How to Apply for a UK Student Visa
Get a place with a licensed student sponsor. Get your CASConfirmation of Acceptance for Studies — The electronic number a UK licensed sponsor (university) issues so you can apply for a Student visa.Click for official info ↗. Show you have £1,529/month for living costs in London. You must hold the money for 28 days. This amount rises to £1,570/month from 30 November 2026 onwards. Apply online and give your biometrics. After you graduate, the Graduate route lets you stay and work for 2 years. If you apply from 1 January 2027 onwards, you can stay for 18 months. Budget 2026 says graduates of high-compliance universities with strong job outcomes will keep 2 years, but no list of universities has been published yet, so plan for 18 months.
At a glance
- Cost:
- £558 visa + £776/year health surcharge (2026)
- Total time:
- About 3 weeks
- Steps:
- 6 steps
- Where to apply:
- gov.uk
Last reviewed November 2026 against official sources. Re-checked annually · next review due November 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official UK sources(November 2026).
0 of 6 steps
- Before You Go Months (apply by January for autumn)
Get an offer and accept it
Apply to universities directly. For undergraduate courses, you usually apply through UCAS. You must have an offer from a licensed Student sponsor. The offer must be unconditional, or you must have met its conditions. The course must be full-time. When you accept the offer, the university gives you your CAS. This is a unique reference number. You need it for your visa application.
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- Before You Go 28 days minimum
Hold the maintenance money for 28 days
You must show £1,529 per month if you will live in London. You must show £1,171 per month if you will live elsewhere. You need this money for up to 9 months. The money must be in your account for 28 days in a row. It can also be in the account of a parent or legal guardian. Those days must end within 31 days of your application. Your balance must not drop below the amount you need during that time. Show this with bank statements or a letter from the bank. If you have already spent 12+ months in the UK on a valid visa, you do not need to show this money. From 30 November 2026 onwards, the amounts rise. They rise to £1,570/month in London and £1,203/month elsewhere. This applies to applications made on or after that date. See Statement of Changes HC 584, 3 September 2026 for the details.
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- Fill / Prepare 1–2 hours
Apply online and pay
Apply at gov.uk. The Student visa fee is £558 in total. You also pay the immigration health surchargeIHS — The fee most UK visa applicants pay upfront to use the NHS — £1,035 per year for most adults (2025 rate).Click for official info ↗. It is £776 for each year of the visa. You get the surcharge back if your visa is refused. You can apply up to 6 months before your course starts. Answer each question with care. Many visas are refused because of simple mistakes. For example, wrong course dates or names that do not match.
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- Go Appointment: 30 min
Give biometrics and submit documents
Book an appointment at a VAC. In some countries, you can use the "UK Immigration: ID Check" app instead. You need a biometric passport for the app. At the appointment, staff take your fingerprints and your photo. They also scan your documents. Most VACs offer a priority service. It takes 5 working days and costs £500 in addition to the application fee.
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- Wait About 3 weeks
Wait for the decision
The standard wait is about 3 weeks. You may get an email that asks you to come to an interview. This is a credibility interview. They ask about your course and your money. Your decision letter arrives by email. If you are approved, you get a 90-day vignette or an eVisaUK eVisa — The digital record of UK immigration status, accessed through a UKVI account. Replaces BRPs.Click for official info ↗ confirmation.
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- Receive Ongoing
Arrive, enrol, and plan the Graduate route
You can arrive up to 1 month before your course starts. Enrol at your university and go to your classes. Universities report attendance to the Home OfficeUK Home Office — The government department responsible for visas, immigration, and citizenship in the UK.Click for official info ↗. After you finish your degree, the Graduate route lets you stay to work. You can stay for 2 years. For a PhD, you can stay for 3 years. You can work at any skill level. This applies if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 at the latest. From 1 January 2027 onwards, the stay is 18 months. A PhD stay is still 3 years. There is one exception to watch. Budget 2026 (28 October 2026) says graduates of high-compliance universities with strong labour market outcomes will keep 2 years. That is announced, not law. No rules have been laid for it, no university has been named, and the Home Office has not said what counts as high compliance. Until that changes, plan for 18 months. Apply before your Student visa ends.
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Be Careful
Don't make these mistakes
Letting your balance dip during the 28 days. The maintenance money must stay in your account for 28 days in a row, and your balance must not drop below the amount you need at any point in that time. Those 28 days must also end within 31 days of your application.
Using the old living cost amounts. From 30 November 2026 onwards, the amounts rise to £1,570/month in London and £1,203/month elsewhere. If you apply on or after that date, show the new amounts, not the old ones.
Applying with an expired CAS. CAS numbers lapse 6 months after they are issued. Check the issue date before you apply, and get a fresh CAS if yours has run out.
Getting names or course dates wrong on the form. Many visas are refused because of simple mistakes, like wrong course dates or names that do not match your documents. Check every answer against your passport and your CAS before you submit.
Assuming dependants can come on a taught masters. Students on a taught masters course can no longer bring dependants. Dependants are only possible for a PhD or research-based higher degree, or for a government-sponsored student.
Working more hours than your visa allows. At degree level you can work 20 hours per week in term-time and full-time in the holidays, but you cannot work for yourself. If you work more hours than allowed, your visa can be cancelled.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Graduate visa if I apply in 2027?
For most graduates, 18 months. The cut from 2 years to 18 months is already in the Immigration Rules (Statement of Changes HC 1333, 14 October 2025) and applies to Graduate applications made on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates still get 3 years. Budget 2026 says graduates of high-compliance universities with strong labour market outcomes will keep 2 years, but no rules have been laid, no university has been named, and there is no date for it. Until that is published, plan for 18 months. If you can apply on or before 31 December 2026, you still get 2 years under the rules as they stand.
Can my spouse or children come with me?
Only in some cases. You must be studying for a PhD or doctorate (RQF 8). Or you must be on another research-based higher degree, and the 1 January 2024 start rule must apply to your course. Or you must be a government-sponsored student. Students on a taught masters course can no longer bring dependants. Dependants pay their own visa fee and health surcharge. They must also show extra money for living costs. This is £845/month in London and £680 elsewhere.
Can I work on a Student visa?
Yes, but there are limits. If you study at degree level, you can work 20 hours per week in term-time. You can work full-time in the holidays. You can also do a work placement as part of your course. You cannot work for yourself. You cannot work as a professional sportsperson. If you work more hours than allowed, your visa can be cancelled.
What if my visa is refused?
You get a letter that says why you were refused. Common reasons are simple. Your money was not held for 28 days. Your CAS had expired. CAS numbers lapse 6 months after they are issued. Or the interview raised doubts about your answers. You can apply again and pay a new fee. Or you can ask for an administrative review if the error was in the casework. This costs £80 in total. Fix the exact problem before you apply again. More refusals can harm your record.
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