UK Student Visa

Application Process — Step by Step

1. 01

   Receive unconditional offer and CAS from the licensed sponsor

   home country

   The university or college confirms the place and issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number via the UKVI Sponsor Management System once conditions (e.g. tuition deposit) are met.

   Typical duration: Per institution admissions timeline

2. 02

   Gather financial evidence

   home country

   Build and hold the required maintenance funds for a consecutive 28-day period in an acceptable account type and currency; already-paid tuition can offset part of the requirement.

   Typical duration: 4-6 weeks

3. 03

   Submit online Student visa application and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge

   home country

   Complete the online form, pay the £490 application fee plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (£776/year discounted student rate), and book a biometrics appointment at a UKVCAS/VFS centre.

   Typical duration: 1-3 weekssource ↗

4. 04

   Attend biometrics appointment

   home country

   Provide fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre; most new applicants are enrolled directly into an eVisa account rather than issued a physical Biometric Residence Permit.

   Typical duration: Same day

5. 05

   Receive decision and travel to the UK

   destination

   Standard decisions outside the UK are issued within 3 weeks. Travel is permitted up to 1 month before the course start date (earlier for courses of 6+ months).

   Typical duration: Same day

Documents Required

Realistic Costs

~ Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_high, translations, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.

Excludes tuition and living costs. The Immigration Health Surcharge (£776/year discounted student rate) must be paid upfront for the full course duration at the time of application -- a major upfront cost often underestimated.

Realistic Timeline

• Consulate wait1–4 weeks
• Decision → arrival1 weeks
• Residence card issuance1 weeks
• Total to residence card3–8 weeks

UK Student route decisions outside the UK are usually issued within 3 weeks; a priority service (extra fee, where available) reduces this to 5 working days. eVisa (digital, replacing the physical BRP) is now standard for most new applicants.

Renewal

First renewal after

—

Subsequent cycle

months

Renewal fee

$620USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Requirements

Student route visa duration is tied to course length (typically course length plus 2-4 months, depending on study level); a new CAS and application are required to extend for a further course of study. There is no simple 'renewal' of the same course visa -- it remains linked to the sponsor and CAS validity.

Path to Permanent Residency — Details

Years required

Integration test

Not required

Path to Citizenship — Details

Years required

Language test

No

Civic test

Not required

Oath

Not required

Dual citizenship

Allowed

Tax Residency

Trigger

183 days/year of presence

Taxation scope

Territorial (in-country only)

Exit-tax country

No

Health Insurance

Mandatory

Yes

No co-pay required

No

Public system access

After 0 months

Examples: NHS (via Immigration Health Surcharge)

Banking Setup

Open account before arrival

Not typically possible before arrival

Family Specifics

Spouse work rights

Dependant partner (where eligible -- postgraduate research 9+ months or government-sponsored 6+ months) can work in the UK with no restriction

Child school enrolment

Dependant children (where eligible) have full access to UK state schools

Parent inclusion

Not eligible

Sibling inclusion

Not eligible

Gotchas — Things to Watch For

• ⚠Dependants restricted since January 2024 to postgraduate research students (9+ months) and government-sponsored students on 6+ month courses -- most taught master's and undergraduate students can no longer bring a spouse or children
• ⚠Immigration Health Surcharge is paid upfront for the WHOLE course length at the time of application -- a 3-year degree can mean £2,328+ due before you even arrive
• ⚠CAS is tied to a specific sponsor and course; changing institution or course level generally requires a new CAS and a fresh application
• ⚠20 hours/week off-campus work cap applies during term-time even for courses that might otherwise allow more; breaching it is a sponsor-reportable compliance breach that can lead to curtailment of the visa
• ⚠Graduate Route does not require a job offer or sponsor, but is fixed-length (2 years, 3 for PhD) and does not itself lead to settlement -- holders must switch into Skilled Worker or another route before it expires

What This Visa Does NOT Allow

• ×Employment as a professional sportsperson or coach, or as an entertainer (except as part of a course-related work placement)
• ×Permanent settlement -- Student route time does not usually count toward Indefinite Leave to Remain; holders must switch to a work or family route (e.g. Skilled Worker) after the Graduate Route to build a settlement-qualifying route
• ×Self-employment or freelance business activity as a main occupation

Before You Arrive — Checklist

1. Accept the unconditional offer and receive the CAS from the sponsor
2. Build and hold the required maintenance funds for a consecutive 28-day period
3. Obtain ATAS clearance if required for the course/nationality
4. Complete the online application, pay the visa fee plus Immigration Health Surcharge, and book biometrics
5. Attend the biometrics appointment at a visa application centre

After You Arrive — Checklist

1. Activate the eVisa account (or collect the BRP, where still issued) within the specified window
2. Register with the sponsor institution and complete enrolment/attendance checks (usually within the first 2 weeks)
3. Register with a GP (NHS access is prepaid via the Immigration Health Surcharge)
4. Apply for a National Insurance number if planning to work part-time
5. Open a UK bank account

Conversion Paths

Common Rejection Reasons

• •CAS details don't match the application (course dates, sponsor, or fee amounts inconsistent)
• •Maintenance funds not held for the full consecutive 28-day period, or held in an account type/currency not accepted
• •English language evidence doesn't meet the required CEFR level for the course, or isn't from an approved provider
• •Genuine student credibility concerns -- course choice, prior immigration history, or study gaps that don't support a credible study plan
• •ATAS certificate missing for postgraduate research in a sensitive STEM subject where required by nationality

Recent Legislative Changes

• 2024-02-06

  Immigration Health Surcharge increased -- the discounted student/under-18 rate rose to £776/year (from £470); the standard rate rose to £1,035/year.source ↗

• 2024-01-01

  Dependant visa eligibility for the Student route restricted to postgraduate research students (9+ months) and government-sponsored students on courses of 6+ months; taught master's and undergraduate students can no longer bring dependants.source ↗

• 2023-07-01

  Graduate Route confirmed retained (following the Migration Advisory Committee review) at 2 years post-undergraduate/master's and 3 years post-PhD, without a minimum salary requirement.source ↗

Frequently Asked Questions