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

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.

Courses you can study

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’re 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’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.

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 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.

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.

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

If you’re from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’

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:

• Australia
• Austria
• Bahrain
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Cambodia
• Canada
• Chile
• China
• Croatia
• Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• The Dominican Republic
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Kazakhstan
• Kuwait
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macao
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Oman
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar
• Romania
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• United Arab Emirates
• United States of America

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 must prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.

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.

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.

Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English

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:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• the British overseas territories
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• UK
• USA

You also do not need to prove your knowledge of English if one of the following applies:

• you’re a national of Canada
• you’re applying to come to the UK for a study abroad programme as part of a university degree course in the USA
• you proved your level of English in a previous visa application

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 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’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.

Apply outside the UK

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:

• give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a visa application centre
• use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document – you’ll also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.

How long it takes to get a decision

You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision- you’ll be told if you can when you apply.

Apply inside the UK

You may be able to apply to:

• extend your Student visa
• switch to a Student visa from another type of visa

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.

After you apply

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

• your supporting documents need to be verified
• you need to attend an interview
• of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

After you get a decision

If your application is successful, you’ll get either:

• a biometric residence permit – if you gave your biometric information at a visa application centre
• a digital immigration status which you can view and prove online – if you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app

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:

• a full-time student on a postgraduate level course (RQF level 7 or above) that lasts 9 months or longer
• a new government-sponsored student on a course that lasts longer than 6 months
• a Doctorate Extension Scheme student

Your relationship

A dependant partner or child is one of the following:

• your husband, wife or civil partner
• your unmarried partner
• your child under 18 years old – including if they were born in the UK during your stay

You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply, for example:

• a marriage or civil partnership certificate for your partner
• a birth certificate for your child

If your child is 16 or 17

If your child is 16 or 17 on the date you apply you’ll need to prove they are not living an independent life, for example they’re not married or in a civil partnership.

You’ll need to prove:

• where they live – if they do not live with you, you’ll need to explain why
• any rent or upkeep they pay you each month
• that you support them financially if they do not live with you

If your child lives with you, you’ll need to provide 2 of the following documents confirming their address:

• a bank statement
• credit card bills
• driving licence
• NHS registration document
• an official letter from their university or college

Money they need to support themselves

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:

• £845 a month (for up to 9 months) for courses in London
• £680 a month (for up to 9 months) for courses outside London

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.

When they do not need to prove they have money to support themselves

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.

Apply outside the UK

Your partner and children must either:

• apply online as your partner
• apply online as your child

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 photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit).

They’ll have to collect their biometric residence permit within 10 days of when they said they’d arrive in the UK.

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.

How long they can stay

If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.

Apply inside the UK to extend or switch

Your partner or child can apply to extend or switch their visa either:

• at the same time as you apply to extend or switch your own visa
• at any time before their current visa expires

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:

• a visit visa
• a short-term student visa
• a Parent of a Child Student visa
• a seasonal worker visa
• a domestic worker in a private household visa

Fees

Each person will need to pay:

• £490 for the visa
• the healthcare surcharge – check how much they’ll have to pay

They’ll need to have their biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken – there’s no fee for this.

How to apply

Your partner and child must apply online. They must either:

• apply as a partner
• apply as a child

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 be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide their biometric information (fingerprints and a photo).

They’ll also need to submit their supporting documents. They can:

• upload them into the online service
• have them scanned at their UKVCAS appointment

Getting a faster decision

They may be able to pay to get a faster decision – they’ll be told if they can when they apply.

Children born in the UK

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 if:

• your child is inside the UK

• your child is outside the UK

You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.