Documents Required for UK Student Visa in 2025
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Candidates wanting to study in the UK would be required to apply for a UK Student Visa to enter the country to pursue their education. Students are advised to apply for their UK Student Visa once they have received their university admission letter otherwise referred to as Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Candidates must apply for their student visa no more than six months after they receive their CAS. Applicants would get a decision on their UK Student visa within three weeks of their application.
As per the latest update, international students pursuing a non-research Master’s degree course in the country will no longer be permitted to bring along their families or dependents to the country. Know more about the changes, here.
Also Read: Short Term Study Visa UK for Indian Students
Eligibility for UK Student Visa
The following candidates are eligible to apply for a UK Student Visa
- Students who have received an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed Tier 4 sponsor
- Students who have enough money to support themselves and pay for their course.
- Students who have good proficiency in English language.
- Students above the age of 16 years. However, students ageing 16 or 17 years need to provide parents' or guardian's consent form while applying for the visa.
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Steps to Apply for a UK Student Visa
Candidates are required to visit the official UK Visas & Immigration website and complete their application. Candidates would be then required to pay the UK Student Visa fee (£490, when applying from outside the UK or while extending or switching to a student visa from inside the UK) and health surcharge, £1035 per year, and book their visa appointment. Candidates can also book premium services on priority with an extra charge. Candidates would be then required to print their application form and their appointment confirmation. Note: The earliest a student can apply for a visa is 3 months before the start of their course.
UK Student Visa Fee
Candidates who are applying for their UK Student Visa are required to pay £490 to apply for this visa from outside the UK.
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Documents Required for UK Student Visa
Candidates would be required to prepare for their UK Student Visa Interview. They would be required to adhere to the UK Student Visa Document Checklist and provide the documents as mentioned, below.
| Documents Checklist for UK Student Visa 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Documents | Remarks |
| Current Passport | Passport with at least one blank page or any other internationally accepted travel document |
| CAS Letter | Your education provider will send you a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) once they have offered you a place on a course. You will need to enter this on your visa application. |
| Proof of Enough Funds | Candidates would also be required to prove they have enough funds to cover their course fees and monthly living expenses for nine months. If the funds are held under a parent's name, then the student is required to provide proof of the relationship. Starting 02 January 2025, the amount of funds that you need to declare is £1,483 per month if you are living in London and £1,136 per month if you are living outside London. |
| ATAS certificate | May be required as per your nationality or chosen course |
| Parental consent | If you are under 18 years of age,you will need to provide your parent's or guardian's consent. |
| Proof of Relationship | In some cases, you may also be required the proff of your relationship with the parent or guardian if you are under 18 years of age. |
| Tuberculosis Test Certificate | If you’re from a country where you have to take the test (Indian students need to submit this certificate if they have been staying in India for 6 months or more). |
| Consent from your sponsor | If in the last 12 months, you have received sponsorship for your course study and living expenses in the UK, then, you will need to present a consent letter from your sponsor for your application. |
:- Note that you may also need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances. Read about the other generic requirements which students moving to UK for higher education should note.
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UK Student Visa Interview
Candidates would then be required to attend the appointment and submit the application along with the documents mentioned. On the day of the UK Student Visa Interview, candidates would be required to get their original passports, photographs, and supporting documents. The candidate would have his fingerprint scanned and his photograph taken at the centre. Applicants might be required to attend an interview with the UKVI caseworker online through the applicant's respective local Visa Application Centre. The interview is to check the applicant's genuine and clearer goals for admission to UK universities. The applicants may be asked about the following:
- The choice of course and university
- Reason for joining a particular UK University and not the other
- Why choose to study in the UK?
- If applied to any other UK University as well.
- Financial planning for - living, studying, healthcare, travel, etc.
Kindly note: Candidates are expected to be honest in their application. All false declarations and /or forged documents would lead to a mandatory refusal of your application and could result in a 10-year ban from the UK.
Also Read: Post Study Work Visa UK (Graduate Route Visa)
Your Arrival in the UK
Candidates can arrive in the UK before their course starts:
- up to 1 week before, if the course lasts 6 months or less
- up to 1 month before, if the 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. For more information, read all about the UK Post-study Visa, here.
Read more articles related to getting admission to UK universities:
UK Student Visa Documents Checklist FAQs
Q: Is it compulsory to provide CAS for UK student visa?
Yes. It is absolutely necessary to provide CAS (referred to as Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) for your UK student visa. It is an electronic document issued to you by the college or university. After you have received your offer letter, a reference number will be sent to you by your education provider. It may take around 15 days for your CAS to get issued. That reference number is called CAS. A student needs to enter the same on his/her visa application. Within six months of getting your CAS, you need to apply for your visa.
Q: Do I need to provide a consent if I am less than 18 years of age?
Yes. You are required to provide a consent that you need to obtain from your parents if you are 16 or 17. Additionally, in such case, you may also be required the proof of your relation with the parent or guardian.
Q: How much money is required for UK student visa?
Currently you require £1,334 per month (for up to 9 months or one academic year) for courses in London. Whereas, for courses outside London, you require £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months or one academic year).
However, starting from 02 January, 2025, these amounts are going to increase. The funds required for a course in London will increase to £1,483 per month and for a course elsewhere, the sum will be £1,136.
Q: Can I extend my UK student visa?
You can extend your UK student visa. For this, you need to fulfill the following criteria:
- You must possess Tier 4 (General) student visa
- You must have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed student sponsor (this can be proven with the help of CAS)
- You need show 'academic progress requirement'
Q: How can I get my student visa extended?
Q: Can I get a faster decision on my UK student visa application?
Yes. You can choose the Priority Service or Super Priority Service if you wish to obtain a faster decision on your UK student visa. With Priority Service, you will be able to receive your decision in 5 working days. With Super Priority Service, you will be able to receive your decision be the end of next working day. Under both the circumstances, you will have to pay an extra fees.
Q: How and when do I apply for a UK student visa?
Given below points will help the students get an overview of the UK student visa application process:
- Choose your course and desired university
- Prepare all the documents and apply well before the deadlines
- Make sure to follow your application status from time to time
- Once you receive an offer, go through it carefully and if you find it appropriate and as per your expectations, you can accept it
- Your University will issue a CAS letter
- Once you get your CAS letter, you can apply for a student visa. For details on the UK student visa, check this out: UK Student Visa Guide. Also, see Reasons for Rejections of UK Student Visa.
Q: What to do if my Student Visa application is refused?
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