Student Visa

You can apply for a UK Student visa if you can meet these requirements:

• You are 16 years of age or over
• You have been offered a place on a course by a registered UK university, school or educational facility
• You can understand, speak, read and write English
• You can support yourself financially whilst in the UK including paying for your course

The UK Student visa is a part of the UK points-based immigration system and requires applicants to attain 70 points.

Applicants will score 30 points for having a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and a further 10 points for meeting the maintenance requirements.

Before you apply for a Student visa you should ensure you can meet all the requirements. You will need to:

• Have proof of a place on a UK registered course in the form of a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the English language
• Prove that you can financially support yourself and pay for your course
• Show permission from a parent or legal guardian – if under 18
• Provide your Tuberculosis test results – if you are from a country where Tuberculosis is common

Scroll down to find out which documents are required when you apply for a Student visa, or click here: Student visa required documents.

To apply for a Student visa in the UK, you need to use the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online application process found on GOV.uk

You must apply for the Student visa outside of the UK. You can only complete your application inside of the UK if you are extending a Student visa you already have.

The earliest you can apply for a Student visa is 3 months before the start date of your course.

You’ll usually get a decision about your Student visa application within 3 weeks.

When you apply for a Student visa, there are certain  costs and fees you will be required to pay, as follows:

• Student visa fee: £348
• English language test: £150 (if required)
• Tuberculosis test: £65-110 (if required)
• Having Biometric Information taken (Photo’s and fingerprints for your Biometric Residence Permit): £19.20
• Immigration Health Surcharge: £300 for every year of your course

Some students may want to bring family members with them. You can bring family members with you on a Student visa if you are either:

• A government-sponsored student starting a course that lasts 6 months or longer
• Enrolled in a postgraduate course designated as a research programme that lasts 9 months or longer

Eligible postgraduate programmes include PhDs and other doctoral qualifications or masters programmes with a research component, including a requirement to produce original work.

International students who do not fit either one of these categories will not be eligible to bring their dependents with them to the UK.

The UK Student visa allows you to apply to bring married, civil, and unmarried partners; and children under the age of 18 with you to the UK.

To do this you must be able to prove you are financially able to support your dependents whilst in the UK.

For each dependent you will also need to pay:

•  £475 for the visa
•  The healthcare surcharge
• £19.20 to have their biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken

With a Student visa you are eligible to stay in the UK for the duration of your course.

If your course lasts 6 months or less you can arrive 1 week before your start date.

If your course lasts over 6 months then you can arrive up to 1 month before your start date.

The amount of time you can stay in the UK for after your course has ended, depends on the type of course and length of study.

You can apply to extend your Student visa if you wish to study for longer or study a new course. You must be in the UK to do this and apply whilst your current visa is valid.

If you wish to stay in the UK after you have finished studying you will have to choose another immigration category. There is now the option to apply for the Graduate visa.

When you apply for a Student visa, you will need to prove that you have knowledge of the English language. This usually means you will need to pass a test through a secure English language testing (SELT) provider. The test will prove your proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and understanding English.

The level you need to pass depends on where you are studying and what type of course you are on. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can choose how they assess the English proficiency of an international student but they must be at least:

• CEFR level B2 if you’re studying at a degree level or higher
• SELT in reading, writing, listening and speaking and CEFR level B1 if you’re not studying at a degree level

You don’t need to take the English language test if you are from a majority English speaking country (like the US, Canada or Australia) or if you have a degree that was taught in English.

When you apply for the Student visa, you will need these documents:

• Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
• A valid passport
• A passport-sized photo that meets the UKVI requirements
• Evidence of English language proficiency
• Evidence of qualifications
• Evidence that you meet the financial requirements
• Translations of any non-English documents
• Tuberculosis test results – if you are from a country where tuberculosis is frequent
• Criminal record certificate
• Letter from a parent of legal guardian – if you are under 18 years old

Extending a Student visa is possible in certain circumstances. Currently, it’s also possible for the old Tier 4 (General) Student visa to be extended too.

In order to extend your Student visa, you must:

• Be in the UK on a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) Student visa
• Have an unconditional offer on a course with a licensed student sponsor
• Be able to provide a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies
• Be able to show that the course is at a higher academic level than your current course

To find out more about Student visa extensions and the application process, please call our Manchester immigration lawyers now on 0161 532 9589, we are available in-person or remotely via phone or online.

You now have further options after your course is finished, following a rebranding of the student route in 2020.

The change means there is now a route to UK residency for international students who have graduated from either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

This immigration permission is sometimes referred to as the Graduate visa. It permits graduates to work, look for work and live in the UK for up to two years.

PhD students can remain in the UK under the Graduate visa for up to three years.

This visa will be available from the Summer of 2021 and will be open to international students who have graduated in the UK.

If you need support with your Student visa application, get in touch with our Manchester lawyers, we OISC-certified. We look forward to assisting with your visa requirements.