VisaConnect Logo
Logo VisaConnect

Student Visa Advice UK

→ UK Immigration and Visa Advice → STUDENT VISA - UK

Table of Contents

UK Student Visa

Student Course Enrolment assistance for study at a School, College or University in the UK, plus help with the UK Student visa application. Our experienced and ethical UK Immigration Advisers or Lawyers are members of the Law Society of England and Wales. Make an office appointment at our offices in Parramatta, Sydney, Australia and Singapore, Hong Kong and London, UK. Also, our United Kingdom qualified Lawyers can advise clients globally with a Consultation by telephone or video call for advice regarding:

  • Student Visa criteria
  • Visa process and steps
  • Help with Enrolment at a UK Licensed Educational Institution
  • Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) application
  • Evidentiary Documentation including: Qualification certificates, CV and Bank statement
  • English language level needed
  • Filling in the UK Visa Application forms
  • Appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) for biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo)
  • UK Government fee, Healthcare surcharge and Lawyers fees

In 2024, contact VisaConnect's UK Immigration Lawyers for advice with your course enrolment UK Student Visa application!

Eligibility - Student Visa UK

To be eligible for the UK Student visa, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Offered Place - You have been offered an unconditional place in a course.

2. English Ability - You have a good standard of English ability, and have sat an English test. You need a test score in CEFR level B2 if you are studying at a degree level or higher. If you are not studying at a degree level, then you need to sit the SELT test in reading, writing, listening and speaking and score CEFR level B1.

3. Funds - Evidence of reasonable funds available to support and accommodate yourself and pay for your course.

4. Non - UK Resident If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021. You can also apply if you are the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland. If your application is successful, you will be granted a settled or pre-settled status. The EEA includes the EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. In addition, Applicants may be able to stay in the UK without applying - for example, if you are an Irish citizen or already have indefinite leave to remain.

Course you can study on Student Visa

You can study the following type of course:

  • Full-time course, leading to a qualification that is at least level 6 on the Ofqual register
  • Part-time course, leading to a qualification that is at least level 7 on the Ofqual register
  • An overseas course of degree level study that is equal to a UK higher education course and is being run by an overseas higher education institution
  • Full-time, with at least 15 hours per week of organised daytime study, leading to a qualification which is at least level 3 on the Ofqual register
  • A recognised foundation programme as a postgraduate doctor or dentist
  • An English language course at level B2 or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Money needed to get Student Visa

Applicants must have enough money to pay for their course and support themselves in the UK, including the following money:

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 specified on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). If you have 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 requirements) - Applicants must show they have enough money to support themselves - unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application. The amount of money you need depends on where you will be studying. You will 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 are applying for the Doctorate Extension Scheme, and you have been in the UK for less than 12 months, you need to prove you have a total of £2,668 for courses in London, or a total of £2,046 for courses outside London.

Application Process - UK Student Visa

1. CAS - Once you have been offered a place in a course, your Education Provider will send you a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

2. Fingerprints - Once you have received your CAS, you can apply online for the UK Student visa. You will then need to have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit) as part of your application.

3. Biometric Residence Permit - Collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you would arrive in the UK (even if you arrive at a later date).

4. Time to Apply - The earliest you can apply for a UK Student visa is 3 months before you start your course. Usually, you will get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

5. Pay Healthcare Surcharge

6. Stay Duration - You can arrive in the UK, up to 1 week before your course starts, if your course lasts 6 months or less, and up to 1 month before your course start date, if your course lasts more than 6 months. The duration of your stay depends on the type of course you will study.

Post-Study Work Visa

The new Post-Study Work Visa for the UK opened for applications on 1 July 2021. This visa allows international students to remain in the UK for two or three years, after successful completion of their studies.

Applicants on student visas would not require a Job offer to stay in the UK after completing their studies. The applicants would be free to remain in the UK unsponsored with no need to meet certain salary requirements, for example, when finding work to stay in the country. In addition, there will also be no caps on the number of international students who will be allowed to stay under this route.

The new "Graduate" route will be open to all international students, including those from India, who have valid UK immigration status as a student and have successfully completed a course of study in any subject at undergraduate level (Bachelor's degree) or above at an approved UK Higher Education Provider. The visa will allow eligible students to work, or look for work, in any career or position of their choice, for two years after completing their studies.

After two years on the Post-Study Work visa, in the UK, the applicants will be able to switch onto the skilled work visa if they find a job which meets the skill requirement of the route.

The visa will offer opportunities to work or look for work after graduating. However, unlike the route which closed in 2012, this new route will also include safeguards to ensure only genuine, credible students are eligible.

The Home Office amended its guidance in June 2021 to extend that deadline for students to be present in the UK by June 21 to qualify for the Graduate route to September 27. The Home Office said: Applicants who began their studies in Autumn 2020 have until September 27, 2021, to enter the UK with permission as a Student (updated from the previous date of June 21, 2021) in order to be eligible to apply to the Graduate route. Students who began their studies in January or February 2021 will need to be in the UK by September 27, 2021."

Office Address and Telephone - VisaConnect UK

Contact VisaConnect's Consultants at our London, UK office below:

VisaConnect Immigration Consultants UK
124 City Road
EC1V 2NX
UK

Telephone: (+44) 207 193 2327