Student Visa

You can apply for a Student Visa to study in the UK if you are sixteen or over and you:

• Have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor
• Have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course
• Can speak, read, write, and understand English
• Have consent from your parents if you are 16 or 17.

This Visa has replaced Tier 4 (General) Student Visa.

When to apply

Applying for outside the UK

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course.

Applying from inside the UK

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts.

You must apply before your current visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring.

How long you can stay

How long you can stay depends on the length of your course and what study you are already completed in the UK.

If you are 18 or over and your course is at degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 5 years. If it is below degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 2 years.

You may be able to:

• Extend your visa if you are eligible, for example to continue your studies in the UK
• Switch to a Student Visa from another visa if you are already in the UK
• Switch to a Graduate Visa to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing your course

You will need to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. How much you pay depends on how long your visa lasts.

You may be able to bring your partner and children (‘dependants’)

What you can and cannot do

You can:

• Study
• Work as a student union sabbatical officer

You may be able to work – how much depends on what you are studying and whether you are working in or out of term-time.

You cannot:

• claim public funds(benefits) and pensions
• work in certain jobs, for example as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
• be self-employed
• study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school)

If your application is successful, you’ll be told what you can and cannot do on a Student visa.

How to Apply

If you wish to apply, talk with our team who will advise you on your position and complete the form and collect any necessary documentation from you that will help make the application successful.

Why choose us

Our team will collaborate with you to make sure that your application is filled in correctly and that all the correct supporting documents are provided. We will also provide a supporting letter setting out your circumstances in detail to Home Office. This will put the Application in the best position on submission.

To give your child visa application the best chance of success, and to reduce your stress, please contact our solicitors on 01482 616 616 or via our online contact form and we will get back to you.