UK Student visa
The UK Student visa is the route for people aged 16 and over to study in the UK, and it replaced Tier 4 (General). An application rests on a CAS issued by a Home Office licensed student sponsor.
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- An unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor.
- At least 16 years of age.
- English at CEFR B1 or B2 according to the course level.
- Evidence of funds for tuition and maintenance.
- A valid passport or other travel document.
A place at a university and permission to come and take it up are two separate things, and the second depends on the institution holding a sponsor licence. Which institutions hold one is at UK universities.
01
What is the UK Student visa?
The Student visa is permission to study granted on the strength of a CAS number issued by a Home Office licensed student sponsor, and the number is the foundation of the application. Without it there is no route.
The licence sits with the institution rather than the applicant, and the register of licensed sponsors is published. An offer from an institution without a licence cannot lead to a Student visa.
02
What are the requirements for a UK Student visa?
GOV.UK publishes four requirements: an unconditional offer from a licensed sponsor, a minimum age of 16, English at CEFR B1 or B2 depending on the level of the course, and evidence of funds for fees and maintenance.
03
What are the steps in a Student visa application?
GOV.UK publishes the order: an unconditional offer and the CAS record, the online form, payment of the fee and the healthcare surcharge, identity verification and uploading documents. The decision clock begins once all of it is complete.
The CAS is issued after the offer is accepted and any deposit is paid, so the institution's own timetable sits inside the visa timetable rather than beside it.
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04
Which documents are required for a Student visa?
GOV.UK makes two documents compulsory in every application: a valid passport or other travel document, and the CAS record issued by the education provider. Which further documents are required depends on the applicant's own circumstances.
05
What does a UK Student visa cost?
The Student visa application fee is £558 from outside the UK, and the same amount applies to extending or switching from inside it. The healthcare surcharge is charged at the reduced student rate for each year of the visa.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application, from outside the UK | £558 |
| Extend or switch, from inside the UK | £558 |
| Healthcare surcharge | Student rate, per year |
06
How long does a Student visa application take?
The published decision time is three weeks for applications made from outside the UK and eight weeks for applications made from inside it. The period runs from the point the form, the identity check and the documents are complete.
Because the count starts at completeness rather than at submission, a missing document does not delay a decision by a few days but stops the clock entirely until it arrives.
Sources
- GOV.UK — The Student visa is for people aged 16 and over, rests on a CAS from a licensed student sponsor, costs £558 and carries published decision times of three weeks from outside the UK and eight weeks from inside it. — 26 August 2026
- GOV.UK — The English requirement is CEFR B1 or B2 depending on the level of the course. — 26 August 2026
- GOV.UK — A valid passport or other travel document and the CAS record are required in every Student visa application; further documents depend on circumstances. — 26 August 2026
