fee and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

As part of your application, if you will stay in the UK and study for more than six months, you will need to pay a fee called an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).

The surcharge for a student visa will be a fee of £776 per year for each full year you are in the UK. Where your stay in the UK includes part of a year, you would be charged £388 for periods of 1-6 months and £776 for periods of 6-12 months.

The amount you have to pay depends on how much leave you’re granted. You can find out how much you will be expected to pay by using the fee calculator on the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website.

European students: if you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you may be able to apply for a refund for the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Check the GOV.UK website to find out if you are eligible to do so. Please also note that deciding to do paid part-time work in the UK during your studies could impact your eligibility for a refund, so consider this before requesting the refund.

Step 5: prove your knowledge of the English language (if required)

As part of your student visa application, you may need to prove your knowledge of the English language. Different universities have different requirements, so check what form of English language evidence you will need with your university.

Step 6: complete your application and have it accepted before you arrive in the UK

You must complete your application and have it accepted before you arrive in the UK.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

From 31 December 2024, physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) will no longer be valid, and you will need to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.
So, if you are a current student with a BRP or planning to come to the UK from January 2025 onwards, it is essential to create your UKVI account before this date to access your eVisa and verify your immigration status.
Please note: if you do have a BRP, please retain it, as although it will no longer be valid, it may be useful if you choose to apply to stay on longer in the UK beyond your degree.
You can find more information on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website, which provides a detailed overview of the changes to the visa process in the UK and addresses some frequently asked questions about them.
Additionally, the official UK government website has more detailed eVisa guidance and a factsheet with more information.
You can also watch a video on the Home Office YouTube channel about the changes and what you need to do.
Many international students in the UK take a part-time job, work placement or internship alongside their studies. For most courses, you will be allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week during term time. Before you consider looking for work, check your visa and biometric residence permit and check your university’s rules to see if there are any restrictions to the type of work or number of hours you can do.
European students: If you do decide to do part-time work in the UK, this could impact your eligibility for a refund on your Immigration Health Surcharge payment, so make sure you consider all of this when thinking about if you plan to work alongside your studies in the UK.
Find out more about the hours and types of work you can do on the UKCISA website.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) published an update in October 2023, detailing that the following students are allowed to have dependants with them in the UK:
students who have financial sponsorship from a government to study a course lasting 6 months or longer
students studying above degree level at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance on a course lasting 9 months or longer and, if the course start date is on or after 1 January 2024, the provider has confirmed the course is a PhD or other doctoral qualification, or a research-based higher degree
students who have permission, or had permission within the last 3 months to study on a full-time course of 6 months or longer, and who are now applying for permission to study a full-time course of 6 months or longer where either: the partner or child applying has been the student’s dependant in that period or the child applying was born since the last grant of permission to the student, and they are applying at the same time as the student or the dependant partner
Note: students whose child was born in a timeframe set out at Appendix Student ST 31.2 are allowed to have that child as a dependant with them in the UK.
In order to be eligible to bring dependants on a scholarship, the scholarship must be:
a government-funded scholarship
from a central government department
covering all fees and living costs for the student
For further information, please visit the UK Home Office Student and Child guidance document, page 95 and 96.
Updates regarding immigration and visa rules were announced on 4 December by the Home Secretary. And, on 21 December 2023, further details were published about changes that might affect individuals already in the UK. Until immigration rules are officially updated, current thresholds and policies above remain in place.
Visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website for details on which students are eligible to bring dependants.
You will also find a summary of changes announced by the Home Office to immigration rules and how these will affect students and their family members on the UKCISA website 'Student update: changes to the Immigration Rules, December 2023'.
The date your student visa ends depends on the length of your course. Make sure you know when your visa is due to expire so you can plan your next steps accordingly.
You may be able to extend your student visa if you’re eligible, for example, to continue your studies in the UK. You may also be able to switch to another type of visa if you want to stay and work in the UK.
Visit our after your studies pages to learn more about your options after you graduate.

Other types of visa

Visitor Route

If you’re studying in the UK at an accredited institution for less than six months, you can do this as a visitor. Many students (including those from the European Union and other eligible countries) won’t need a visa for courses lasting less than six months.

Students from some countries must apply for a standard visitor visa to do a short course in the UK. Check if you need a visa to study in the UK. A standard six-month visitor visa will cost £115.

If someone you know is coming to visit you on holiday to the UK, they may need to apply for a visitor visa. Find out more about a visitor visa.

Short-term Student Route

Short-term student visas are available to students who want to study English language courses that are between six and 11 months long. Find out more about the short-term study visa.

Child Student Route

If you're aged between four and 17 years old, you can apply for a child student visa to study at a school in the UK. Find out more about child study visas.

Need support with your student visa or anything related?

Contact your university's international office. Your university will advise you about your visa application, so if you have any questions, feel free to contact your university's international office for support. Some universities have dedicated immigration advisors that are on hand to support international students with their visa applications.

EU students: you are still welcome in the UK

A UK education offers top-quality, prestige and global job prospects. Find out more than 120,000 EU students still choose to study in the UK each year.

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