Do you need a visa?
It depends on your passport and on how long you study.
| Your situation | What you need |
|---|---|
| British or Irish citizen | Nothing. Irish citizens need no visa or permit to study or work in the UK.GOV.UK — Common Travel Area guidance |
| EU, EEA or Swiss citizen with settled or pre-settled status | No visa: your status already lets you study.GOV.UK — Student visa: EU Settlement Scheme |
| Any other passport, course longer than 6 months | A Student visa, with a place from a licensed student sponsor. EU citizens without settled status are in this case too.GOV.UK — Student visa |
| Course of 6 months or less | Come as a visitor: a Standard Visitor visa (£135) if your passport needs one, otherwise an ETA (£20).GOV.UK — Standard Visitor: visit to study; GOV.UK — Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) |
| English language course of 6 to 11 months | A Short-term study visa (£228): no work, no extension, no family.GOV.UK — Short-term study visa (English language) |
Whether your nationality needs a visa for a short visit is answered only by the official questionnaire.
Getting a place
The place comes first. You cannot apply for the visa without an unconditional offer from a university that holds a student sponsor licence.
- Undergraduate applications
- UCAS, up to 5 choices
- UCAS — Filling in your application
- £34.50 for 2027 entry
UCAS dates for 2027 entry, 18:00 UK time
- 15 October 2026Oxford, Cambridge, and most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science.
- 13 January 2027Most undergraduate courses. Many universities keep taking international applicants after this date.
- 23 September 2027Last date to apply for 2027 entry.UCAS — Dates and deadlines
Before you pay a deposit, check two official lists: the university must be recognised, and it must be on the register of licensed student sponsors.
GOV.UK — Check if a university is officially recognised; GOV.UK — Register of licensed student sponsors
Some master’s and PhD subjects in sensitive technology fields need an ATAS certificate before the visa. Nationals of the EU, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Norway and Switzerland, among others, are exempt.
From offer to visa
- Accept an unconditional offerThe university then gives you a CAS, the reference number your visa application is built on.GOV.UK — Student visa: your course (CAS)
- Take a TB test, if it applies to youRequired if you come for 6 months or more and have lived 6 months or more in a listed country. The certificate is valid for 6 months.GOV.UK — Tuberculosis test for a UK visa
- Hold the money for 28 daysThe amount must stay in the account for 28 days in a row, and that period must end no more than 31 days before you apply.GOV.UK — Student visa: money you need
- Apply onlineAt the earliest 6 months before your course starts, and within 6 months of receiving your CAS. You pay £558 and the health surcharge.GOV.UK — Student visa
- Wait for the decisionUsually 3 weeks from outside the UK, 8 weeks from inside.GOV.UK — Student visa
- Receive an eVisaNo card and no sticker: your status is a digital record in your UKVI account.GOV.UK — eVisas
Money to show
On top of your tuition, you prove you can live: a fixed amount per month, for up to 9 months.
- Course in London
- £1,529 a month
- GOV.UK — Student visa: money you need
- the City of London and the 32 London boroughs
| Living costs, 9 × £1,529 | £13,761 |
|---|---|
| First year of tuition, from your CAS | + your fee |
| To hold for 28 days | £13,761 + fee |
Outside London, the living costs are 9 × £1,171 = £10,539.
No proof is needed if you have lived in the UK with a visa for at least 12 months before you apply.
Health
You pay it with the visa application. You can then use the NHS free of charge from the day your visa starts. Prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests are still paid. If the visa is refused, the surcharge is refunded.
Working while you study
| Your course | Work allowed |
|---|---|
| Full time, degree level or above, at a university | 20 hours a week in term time, full time during the holidays.GOV.UK — Immigration Rules, Appendix Student (ST 26) |
| Full time, below degree level | 10 hours a week in term time.GOV.UK — Immigration Rules, Appendix Student (ST 26) |
| Part time | No work.GOV.UK — Immigration Rules, Appendix Student (ST 26) |
Never allowed on a Student visa: self-employment, professional sport or coaching, work as an entertainer, or a permanent full-time job.
Source: GOV.UK — Immigration Rules, Appendix Student (ST 26)
Coming with family
For courses starting since 1 January 2024, only two kinds of students can bring a partner or children: those on a PhD or a research-based postgraduate degree, and government-sponsored students on a course longer than 6 months. Each family member pays the £558 fee and the health surcharge.
After your degree
The Graduate visa lets you stay and work, with no job offer needed. Its length depends on the date you apply.
You apply from inside the UK, while on your Student visa, once your course is complete. The Graduate visa cannot be extended.
Source: GOV.UK — Graduate visa
Tuition fees
The cap on university fees protects home students. International fees are not capped in the same way in England: each university sets its own price, which can be much higher.
Source: House of Commons Library — Higher education student numbers and fees (CBP-7976)
Not verified
The rules for international fees in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.