Student visa for United Kingdom: documents, fees and steps

Documents requested

Valid passport or other valid travel documentConditions and details
The passport or travel document must establish the applicant's identity and nationality. If an appointment at the visa application centre is required, it is brought and collected the same day; the nearest centre may be in a country other than the country of residence.
Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number, issued by the institutionConditions and details
An unconditional offer of a place on a course at an institution holding a student sponsor licence is required. Once the offer is made, the institution sends a reference number, the CAS, which is essential before applying for the visa and must be entered in the application. The application must be submitted within 6 months of receiving the CAS.
Proof of identity: "UK Immigration: ID Check" app (UKVI account) or fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centreConditions and details
The online application includes a proof of identity. Depending on the country of origin and the type of passport, one either scans one's identity document with the "UK Immigration: ID Check" app, which also creates or opens a UKVI account, or has one's fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre. The online application indicates which of these two routes applies.
Payment of the Immigration Health Surcharge with the applicationConditions and details
The health surcharge is paid in the online application, for the applicant and each person accompanying them: 776 GBP per year for a student. For a partial duration: no surcharge for 6 months or less from outside the United Kingdom; a full year for more than 6 months and less than one year; more than one year and 18 months or less: the year plus half; more than 18 months and less than 2 years: two full years. If the payment is incomplete, UKVI sends a reminder email; the application is refused if the full amount is not paid within 7 working days following that email for an application made from outside the United Kingdom.

Depending on your situation

Proof of sufficient funds for the course and for living in the United Kingdom, unless exceptions applyConditions and details
You must have enough to pay for the course for one academic year (up to 9 months), the amount stated on the CAS, and enough to live on: 1 529 GBP per month for a course in London, 1 171 GBP per month elsewhere, for up to 9 months, with an additional amount for each family member who accompanies you. These monthly maintenance amounts apply to applications submitted before 30 November 2026. For an application submitted from 30 November 2026, they rise to 1 570 GBP in London and 1 203 GBP elsewhere, still for up to 9 months. The funds must be held for at least 28 consecutive days, and the end of this period must fall within the 31 days before the application. A student loan or financial sponsorship is proved by a document from the organisation concerned. Proof of maintenance is not required from a person who has lived in the United Kingdom with a visa for at least 12 months, nor from a full-time student union sabbatical officer. Nationals of around sixty countries and territories on the “differential evidence requirement” list (published on the page) and British nationals (overseas) do not have to provide it, but UKVI may request it after submission.
Proof of knowledge of English: UK qualification or one taught in English, or a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved providerConditions and details
It is generally necessary to prove that one speaks, reads, writes and understands English: a level equivalent to CEFR B2 for a course at degree level or above, B1 below that. A higher education institution may assess the B2 level itself for a course at degree level or above. The proof may be a UK school qualification started before age 18 (GCSE, A level, certain Scottish levels), a degree-level qualification taught in English awarded by a UK institution, or, for a foreign qualification taught in English, an Ecctis assessment code, or a SELT test. Exempt are nationals (or graduates of a qualification equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree obtained in) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as nationals of Canada, those coming for a study abroad programme as part of a US degree and those who have already proven their level in a previous visa application.
ATAS certificate (Academic Technology Approval Scheme), if the course and nationality require itConditions and details
The ATAS certificate may be required to study or conduct research on sensitive subjects at RQF level 7 or above (master's and above): the application page asks for it if the course and the student's nationality require it.
Tuberculosis test certificate, if coming for 6 months or more after living in a listed countryConditions and details
The test is required if you are coming to the United Kingdom for 6 months or more, have lived for 6 months or more in one of the countries listed by the government, and were living there (or in another listed country) in the last 6 months. It consists of a chest X-ray, possibly supplemented by a sputum sample. If the test is negative, the certificate issued is valid for 6 months from the X-ray; it is attached to the application. Accredited diplomats, UK residents returning after an absence of no more than 2 years, and people coming under a scheme for Ukrainians do not need it.
Written consent from the financial sponsor, if the course fees and living costs have been funded by a sponsor in the last 12 monthsConditions and details
If one has received financial sponsorship for the course fees and living costs in the last 12 months, the financial sponsor's written consent must be provided with the application.

Official fees

Student visa application from outside the United Kingdom, per person (fee also payable for each person accompanying) 558 £
Health surcharge (Immigration Health Surcharge) for students, per year of visa 776 £

Steps

Obtain an unconditional offer from an institution holding a student sponsor licence and receive its CAS number.
Prove knowledge of English (qualification or secure English language test), unless exempt.
Gather evidence of funds, the tuberculosis certificate if required and, depending on the course and nationality, the ATAS certificate.
Submit the application online, no earlier than 6 months before the start of the course and within 6 months of receiving the CAS; pay the fee and the health surcharge.
Prove identity: the "UK Immigration: ID Check" app or an appointment at the visa application centre for fingerprints and photo.
Wait for the decision, generally within 3 weeks from outside the United Kingdom; a payment sometimes allows a faster decision.
If the application is accepted, access the eVisa, online proof of immigration status, from a UKVI account to be created if needed.
Travel from the start date shown on the visa: at most 1 week before a course of 6 months or less, 1 month before a course of more than 6 months.
At the border, present your passport and visa: the officer generally asks the reason for the visit, and fingerprints may be compared with those of the eVisa.
During the stay, comply with the visa conditions; they are shown with the decision, and violating them may prevent return.

