02/09/2015
Student Visa Requirements
1. Overview
You can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:
have been offered a place on a coursecan speak, read, write and understand Englishhave enough money to support yourself and and pay for your course - the amount will vary depending on your circumstancesare from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerlandmeet the other eligibility requirementsWhen to apply
You can apply from 3 months before the start of your course.
You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. You can check visa processing timesfor your country.
Fees
It costs £322 to apply for this visa from outside the UK.
You must pay £322 per person for any dependants.
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surchargeas part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
How long you can stay
You can arrive in the UK before your course starts:
up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or lessup to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months
How long you can stay depends on the kind of course you’re doing and what study you’ve already completed.
What you can and can’t do
You can:
studywork as a student union sabbatical officerapply from inside or outside the UKapply to extend your staywork - depending on what level your course is and what kind of sponsor you have
You can’t:
get public fundswork as a professional sportsperson, including a sports coachstudy at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school)
You may be able to bring in family members (dependants).
