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ADULT STUDENTS

This section provides details of how an adult student can come to the UK and study. The adult (also known as general) student category is for people coming to the United Kingdom for post-16 education. You and your approved education provider can agree whether you apply as an adult or child student if you are 16 or 17 years old and studying a course a National Qualfication Framework level 3 or the same as or above.

You can apply for a student visa from inside the United Kingdom, if you are in an immigration category that allows you to switch in to the adult student category. If you are applying for a student visa from outside the United Kingdom, you should check with your local visa issuing post (also known as entry clearance post) to see how you may need to apply in your country of residence, as well as providing the application form and your documents and proof.

You must give your biometrics when applying, and how you give them will depend on if you are applying inside or outside the United Kingdom. When and where you apply from depends if you are applying from inside or outside the United Kingdom, as do the waiting or processing times.

You can extend your student visa in the UK, meeting the similair criterias when you first entered the UK. You will have to be able to show you have a place in a course with an approved education provider, and have enough money to cover your course fees and monthly living costs when you submit your application. You may need a lower amount of money for your living costs. You have to fill in the application form, and provide it with your visa fee and documents and proof. You must also arrange to give your biometrics. You can post your application or make an appointment to take it to a public enquiry office.

You have to provide bio-metric data. You must have your photograph taken and give your fingerprints, which are known as your biometric information. If you are applying from inside the United Kingdom, you will have to apply for an identity card for foreign nationals.

Your identity card is proof of your permission to stay in the United Kingdom and shows any conditions you must meet while you are here. It helps your approved education provider see what you are entitled to. The card enables you to confirm your identity, what rights you have to study or work here and to access public services. If you are applying from outside the United Kingdom, go to the visa services website, which you can find on the right side of this page, to find out where to give your biometrics in the country you are applying from.

Your student visa will have conditions placed. Whilst in the United Kingdom as a student you must meet the following:

  • not claim any state benefits (known as public funds) that you are not entitled to;
  • register with the police, if this is needed by paragraph 326 of the immigration rules.

Working in the UK

You can work part-time during term time, as long as it is no more than 20 hours a week, and full-time during vacations. You can work on a work placement that forms an assessed part of your course as long is it is no more than 50% of the total length of the course in the United Kingdom.

You are not allowed to be self-employed, employed as a doctor in training (other than a vacancy on a recognised Foundation Programme), employed as a professional sports person (including a sports coach), as an entertainer or to fill a full-time vacancy. Your can work as a student union sabbatical officer for up to two years.

As an adult student, you are allowed to work:

  • part-time during term time, up to a maximum of 20 hours a week;
  • full-time during vacations;
  • on a work placement as part of your course;
  • as a postgraduate doctor or dentist on a recognised Foundation Programme; and
  • as a student union sabbatical officer for up to two years.

The work you do must not fill a full-time permanent vacancy (other than on a recognised Foundation Programme), and you must not be self-employed, employed as a doctor in training (other than on a recognised Foundation Programme) or as a professional sportsperson (including coach) or entertainer.

Bringing your partner and children

You can bring your partner or children to the United Kingdom while you are studying, as long as they, or you, have enough to cover their monthly living costs, and are able to prove this. The conditions of their stay mean they cannot claim state benefits and may have to register with the police.

Your partner and children can work while they are here as long as you have been given more than 12 months permission to stay in the United Kingdom. If you are sending applications for your family members (known as dependants) at the same time as your own application, make sure all applications are sent together in one envelope so their applications are considered free of charge. Family members applications sent separately or later will have to pay a fee and Home Office will not consider them unless you pay the right fee.

The term family members in respect to the student capacity is:

Family members are:

  • your husband, wife or civil partner; or 
  • your unmarried or same-sex partner; or 
  • your children aged under 18 years old.

You can bring your family members as long as they can support themselves financially for the entire length of their stay in the United Kingdom without needing help from state benefits (also known as public funds).

The money that your family members will need to show depends on your own circumstances, including: 

  • the length of your course;
  • where you will be studying; and 
  • if you are applying having completed a course, or are about to complete a course of study in the United Kingdom that was at least six months long in the past four months. 

Your family members (or you) must have enough money to cover their monthly living costs. Your family member may have to pay a lower amount of living costs if you are applying having completed a course, or are about to complete a course of study in the United Kingdom that was at least six months long in the past four months.  If your family member does not have enough money and cannot prove it, their application will be refused.

