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Applying for a Visa to Study in the UK

The British Government welcomes people from overseas who wish to study and train in the United Kingdom.

Requirements for a student visa
If you wish to study in the UK, the type of visa you need will depend on the length of study you intend to undertake. For courses of less than six months, you need to obtain a standard visit visa. For courses longer than six months, you need to obtain a student visa. This visa will be valid for the length of your studies, plus an additional month to enable you to arrange your departure from the UK at the end of your studies.

As a student:

• You must be able to support and accommodate yourself and any dependants and pay for your studies without recourse to UK public funds. It is acceptable for support and accommodation and the cost of your studies to be provided by relatives and friends in the UK; and
• you must intend to study at a university, a college of further education, independent school or other genuine private educational institution; and
• You must be able to follow your intended course; and
• Your course of study should occupy the whole or a substantial part of your time (as a general rule at least 15 hours a week organised daytime study of a single subject or of directly related subjects leading to a particular qualification); and
• You must intend to leave the UK when your studies are completed.

Working while you are a student
Following the Prime Minister's initiative for overseas students in June 1999, students may take up employment in the United Kingdom while studying without seeking permission provided that they do not work more than 20 hours per week (unless the work is a necessary adjunct to their studies), that they do not engage in business, self employment, act as a professional sportsperson or entertainer, and that they do not pursue a career by filling a permanent full-time position. Within these restrictions there is no weekly limit on the number of hours for which a student may work in vacation periods. In certain cases, earnings from these sources may be taken into account when assessing whether individual students can meet their expenses in the United Kingdom.

How to apply
To make an application to study in the UK you will need:

• To complete the visa application forms (see the download link above); and
• Your passport - which must be valid for the whole period you intend to visit the UK and have a free page; and
• two recent passport-sized photographs of yourself; and
• the visa fee which must be in the currency of your country; and
• any relevant diplomas or educational certificates which you hold; and
• a letter from the University, College or School confirming your acceptance for the course of study in the UK and a statement of charges for the course; and
• evidence of funds to pay for your stay and your course of studies in the UK or a letter from your host or sponsor in the UK to say that he or she support and accommodate you during your stay, with evidence that he or she can do so.

You can submit your application to the Visa Section of the British Embassy in your country by hand or by post. Once you have made your visa application, the fee will not be refunded, even if your application is refused.

It is important that the Visa Officer has all the information that he or she needs to reach a decision. In some cases, you will be asked to return with additional documentation before he or she will accept your application. This does not mean your application has been refused at this stage.

If after looking at your application the Visa Officer believes that your application has little chance of success, he or she may offer you the opportunity to withdraw your application before you pay the non-refundable visa fee. You do not have to accept this advice, and you are free to continue with your application.

Once your application has been accepted, you may be asked to attend an interview, and you should remember that during busy periods you may have to wait for some weeks for this. Visa Section operates a first come first served system, and we try hard to take account of applicants' travel plans. But you should allow plenty of time before you travel to apply for your visa, especially if you have not visited the United Kingdom before.

When to apply
You must get your visa for the UK before you travel. Even when you hold a visa you will still need to pass through immigration control at your port of entry in the UK. If you hold a visa you will not be refused permission to enter the UK, unless there has been some change in your circumstances or you gave false information or did not disclose important facts when you obtained the visa. Holders of a visa may also be refused entry on medical grounds, if they have a criminal record, if they are subject to a deportation order or if there are other exceptional reasons why they should not be admitted.

You should NOT buy an airline ticket before you have been granted your visa if delay or refusal of your visa application will result in financial loss.

Visa refusal
If you are refused a visa to study in the UK and your course of study is less than six months, you have no right of appeal against the refusal decision. If you are refused a visa to study in the UK and your course of study exceeds six months, you may appeal against the refusal decision.

If you are refused a visa to study in the UK the Visa Officer will tell you if you are able to appeal. You will be handed a refusal notice telling you why your application has been refused and an appeal form to complete if you want to appeal. If you want to appeal you should return the completed appeal form to the Visa Section at the British Embassy in your country within 28 days.