Visa Information

Do you need a visa?

Students from the EU and EEA do not require a visa.
Visa nationals – you are required to get a visa before leaving your country (pre-entry clearance).
Non-visa nationals – you are required to get a visa, but you can get a Child or Student Visitor Visa on arrival in the UK. If you want a General Student Visa you must get it before leaving home (pre-entry clearance).

See below for Visa national and Non-visa national countries.

Visa National Countries

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Belarus Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Herzegovina Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad China (except for Hong Kong and Macao) Colombia Comoros Cuba Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Fiji Gabon Gambia Georgia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Guyana Haiti India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ivory Coast Jamaica Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Korea (North) Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Liberia Libya Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Nepal Niger Nigeria Oman Pakistan Peru Philippines Qatar Russia Rwanda Sao Tome e Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa (except those who have already visited the UK using this passport) Sri Lanka Sudan Surinam Syria Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe The territories formerly comprising the socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Venezuelan visitors who have new secure fingerprint passports issued since 2007 will be allowed to enter the United Kingdom without applying for a visa

Non-Visa National Countries

Argentina Australia Brazil Chile Croatia/Herzegovena Honduras Hong Kong Israel Japan Malaysia Mexico Panama Paraguay South Korea Taiwan Tibet Uruguay

Types of visa

1. General Student Visa (GSV), also known as an Adult Student Visa (TIER 4 PBS)

Suitable for students of age 16 and over coming for a longer course, and the only visa suitable for someone coming to study for more than 6 months. Also available for people doing a shorter course but it is unknown how many such applications will be successful.
Students need to be a CEF B1, ready to start a course at B2. You must be able to prove you can follow a course at B2 level.
Can be renewed in the UK, provided that the person attends at least 80% of classes, and can demonstrate progress, preferably by taking a public examination with results available at the time of the renewal application.
You can work 10 hours/week during your course, and full-time in holiday time.
Available for both visa nationals and non-visa nationals, pre-entry clearance only.
A GSV will usually be given for the exact length of the course, plus a short time for the student to prepare to leave the UK (as little as a week). So if you want to take a holiday while in the UK you should inform us when you enrol so the dates are included in your acceptance certificate.
Cost: £199 (as of 06/04/2010)

2. Student Visitor Visa (SVV)

Suitable for students of age 18 or over coming for a shorter course of up to 6 months.
Available for students at any level of English, including beginners.
Cannot be renewed. Students successfully completing their course in the UK can later apply for a GSV but in their own country, not in the UK.
Students are not able to work.
Available for both visa nationals (pre-entry clearance) and non-visa nationals (pre-entry clearance or on arrival in the UK).
Cost: Pre-entry clearance £67; on arrival in UK free.

3. Child Visitor Visa (CVV)

Suitable for students of age 17 or under coming for a shorter course of up to 6 months.
Available for students at any level of English, including beginners.
Cannot be renewed.
Students are not able to work.
Available for both visa nationals (pre-entry clearance) and non-visa nationals (pre-entry clearance or on arrival in the UK).
Cost: Pre-entry clearance £67; on arrival in UK free.

4. Visitor’s visa (VV)

Non-visa nationals can get this visa on arrival in the UK if they are coming for tourism only, but it is not suitable for students who wish to study. Students should ensure they get a SVV when they arrive in the UK.

Apply visa

General Student Visa (GSV), also known as an Adult Student Visa (TIER 4 PBS)

To apply for a GSV you will need:

1. Points: the system is based entirely on “points” and you will need 40 points as follows:

Acceptance from an institution on the Sponsor Register (30 points)
To provide this acceptance we will need:
a) Our completed student profile questionnaire, including passport details.
b) Proof of your English level – see point 2 below.
c) Payment of course fees in full.
Evidence of funds (10 points).
To study in London you must show you have living costs of £800 per month for the period of your studies. If the visa application is for 9 months or longer, 9 months’ funds must be shown. Proof can be cash in: an account in your name, including joint accounts with your name, held for at least 28 days prior to the date of the visa application; a loan in your name; or official financial or government sponsorship.

2. Proof that your English level is CEFR B1 (and that you ready to start a course at B2 level).

You will need to provide us with a copy of one of the following documents and the British Embassy with the original (If the proof is not in English you will need to submit an authenticated translation):

High School attendance record or leaving certificate showing that you have studied English for 3-5 years or more.
Attendance certificate from an English language course in your country, in the UK or another English-speaking country.
Internationally recognised certificate in English (eg: PET, FCE, CAE, IELTS, TOEFL, BULATS, BEC).
Reference from an appropriately qualified person to state that you have studied English, citing the course and dates and giving the referee’s contact details on headed paper.
Examinations Accepted Minimum Score Accepted for a CAS application
IELTS 4 - 4.5
PBT TOEFL 475
CBT TOEFL 152
IBT TOEFL 49-50
TOEIC 600
Cambridge PET
BULATS 59
BEC Preliminary
Students will also need to take the Frances King paper test (supervised by the Agent) and may also need to have a SKYPE interview to further assess their speaking and listening skills.
Students also need to complete the Certificate of Acceptance (CAS) Questionnaire 2010 which we will send to students / Agents by email.

Student Visitor Visa (SVV)

All non-visa nationals, and visa nationals seeking pre-clearance, will have to apply to the British Embassy in their country. To apply for a SVV you will need:

An acceptance from an institution.
Evidence of funds.

The website at the foot of the page shows details of what students might be expected to show, including that you:

Only want to visit the United Kingdom for up to six months.
Plan to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your visit.
Have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working, help from public funds or you will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends.
Can meet the cost of the return or onward journey.

For more information: Home Office UK Border Agency