UK is one of the top study destinations for international students, it has some of the best globally recognized schools in the world. Generally an international student seeking to enter the UK for studies would need a student visa for that dream to be achieved.

A UK student visa grants international students access into the UK to study a course offered by a licensed student sponsor. Prior to October 5, 2020, this visa was formally known as Tier 4 (General) student visa for students that are 18 years and above and Tier 4 (Child) student visa for students between the age of 4 and 17.

Following the exit of Britain from European Union, the Tier 4 (General) student visa and Tier 4 (Child) student visa was changed to Student route visa, which now requires students from EU and EEU to apply for student visa in order to study in the UK.

What is a Student Route Visa?

A Student route visa is a UK visa that gives international students access to the UK to study a recognized eligible course offered by a licensed student sponsor. This visa uses a point based system to determine if an international student meets the minimum requirement to receive a UK student visa. You have to score a minimum of 70 points in order to receive a UK Student route visa.

Who can apply for a Student Route Visa?

International students seeking to enter the UK for studies can apply for UK Student route visa. As of January 1 2021, EU and EEA citizens are now required to apply for a student visa to study in the UK under this new student visa program. If you are an EU or EEU student and you have been in the UK on a valid visa prior to January 1 2021, you can apply for the EU Settlement Scheme.

What can I do with my UK Student Route Visa?

There are certain things you can do as a UK Student route visa holder. Below we have listed the things you can do as a UK student visa holder.

• You can study with your UK student visa

• You can work as a student union sabbatical officer

• You may be able to work but how much you can work depends on your course or whether you are working in term-time or on breaks.

What can I not do with my UK Student Route Visa?

Here we have listed the things that you will not be able to do as a UK student visa holder.

• You will not be able to claim public funds and pensions

• You will not be able to work on certain jobs, for example as a sportsperson or sports coach

• You can’t be self employed

• You will not be able to study at an academy or a local authority funded school.

How Early can I Apply for a UK Student Visa?

How early you can apply for a UK student visa depends on whether or not you are applying from within the UK or outside the UK. If you are applying from outside the UK, the earliest you can apply for a UK student route visa is 6 months before the start of your course. You will get a decision on your application within 3 weeks.

If you are applying from within the UK, the earliest you can apply is 3 months before the start of your course. You have to send in your application before the expiration of your current visa. Your new course must start within 28 days of your current visa expiration.

You will usually get a decision on your visa application within 8 weeks, except their is a delay in your application due to incomplete submitted documents or any other issues that might arise.

How Long can I stay in the UK with my Student Route Visa?

How long you can stay in the UK with your student visa depends on the course that you are studying. If you are studying a degree level course that has a duration of 5 years, then it simply means that you can stay in the UK for up to five years to be able to complete your course of study.

If you are studying a course below degree level, you are generally required to stay in the UK for up to two years except in a case where you want to pursue a higher course and decide to extend your UK visa.

Can I stay longer in the UK?

You can stay longer in the UK by:

• Extending your UK student visa

• Switching from another UK visa to a UK student visa

• Applying for a UK post-graduate visa which allows you to stay in the UK for up to two years to search for jobs or to work.

What is CAS?

CAS is an abbreviation for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. Generally when you are offered a provisional admission to study a course by a licensed student sponsor, your education provider will forward you a reference number known as the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, without which you can’t proceed with your student visa application.

UK Student Visa Requirement

In order to successfully apply and get a UK Student visa, certain requirements must be met. Below, we have broken these requirements into different categories for easy understanding.

UK Student Visa Course Requirement

Below you will find the list of courses that you can do with a UK Student route visa.

• A full-time course leading to the award of a qualification that is below degree level (RQF level 3, 4 or 5) with 15 hours a week of organized daytime study.

• A full-time course leading to the award of a qualification that is degree level or above (RQF level 6, 7 or 8).

• A part-time course leading to the award of a qualification that is below degree level (RQF level 7 or above)

• A recognized foundation program for post-graduate doctors and dentists.

• An English Language course at level B2 or higher in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

UK Student Visa Financial Requirement

To get your UK student visa application approved, you need to prove that you are financially capable of paying all your course fees. You will find all the fees associated with your course of study on the Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies that will be sent to you by your education provider.

In addition to proving that you can pay for all your fees, you also have to prove that you are financially capable of taking care of yourself through out your period of study in the UK. The amount you will need is dependent on the location where you will be studying.

• If you are studying in London, you will generally need 1,334 pounds per month, for up to 9 months.

• If you are studying outside London, you will generally need 1,023 pounds per month, for up to 9 months.

If your education provider is a privately owned school that has a boarding facility, you will be required to pay for a boarding fee instead. the amount you will pay will be specified on the CAS document that will be sent to you.

Note: You must have this money in your bank account for consecutive 28 days, the end date of the 28 days period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your student visa.

Exceptions to UK Student Visa Financial Requirement

You are not required to prove your financial capacity to get a UK student visa if:

• You have lived in the UK within the last 12 months with a valid UK visa

• If you are applying as a student union sabbatical officer

• You are applying as a post-graduate doctor or dentist on a recognized foundation program.

UK Student Visa English Language Proficiency Requirement

In order to be granted a UK student visa, you must prove that you are knowledgeable in English Language. You can prove this by writing and passing a standardized English Language test (TOEFL, IELTS), having a GCSE, A level, and so on.

