UK Student Visa

International students from outside the UK or EU must apply for a student visa. You can only apply for a student visa if you intend to study a full-time degree course in the UK. Student visas are not issued for part-time courses. Your eligibility is calculated using a points-based rules system called a Tier 4 Student Visa.

 

Student Visa Rules – An Introduction

You need 40 points to apply for a student visa. This is achieved by

1. Course confirmation: you must receive a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a university approved by UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI).

2. Funding: you must provide evidence of funding to pay for both your course tuition fees and your monthly living costs (10 points).

3. Visa Application: In order to submit your Tier 4 student visa application, please visit the UK Visa & Immigration website to complete the online application form. International students from all countries (apart from North Korea) have to submit the visa application online.

4. Immigration Health Service Charge: All nationals from outside of Europe coming to live in the UK for longer than six months are required to pay a ‘health surcharge’ in order to gain access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). The health surcharge is £150 per year (or £75 for 6 months or less) for students and is payable when you submit your visa application on-line.