Where to apply

Official online "Student visa" form on GOV.UK ("Start now" button), to be saved and completed later if needed
"UK Immigration: ID Check" app, which also creates or opens the UKVI account, for proof of identity
Visa application centre, which may be located in another country, for fingerprints and photo
Institution holding a student sponsor licence, which issues the CAS
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), to change or withdraw a submitted application; a refund is possible only if processing has not started
Online UKVI account to view and use the eVisa
Border control (Border Force) on arrival in the United Kingdom

Good to know

Courses accepted with this visaConditions and details
The Student visa covers a full-time course leading to a qualification below degree level (RQF 3, 4 or 5) with at least 15 hours per week of organised daytime study; a full-time course at degree level or above (RQF 6, 7 or 8), including an equivalent course delivered as part of a longer course abroad; a part-time course above degree level (RQF 7 or above); or an English language course at level B2 or above. You can also apply for this visa for a full-time elected post as a student union sabbatical officer. Qualification levels are different in Scotland. The rules applicable to applications submitted from 8 October 2026 also allow a course followed as part of Erasmus+ at an institution holding a student sponsor licence and participating in the programme: RQF level 2 or above in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or SCQF 5 or above in Scotland. Check the appropriate route with the Erasmus+ organisation and the institution; the institution must issue the required CAS.
When to applyConditions and details
From outside the United Kingdom, the application can be submitted no earlier than 6 months before the start of the course, and the CAS must have been received less than 6 months before the application. UKVI generally gives a decision within 3 weeks; a payment can sometimes speed up the decision, which the application indicates at submission.
Length of stayConditions and details
The length of stay depends on the course and on studies already undertaken in the United Kingdom. For studies undertaken from age 18, the rules generally limit authorisations for courses below degree level to 2 years, and those for courses at degree level to 5 years. The 5-year cap does not apply to courses above degree level. Precise exceptions concern in particular certain maritime, architecture, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, music and law courses; consult conditions ST 19 of Appendix Student. An extension or a change of visa from within the United Kingdom remains subject to the conditions of the relevant process.
Other visas for studyingConditions and details
A course of 6 months or less followed without a student sponsor but at an accredited institution falls under the visitor visa; an English language course of more than 6 months and no more than 11 months without a sponsor but at an accredited institution falls under the short-term student visa. A young person aged 16 or 17 who wants to study at an independent school may be entitled to the Child Student visa. The process described here is that of the Student visa for an adult, with a sponsor holding a licence.
Working with a Student visaConditions and details
You can sometimes work: the number of hours depends on the studies followed and the period (during or outside teaching periods). You can also work as a student union sabbatical officer. You cannot claim most public funds or the right to a pension, nor work in certain jobs (for example professional sportsperson or coach), nor be self-employed. Study at a State School or an Academy is normally prohibited, with the exceptions in ST 27.7: a voluntary grammar school with boarding in Northern Ireland; a sponsor institution that becomes a State School or Academy during the authorisation, only to finish the course for which the CAS was already assigned; or an Erasmus+ course at a sponsor institution participating in the programme. The Erasmus+ exception applies to applications submitted from 8 October 2026. The visa granted states what is permitted.
Spouse and childrenConditions and details
A student can sometimes bring their partner and dependent children to the United Kingdom. The official page distinguishes students funded by a government for a course of more than 6 months and full-time students on a postgraduate course of at least 9 months. For a postgraduate course starting from 1 January 2024, it must be a doctorate or a higher degree based on research. A taught master's is therefore not sufficient on its own in this second case. The conditions specific to the partner or child remain to be checked on GOV.UK. Each person joining the student pays the visa fee and the health surcharge.
After study: Graduate visaConditions and details
After successfully completing the course, a Graduate visa can be applied for to stay in the United Kingdom: 2 years if the application is submitted no later than 31 December 2026, 18 months if it is submitted from 1 January 2027, and 3 years after a doctorate.
Nationals not covered by this procedureConditions and details
Under the immigration rules in force, a person cannot apply for the Student visa as a national of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Burma (Myanmar) or Sudan. Irish citizens do not need permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom, except in particular cases, and British citizens do not need entry permission: this procedure is therefore not intended for them.
Complex application, amendment, withdrawalConditions and details
UKVI may contact the applicant if the application is complex, for example because the documents must be verified, an interview is necessary, or because of the personal situation (a criminal conviction, for example). To amend a submitted application, UKVI must be contacted. Withdrawal of the application can be requested; the fee is refunded only if UKVI has not started processing.
At the borderConditions and details
At the border, the passport and any visa are checked and the officer generally asks the reason for the visit. If entry is refused, the traveller is informed in writing, with the reasons, the possibility of appeal and the date of removal from the United Kingdom. They may sometimes be admitted temporarily, generally for a week at most.

Nationalities covered

This procedure applies to 243 nationalities.

Åland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Canada
Cape Verde
Caribbean Netherlands
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Réunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Türkiye
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
U.S. Outlying Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Official links

Student visa : Documents you'll need to apply - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Student visa : Your course - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Student visa : Money you need - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
GOV.UK — Home Office (new tab) www.gov.uk
Student visa : Knowledge of English - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Tuberculosis tests for visa applicants: Check if you need a TB test for your visa application - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Student visa : Apply online - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application: How much you have to pay - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules: Appendix Student - Guidance - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Student visa : Overview - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
GOV.UK — Home Office (new tab) www.gov.uk
GOV.UK — Home Office (new tab) www.gov.uk
Entering the UK: At border control - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
eVisas: access and use your online immigration status: Set up a UKVI account to access your eVisa - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk
Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules part 1: leave to enter or stay in the UK - Guidance - GOV.UK (new tab) www.gov.uk

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