UK Student Visa (Sponsored Tier 4 successor)
Category: Student · Processing time: 3 weeks (overseas) / 8 weeks (in-country)
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Apply through official authority
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
Always submit applications through the official source. Last verified 2026-06-19.
Visa type
Student
Processing time
3 weeks (overseas) / 8 weeks (in-country)
Fees
ApplicationFee: GBP 558
Validity
Confirm on official source
Stay duration
Confirm on official source
Entry type
Confirm single/multiple entry rules
Insurance
Confirm if required
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Overview
Long-stay educational visa requiring a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from an approved UK academic institution. Path to PR: No (requires switching to a graduate or skilled
- Leads to permanent residency: No
- Requires job offer: No
- Language required: Yes
- Minimum education: Must meet entry criteria for the designated RQF level course
- Financial requirement: Applicants must demonstrate required monthly maintenance funds for up to 9 months, unless they have been living inside the UK with valid status for at least 12 months.
- Accommodation proof: No
- Return ticket: No
Estimated Costs
- - ApplicationFee: GBP 558
- - ImmigrationHealthSurcharge: GBP 776/year (Reduced student rate)
- - PriorityService: GBP 500
Required Documents
- - Valid international passport or matching travel credentials
- - Official Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) electronic reference number
- - Bank statements or official scholarship certificates verifying required maintenance funds
- - Valid Secure English Language Test (SELT) certificate or certified academic exemption logs
- - Tuberculosis test certificate (if applying from a listed target country)
Application Steps
- Secure an unconditional offer and obtain a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed UK sponsor.
- Compile explicit evidence of your financial maintenance funds to satisfy mandatory living cost rules.
- Complete and submit the electronic student application path via the official GOV.UK portal.
- Pay the mandatory baseline application fee along with your upfront multi-year student health surcharge.
- Book an appointment to enroll biometric data at a local visa center or submit details via the UKVI ID application.
- Await the official decision before booking non-refundable travel or starting your university semester tracking.
Always confirm the latest steps and forms on the official portal: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) →
Travel Insurance Requirement
- Mandatory: Confirm with official source
- Minimum coverage: Confirm current coverage rules
- Valid regions: Confirm accepted regions
- Approved providers: Use providers accepted by the official authority
Embassy, Consulate & Appointments
- - Embassy, consulate, regional jurisdiction handling, and tracking protocols vary by applicant location.
- - Always check the specific local center processing routes before locking in travel timelines or tracking metrics.
Browse foreign embassies in United Kingdom (MigrantIQ directory) →
Directory listings are for planning only — not legal advice. Confirm jurisdiction and appointment rules on the official portal.
Application checklist
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Benefits & What This Visa Allows
- - Grants legitimate long-stay authorization to reside, study, and complete a recognized degree track inside the UK
- - Enables part-time employment rights (up to 20 hours per week during term time) for most degree-level tracks
- - Provides immediate access to the Post-Study Graduate Route, allowing you to seek local corporate work for up to 2 years post-graduation
Trust & safety
Before you pay or submit documents
Use the official portal for applications and payments. Be careful with agents who guarantee approval, ask for personal-account transfers, or pressure you to send originals before a written contract.
Relevant laws
- Immigration Status and Overstay Rules
Immigration · Severity: Critical
Your right to stay in United Kingdom depends on the exact visa, residence permit, entry stamp, or visa-free allowance you hold. Do not assume a pending application, job offer, or school admis
- Work Authorisation Rules
Employment · Severity: Critical
In United Kingdom, a visa that allows entry does not always allow work. Paid employment, freelancing, remote work, internships, and trial shifts may each have different permission rules.
- Tax Residency and Income Reporting
Tax · Severity: High
Living in United Kingdom for long enough, working locally, or registering as a resident may trigger tax-residency or income-reporting duties even if your income is paid from abroad.
Active scam alerts
Some agents overcharge newcomers for translations, notarisation, apostilles, or courier services for United Kingdom, and may produce documents that are not accepted by official authorities.
Scammers impersonate airport staff, immigration officers, or travel agents and claim you must pay a special fee to enter United Kingdom, avoid questioning, release documents, or fast-track bo
Fraudsters offer admission, scholarships, or student visa packages for United Kingdom through unofficial agents. Victims may receive fake acceptance letters that fail verification during visa
Scammers advertise fake apartments in United Kingdom, pressure newcomers to transfer a deposit before viewing, and disappear after sending a fake lease or copied property photos.
Quick Eligibility Check
Use this self-check for Student Visa. It does not replace official legal assessment.
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United Kingdom: UK planning checklist →Prepare key UK arrival, visa, and safety tasks.
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Common Rejection Reasons
- - Submitting financial statements where personal maintenance funds dipped below the mandatory baseline for even one day of the 28-day continuous timeline
- - The sponsoring institution withdrawing or canceling the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference token before processing matches
- - Failing to satisfy the Home Office Genuine Student assessment during potential interview verification panels
- - Failing to provide an approved English language proficiency layout or utilizing uncertified test networks
Application Tips
- - Submit your visa entry file up to 6 months before your course start date when applying from outside the UK to clear seasonal backlogs.
- - Ensure the name and details on your bank statements perfectly match your passport or your legal guardian's documentation.
- - Double-check that any required academic transcripts or credentials specified on your CAS file are uploaded exactly as listed.
- - Do not trust unofficial academic placement organizations that guarantee visa approvals or demand direct cash payments for state clearances.
Sources & References
Use these references for verification. Official government and appointment portals override summary guidance on MigrantIQ.
- UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
Official source for forms, appointments, fees, and final requirements.
- MigrantIQ visa record
Summary record maintained for planning and source verification.
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