You also need to prove that you can read, write, speak and understand English Language to certain level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

• Level B2 for degree level courses and above

• Level B1 for below degree level courses

Exceptions for UK Student Visa English Language Proficiency Requirement

You are exempted from proving your knowledge of English language if you are applying from the countries listed below or have acquired a qualification that is equivalent to UK degree in one of them.

Required Documents for a UK Student Visa

During your UK student visa application process, you are required to submit certain documents in order for your visa application to be processed. Here, we have listed out all these documents that you will need to submit.

• International Passport: You need to have ready your international passport which is valid for at least 6 months beyond your period of stay in the UK.

• Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS): This document contains the details of your intended course of study, the total fees to be paid for the course. It will be sent to you from your education provider.

• Bank Statement: You have to prove that you have enough funds to cover your fees, as well as take care of yourself during the period of your study in the UK. You prove this by making available your bank account statements.

• Tuberculosis Test Result: You have to undergo a medical examination and have ready the result of the test.

• ATAS Certificate: ATAS simply means Academic Technology Approved Scheme. You need to have ready this certificate if your intended course of study has to do with sensitive topics at RQF level 7 and above.

• Proof of parental or legal guardian consent if you are under 18 years of age.

• Proof of your relationship with your parents or legal guardian if you are under 18 years of age.

UK Student Visa Application Process from outside the UK

• Apply Online: The first step is to apply online. You must enter the reference number that was sent to you by your education provider into your visa application. The reference number is also known as Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. It is very important that you include this number in your visa application.

• Prove your Identity: After applying for your UK student visa, it is generally required that you prove your identity. How you do this varies from country to country. Depending on the country you are applying from, you are either required to undergo a digital fingerprint scan and photo capture (biometric information) at a visa application center or use the “UK Immigration : ID Check” app to scan your identity documents. Using the “UK Immigration : ID Check” app, you will have to create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigrations (UKVI) account.

It usually takes 3 weeks to get a decision on your visa application. But you can pay for premium processing to get a faster decision on your application.

UK Student Visa Application Process from within the UK

You can apply for a UK student visa from within the UK if:

• You are are currently on another valid UK visa and want to switch to a student visa

• You want to extend the validity of your current UK student visa.

In both cases, you have to follow the procedures below.

• Apply Online: You first have to apply online, you have to make sure you include your reference number sent to you by your education provider on the visa application.

• Proof of Identity: If you haven’t already submitted your biometric information at the UK visa application center in your home country during your first UK visa application, then you have to submit your biometric information to the UK Visas and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point or make use of the “UK Immigration : ID Check” app to send your biometric information.

Key points

Applying for UK visa from within the UK usually takes within 8 weeks to get a decision for your visa application, but you can pay for premium processing to get a faster decision on your application.

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before the start of your course and you have to apply before the expiration of your current visa. Your new course must start within 28 days of your current visa expiration.

You must also apply within 6 months of getting your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.

Cost Implication of Applying for a UK Student Visa

Here is a breakdown of how much it would cost you to apply for a UK student visa.

• Student Visa Fee: The UK student visa fee is 490 pounds.

• Healthcare Surcharge Fee: The fee you will pay for healthcare surcharge depends on how long you will be staying in the UK.

Can my Dependents join me in the UK?

Your dependents (your spouse, children under 18, civil partner, unmarried partner) can join you in the UK, if you are a government sponsored student pursuing a course that is longer than 6 months or a full-time student on a post-graduate level course (level RQF 7 or above) that last up to 9 months and above.

If your post-graduate level course begins after 1 January 2024, it must be either:

• A PHD or other doctorate degrees (RQF level 8)

• A research based higher degree

You need to prove your relationship with your family members when you apply by providing marriage certificate and birth certificate of your children. In addition to this, you also have to prove that your children are:

• Not married or in any civil partnership

• Living with you, unless they are living away from home in a full-time education.

You need to prove their address by submitting their bank statement, driver license, credit card bills or an official letter from their education provider.

Financial Requirements for your Dependents

Your dependents need to prove that they have enough money to support themselves throughout your period of study in the UK. The amount they will need is dependent on the location you will be studying:

• 845 pounds per month for up to 9 months for courses in London

• 680 pounds per month for up to 9 months for courses outside London.

UK Student Visa Application Process for my Dependents

The application process for your dependents is practically the same with the application process explained above. They have to individually apply online. After applying online, they have to prove their identity be submitting their biometric information to the UK visa application center, or use the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app to send their biometric information.

They will need your application number (Global Web Form or Unique Application Number) that you will get when you apply. You will find this number on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

If your dependents are already in the UK, they can apply to extend or switch to another visa at the same time you are applying to extend or switch your visa, or they can apply to extend or switch their visas at any time before their current visa expires.

Your dependents cannot apply to switch their visa in the UK if they have one of the following visas:

• a visit visa

• a short-term student visa

• a Parent of a Child Student visa

• a seasonal worker visa

• a domestic worker in a private household visa

If your dependents are already in the UK applying to extend or switch their visa, they have to first apply online. After applying online, they have to send their biometric information to the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

It will take around 8 weeks for them to get a decision on their visa application, but they can get a faster decision by paying for a premium processing.

We hope this article was helpful. You can contact us if you want us to handle the whole application process for you and one of our expert consultant will be more than happy to assist you.