If the application for your dependants are approved, they will be given leave in accordance to your leave.

CHILD STUDENTS


This section provides details of how a child student can come to the UK and study. The child student visa is for people coming to or remaining in the United Kingdom to be educated between four and 17 years old. Children between four and 15 years old must be educated at independent fee-paying schools.

If you are 16 and 17 years old, you can choose whether to apply as an adult or child student, depending on the type and level of course you want to study. The child student category is for people coming to the United Kingdom to be educated between four and 17 years old. Children between four and 15 years old must be educated at independent fee-paying schools.

You and your approved education provider can agree whether you apply as a general or child student if you are 16 or 17 years old and studying a course at National Qualification Framework level 3 or the same as or above. You must apply as a child student if you want to study National Qualifications Framework level 2.

You can apply for a student visa from inside the United Kingdom if you are currently here as a prospective student or as a student under the immigration rules that were in place before 31 March 2009.

If you are applying for a student visa from outside the United Kingdom, you should check with your local visa issuing post (also known as entry clearance post) to see how you may need to apply in your country of residence as well as providing the application form and your documents and proof. You must give your biometrics when applying, and how you give them will depend on if you are applying inside or outside the United Kingdom. When and where you will apply from depends on if you are applying from inside or outside the United Kingdom, as do the waiting or processing times.

What is bio-metric data and is this required? You have to provide bio-metric data. You must have your photograph taken and give your fingerprints, which are known as your biometric information. If you are applying from inside the United Kingdom, you will have to apply for an identity card for foreign nationals.

Your identity card is proof of your permission to stay in the United Kingdom and shows any conditions you must meet while you are here. It helps your approved education provider see what you are entitled to. The card enables you to confirm your identity, what rights you have to study or work here and to access public services. If you are applying from outside the United Kingdom, go to the visa services website, which you can find on the right side of this page, to find out where to give your biometrics in the country you are applying from.

There are conditions set on the child student visa. The conditions of your stay mean you cannot claim state benefits and may have to register with the police. You are not allowed to apply to stay in the United Kingdom permanently (also known as settlement) after being in a student immigration category. Children under 12 year olds are allowed to come to the United Kingdom with a parent or legal guardian.

There are conditions set on working in the UK for child students. You are not allowed to work in the UK if you are under the age of 16.

STUDENT VISITORS

This section provides details of those who can come to the UK and study on a short course. You are not allowed to switch to this category whilst you are in the UK. If you are coming to the United Kingdom as a student visitor, you must genuinely be seeking entry to study here for the limited period you tell us you require. This period must not exceed six months.

Additionally, you must have been accepted on a course of study that will be provided by an organisation which is:

  • the holder of a sponsor licence for Tier 4 of the points- based system; or
  • accredited by an accrediation body approved by the UK Border Agency; or
  • an overseas higher education institution which offers only part of its programmes in the United Kingdom, holds its own national accreditation and offers programmes that are of an equivalent level to a United Kingdom degree.

You must also:

  • leave the United Kingdom at the end of the visit you told us about;
  • support and pay for accommodation for yourself and any dependants, without help from public funds; or
  • make sure that you and your dependants will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends, and not take employment; and
  • be able to meet the cost of your return or onward journey.

You must not:

  • take employment in the United Kingdom;
  • engage in business, produce goods or provide services within the United Kingdom, including selling goods or services direct to members of the public;
  • study at a government-funded school;
  • be a child under the age of 18;
  • undertake part-time or full-time vacation employment;
  • undertake a work placement or internship (paid or unpaid) as part of your course of study; or
  • extend your stay in the United Kingdom.

 

If you wish to come here as a student visitor for a course of less than six months, you must meet the same entry clearance requirements as a general visitor.

You will not be able to extend your stay in the United Kingdom as a student visitor. There are no provisions in the student visitor rules for extensions to be granted. You can only obtain leave (permission to enter the United Kingdom) as a student visitor by applying for a student visitor visa at a British diplomatic post abroad or by seeking leave from an immigration officer when you arrive in the United Kingdom.

If the Home Office refuse your application, the entry clearance officer or the immigration officer will tell you and you will be given a detailed written refusal notice. This will tell you if and how you can appeal.