Visa requirements to study in the UK

Many students would love to study in the UK, but before you can go there, you also have to consider the visa requirements.

The UK government welcomes students from all over the world and is happy about the high number of student visas every year.

For the most up to date information, you should check the website of the UK Border Agency (UKBA) managing the UK visas.

Who needs a visa?

There are two groups of persons:

1) The European Union, European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss Citizens

Including countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden

Having a Swiss passport or a passport from one of the countries being part of the European Union or the EEA, you don’t need a visa to study in the United Kingdom.
It is also valid for students who have dual citizenship and who use an EU/EEA/Swiss Passport to get into the country.

Nevertheless, as a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you can get a visa, but it is not required.

2) Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals

If you aren’t part of the first group above, you have to check the following two categories of nationalities: Visa Nationals and Non-visa Nationals.

Visa Nationals

Including 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, People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, 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), Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Peru, Philippines, Quatar, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Sudan, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tome e Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnma, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the territories formerly comprising the socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Being a citizen of one of the countries on the list, you have to fulfil the following requirements to study in the UK:

– You have to obtain your visa before arriving in the United Kingdom.
– If you would like to stay in the country for six months or more or you plan to work there, you need the Tier 4 (General) student visa.
– If you would like to stay in the country for less than six months and you don’t work there, you need a student visitor visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa.

Non-visa Nationals

Being a citizen of a country which is not in one of the lists above, you belong to the Non-visa Nationals. For getting the possibility to study in the UK, you have to fulfil the following requirements:

– You have to obtain your visa before arriving in the UK.
– If you would like to stay in the country for six months or more or you plan to work there, you need the Tier 4 (General) student visa.
– If you want to stay in the country for less than six months and you don’t work there, you can apply for entry as a student visitor.

Which visas exist?

Short-term study visa

The short-term study visa is made for students being 16 years old or over and wanting to do a short course (up to six months) or an 11-months English language course.

It costs £93 for a 6-month-visa and £179 for an 11-month-visa. Besides, you are not allowed to work in the UK with the short-term study visa.

Check this article on GOV.UK for more information.

Tier 4 student visa

The Tier 4 student visas – Child and General – allow you to do a longer course in the UK. To get this student visa, your course must be at a school, college or university listed on the UKBA list of licensed sponsors.

Tier 4 (Child) student visa

The Tier 4 (Child) student visa is made for students wanting to study at an independent school in the United Kingdom.

It is made for students being between 4 and 17:

Under 16: You are allowed to do a course up to six years.
16 or 17 years old: You are allowed to do a course up to three years.

To apply for the Tier 4 (Child) student visa, you have to pay £335.

Check this article on GOV.UK for more information.

Tier 4 (General) student visa

The Tier 4 (General) student visa is made for students being 16 years or over. They also need a place on a course, can speak, read, write and understand English and have enough money to support themselves and to pay for the course.

It costs £335 to apply for the Tier 4 (General) student visa from outside the UK.

Check this article on GOV.UK for more information.

Furthermore, you can apply for all visas up to three months before your date of travel to the United Kingdom and the final decision will take about three weeks.

Come back to CourseFinders.com for more articles about languages and studying abroad.

Find your perfect language school Search CourseFinders to find the course for you