Applying For Your Student Visa

When to apply

You should apply for a student visa as soon as you have received a Tier 4 Visa Letter from us. We will send you this letter, which confirms your offer of a place, once you have paid your deposit.

Applying for a student visa can be a long process, so please ensure that you pay your deposit as soon as possible. If you delay your application, you may be refused entry for this academic year and have to wait until the following year to commence your studies.

The current cost of applying for a student visa is approximately £145 (or the equivalent in your home country).

If you are already studying in the UK you may need to extend the student visa you already hold. Our Student Services team can give advice on how to apply for your student visa extension.

How to apply

To obtain a student visa, you need to go to your nearest British Embassy or High Commission and complete the relevant application. If you applied for your course through an agent, they may be able to help you with your visa application.

The UKvisas website provides links to the relevant website for your country. Procedures can differ from one British Embassy to another. You should always ensure that you keep photocopies of all documents that you submit with your application.

Since April 2008, it has been compulsory to provide biometric information as part of your visa application. When you attend your nearest British Embassy or High Commission to apply, your fingers will be scanned and a full-face digital photograph will be taken.

Under the recently introduced points-based system, you must score 40 points in order to qualify for a student visa.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

If you intend to study certain subjects at postgraduate level, you will need to obtain an ATAS Certificate before you apply for a visa. If your course requires an ATAS Certificate, this information will be given in your unconditional offer letter. More information can be found at www.fco.gov.uk/atas.

You must apply for your visa before you leave home, as you will need to show your passport, with the correct stamp, to the immigration officer when you arrive in the UK.

If your application for a student visa or entry clearance is refused, you need to appeal in your home country. If this happens, please do not travel to the UK, as you will be refused entry at the UK port of entry (airport/seaport etc).

If you intend to bring family members with you (husband/wife or children) you must ensure that you have also obtained the relevant visa or entry clearance for them too, before you leave home. Visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk for more information.

Checking your visa

When you receive your visa, please check carefully that all the details are correct before you leave home, as mistakes may be very difficult to amend once you have arrived in the UK.

Make sure the following details are correct:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Type of visa (must not be a student visitor visa unless the duration of your course is six months or less)
• The valid until date (see below for further information on valid dates)
• Whether you need to register with the police on arrival in the UK (further details will be available when you enrol onto your course)
• Your working restrictions

Valid dates

The valid dates on your visa indicate the period you are legally entitled to stay in the UK. Please see the table below for the length of leave you should be given.

Working in the UK