How To Apply For UK Student Visa? Step By Step Guide

If you are an international student, here is a statistic that might be helpful for you. Many international students consider how welcoming a country is when choosing where to study, and one metric they might look at is the number of student visas issued. In the case of the UK, around 562,403 student study visas were issued in 2024. These numbers indicate that the UK welcomes and supports students from abroad.

Are these numbers influencing you to study in the UK, or have you already made up your mind to study in the UK? Either way, here’s a step-by-step explanation of how to apply for a UK student visa. In addition to this, the article covers the other aspects of UK student visas including different types of visas, fees, visa requirements, and more.

Different Types Of UK Student Visas

There are mainly three types of UK student visas, which are as follows:

• Student Visa
• Child Student Visa
• Short-Term Study Visa

Student Visa

You are eligible for a student visa

• If you’re 16 years or older.
• If you can speak, read, and write English.

How Long Can You Stay With a Student Visa?

How long can you stay with a student visa depends on your degree:

• If you are 18 and above and have applied for degree studies, you can stay up to 5 years.
• However, if it is below the degree level, the visa permits international students to stay up to 2 years.

When Can You Arrive In The UK?

You should arrive in the UK before the classes begin. If your course is 6 or less than six months, it is advised to arrive in the UK, one week before the classes begin. On the other hand, if your course is 6 months or more, you need to arrive in the UK, one month before the course starts.

Child Student Visa

You can apply for a child student visa:

• If you are below 17 years of age.
• Only to independent schools.
• You need to have permission from your parent to study in the UK. This will be asked when you apply for the visa.

How Long Can You Stay?

The stay depends on the length of your course. For example, if you are below 16 years, the course length is typically 6 years. Therefore, you can stay for 6 years and an extra 4 months afterward. Similarly, if you are below 17 years old, the course length is typically 3 years. Therefore, you can stay for 3 years and an extra 4 months afterward. 

When Can You Arrive In The UK?

You can arrive in the UK up to one month before the start of the course and cannot arrive before the start date given in the visa.

Short-Term Study Visa

To be eligible for a short-term study visa, you should:

• Enrol in a short-term course or English language course.
• You should be willing to leave the country after your studies.

How Long Can You Stay?

The stay depends on the length of your course. A short-term course typically lasts from 6 to 11 months but does not exceed 11 months. Therefore, you can stay in the UK for 6 to 11 months and an extra 30 days afterward.

When Can You Arrive In The UK?

You can be in the UK up to 1 week before the classes begin. This allows you to settle in, and handle administrative work before the course begins.

When Should You Apply For The UK Student Visa?

Applying for a UK student visa and child student visa depends on where you are applying from. Is it from inside the UK or outside?

• If you are applying for a visa from outside the UK, you need to apply for it 6 months before the start of the course.
• On the other hand, if you are applying for a student visa from inside the UK, you can apply for the visa 3 months before the start of the course.

However, when applying for a short-term student visa, you should apply for the visa no more than 3 months before the course begins.

What Is The Main Difference Between a Student Visa, a Child Student Visa, And a Short-Term Study Visa?

• A student visa is for long-term studies like undergrad, graduate, or PhD. It comes with work rights and dependents can come through this visa.
• On the other hand, a child student visa is specifically targeted toward teenagers. The visa comes with limited dependents.
• The short-term study visa is focused on shorter study periods. It doesn’t come with any perks. You cannot work while studying and bring your family members to the UK.  

UK Student Visa Requirements

If you are applying for either a student visa, child student visa, or short-term study visa, here is a list of the requirements:

• You need an acceptance or offer letter from the educational institution.
• You need to show enough funds to support your studies.
• You need to show that you are proficient in the English language. By submitting IELTS or TOEFL scores, you meet this requirement.
• Visa authorities may sometimes ask you to submit a TB (Tuberculosis) free certificate. Get the certificate done.
• You should have a valid passport.
• Complete the online application form and pay the visa fees. 

How To Apply For UK Student Visa?

Here is the step-by-step process to apply student visa for all three visas:

• Go to the official website of the UK Visa and Immigration.
• Apply online.
• Enter basic details like where are you planning to study – England, Scotland, or Wales, do you have a current EU passport, etc.
• Select a country and the location to provide your biometrics. 
• At this point, you have completed the basics of the visa application. Next, is the main application.
• Create your email address and password.
• Enter your phone number, name, address, course, financial situation, travel plans, etc.
• Upload the required documents necessary for the visa.
• Sign the application form.
• Pay the application fee.
• Book a visa appointment at the nearest center to submit your biometrics.

Student Visa Fees For The UK

The student visa fees depend on the type of visa you have selected.

• For the Student Visa, the visa application fee is £490, whether you apply from the inside or outside the UK. If you are applying for a, the fee is £490, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. In addition to the visa fees, you need to pay the IHS fees (Immigration Health Surcharge) as part of your application. An IHS fee is a one-time fee that you should pay during your application process. The IHS allows you to access healthcare services in the UK. 
• If you are applying for a Short-Term Student visa, the application fee is £200. This visa also requires IHS fees, which are somewhere around £776.

Mode Of Fees Payment

There is only one way you can pay for the visa fees, which is through online payment which has to be during the application process. However, you have multiple payment options including credit card or debit card, and various other online payment options specific to the country. 

UK Student Visa Processing Time

As the UK is a popular destination for international students, the volume of visa applications is typically higher, which can lead to a longer processing time. That said, here’s an approximate timeframe for visa processing:

• If you are applying for a Student Visa and Short-Term Study Visa, the decision on the visa will be given within 3 weeks of applying.

• If you are applying for a Child Student Visa, the decision on the visa will be given within 8 weeks of applying.

UK Student Visa Biometric Processing Time

The UK student visa requires biometric data as part of your visa application. The booking of the appointment for biometric data collection may take up to several days or weeks depending on the availability of slots at the visa center. Once booked, the whole process of biometric data collection may take up to 15 to 30 minutes. After the data is collected, it is integrated with your visa application.

What Are The Documents Required For UK Student Visa?

Whether it is a Student Visa, Child Student Visa, or Short-Term Study Visa, the documents required for each visa are alike. Here is the list of documents you must submit:

• Current passport.
• A valid ATAS certificate if your course requires it.
• Visa application form.
• Proof of parental consent if you are below 18 years of age.
• Your TB results.
• Proof of financial sponsorship if you have received any.
• Evidence of the qualifications that you used to secure a place in the educational institution.
• Details of your living arrangement and care in the UK.
• Evidence of the payment of course fees or documents that support you have enough funds to pay the course fees.
• Certified translation in English if any of your documents are not in English.

Tips For UK Student Visa

• Start the visa application early as soon as you receive your offer letter from the educational institution. Do not postpone until the start of the course.
• Verify the eligibility criteria before applying.
• Make sure you have all the documents ready before you start the application process.
• Confirm if the educational institution is licensed or else your visa might get rejected.
• According to statistics, the average rate of rejection of UK student visas from 2019 to 2022 was approximately 10%. To avoid being in this percentage bracket, you need to avoid making certain mistakes such as providing inaccurate information, failing to provide financial capability, and incomplete documents.
• See that you have all the information before applying for the UK visa.    
• Make use of professional visa consultancies like StudyHQ. Such consultancies will guide you on the UK student visa application process.

Conclusion

Securing a UK student visa requires careful planning and adherence to specific requirements. In this article, we have highlighted a comprehensive guide on the UK student visa process and its requirements. By following our visa application process, you will be well-prepared to navigate each step in the application process.

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