UK Student visa
Who it's for: People aged 16 or over with an unconditional offer from a UK university or college that holds a student sponsor licence.
Information, not immigration advice. This page summarises what the government publishes. Confirm every figure on the official page before you pay or apply.
Last checked 27 Oct 2026
Requirements at a glance
- An unconditional offer and a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed student sponsor
- Course fees for up to one year, plus living costs for up to 9 months, held for 28 days in a row
- Living costs of £1,171 a month outside London or £1,529 in London
- English at CEFR B2 for degree-level courses (B1 below degree level)
- A TB test from a UK-approved clinic for applicants from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and the Philippines
- Visa fee of £558 per person, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at £776 a year
Figures and costs
| Item | Amount | In your currency | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa fee, per person | £558 | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, per year (student rate) | £776 | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Health surcharge for a one-year course (about 16 months) | £1,164 check | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Living costs per month, outside London | £1,171From 30 Nov 2026: £1,203 | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Living costs per month, London | £1,529From 30 Nov 2026: £1,570 | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Months of living costs to show | 9 months | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 | |
| Days the money must be held | 28 days | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 | |
| Each family member, per month, outside London | £680 check | — | gcu.ac.ukSecondary · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Each family member, per month, London | £845 check | — | gcu.ac.ukSecondary · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Usual decision time from outside the UK | 3 weeks | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 | |
| Graduate visa after your course | 24 monthsFrom 1 Jan 2027: 18 months | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
Figures marked check come from secondary sources or could not be confirmed on an official page.
Costs and local steps by country
Costs in your currency, plus what's specific to applying from there, such as the approved TB test clinics.
How the route works
You choose a licensed university or college, meet its offer conditions and receive a CAS reference number. You then prove your English, arrange the money and the TB test, and apply online up to 6 months before the course starts. Most applicants outside the UK prove their identity at a visa application centre or with the UK Immigration: ID Check app.
The money rules people most often get wrong
The money must stay in the account for the whole 28-day period, counted back from the last transaction on the statement. Accounts in a parent’s name are accepted with a birth certificate and consent letters; accounts in the name of other relatives or friends, and private loans, are not.
After the course
Graduates can usually switch to the Graduate visa from inside the UK. It is shortening for applications from 1 January 2027 (PhD graduates keep 3 years). Neither the Student visa nor the Graduate visa leads to settlement on its own.
Common questions
Can I bring my spouse or children on a UK Student visa?
Only if you study a PhD or another research-based postgraduate course, or a government-sponsored course longer than 6 months. Taught master's and undergraduate students cannot bring dependants under the current rules.
How long must the money be in my account?
For 28 days in a row, and the statement's end date must be within 31 days of the day you apply. If the balance dips below the amount during those 28 days, the count starts again.
Can I work while I study?
Degree-level students can work up to 20 hours a week in term time; below degree level the limit is 10 hours. Your CAS and visa show the exact conditions.
The full Student visa guide
Step-by-step process, every cost for you and your family, document checklist, money rules, common refusal reasons and official links. The same guide for every buyer, dated.
Other UK routes
Before you pay anyone
- Nobody can guarantee a visa. Only the government of the country you apply to decides.
- UK employers must not charge you for a Certificate of Sponsorship.
- German missions say you don't need an agent to get a visa appointment.
- Check any adviser or recruitment agent on an official register before you pay.