Written and reviewed by the EuroGulf Guide editor. Last checked: October 2026.
To get a UK Student visa you need an unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor, confirmed by a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number. You must also show you can pay your first year’s course fees and living costs (GBP 1,529 a month in London or GBP 1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to nine months, as of October 2026), prove your English, and pay the GBP 558 application fee plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of GBP 776 per year. From outside the UK you can apply up to six months before your course starts and usually get a decision within three weeks.
Below you will find each requirement in the order you meet it, a documents checklist, costs, a timeline and the most common mistakes. Every figure comes from GOV.UK, checked in October 2026.
Why this guide exists: I have not studied in the UK myself, but my family’s move abroad in 2025 taught me that most visa stress comes from small timing rules rather than big requirements. The UK route is full of them, from the 28-day bank balance rule to the six-month CAS window, so I have pulled those dates to the front.
Quick facts: UK Student visa (as of October 2026)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Who can apply | People aged 16 or over with an offer from a licensed student sponsor |
| Key document | CAS reference number from your university or college |
| Living costs to show | GBP 1,529 per month in London, GBP 1,171 per month outside London, for up to 9 months |
| Course fees to show | Your first year’s fees (up to 9 months), as stated on your CAS |
| How long funds must be held | At least 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of your application |
| Application fee | GBP 558 (inside or outside the UK) |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | GBP 776 per year for students |
| Earliest application (outside UK) | 6 months before your course starts |
| Usual decision time | 3 weeks outside the UK, 8 weeks inside the UK |
| English level | CEFR B2 for degree level and above, B1 below degree level |
| Work during term | Up to 20 hours a week for full-time degree-level study with an eligible sponsor |
| Graduate visa after study | 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027 |
Who is eligible for a UK Student visa?
GOV.UK lists four core conditions. You must be 16 or over, have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor, have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course, and be able to speak, read, write and understand English. Applicants aged 16 or 17 also need parental consent.
The course itself has to qualify. Eligible options include full-time courses at degree level or above (RQF levels 6, 7 and 8), full-time courses below degree level (RQF 3 to 5) with at least 15 hours a week of organised daytime study, part-time courses above degree level (RQF 7 or above), and English language courses at CEFR B2 or above. Confirm your university is a licensed sponsor before accepting.
Step-by-step: how to apply
Step 1: Accept an offer and get your CAS
Once your offer is unconditional, your education provider issues a CAS reference number. You need it before you can apply, and GOV.UK says you must apply within six months of receiving it. The CAS also states your course fees, which determines how much money you must show.
Step 2: Check ATAS and TB requirements
If you are taking a master’s or PhD in certain sensitive science and technology subjects, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before you apply. The FCDO says ATAS applications are free but take at least 30 working days (about six weeks), and longer between April and August. Nationals of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Singapore are exempt.
You need a tuberculosis test if you are coming for more than six months and have lived for six months or more in a country on the UK’s TB list within the last six months. The certificate is valid for six months from your X-ray, so time it carefully.
Step 3: Prepare your financial evidence
You must show your first year’s course fees plus living costs for up to nine months. At the London rate that is GBP 13,761 in living costs (9 x GBP 1,529), and outside London GBP 10,539 (9 x GBP 1,171), on top of fees. The money must sit in the account for at least 28 consecutive days, and the end of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days of the date you apply.
If you have been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months, you do not need to show these funds. Nationals of countries on the “differential evidence requirement” list (which includes the EU countries, the US, Canada, Japan, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia and others) usually do not need to submit financial evidence up front, but UKVI can still ask for it before deciding.
My advice: do not move money around in the weeks before you apply. If I were applying this year, I would park the full amount in one account, note the date it arrived, and only submit once 28 full days have passed. It is the simplest rule in the process and one of the easiest to break by accident.
Step 4: Prove your English
You do not need to prove English if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country on GOV.UK’s list (for example the US, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and several Caribbean countries), a Canadian national, or you proved your English in a previous visa application. Otherwise you can use a UK school qualification taken before age 18, a UK degree, a degree taught in English and confirmed by Ecctis, or a Secure English Language Test (SELT). For degree-level study your university can assess your English itself, but it must still be equivalent to B2.
Step 5: Apply online and prove your identity
Apply online, pay the fee and health surcharge, then prove your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre, as instructed.
Step 6: Get your eVisa and travel
If approved, you get an eVisa. Create a UKVI account and link it to the passport you will travel on. You can arrive up to one month before a course longer than six months (one week before for shorter courses), but never before the start date on your visa.
Documents checklist
GOV.UK says every applicant must provide:
- A current passport or other valid travel document
- Your CAS reference number
You may also need:
- Proof of money for course fees and living costs (bank statements or official loan or sponsorship letters)
- Written consent from your financial sponsor, if you received sponsorship for fees and living costs in the last 12 months
- A valid ATAS certificate, if your course and nationality require one
- TB test results, if you lived in a listed country
- Parental consent and proof of relationship, if you are under 18
- English evidence, if your university did not assess it and you are not exempt
How much does a UK Student visa cost?
| Cost | Amount (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Visa application fee | GBP 558 per applicant, including each dependant |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | GBP 776 per year, for example GBP 1,552 for a 2-year visa |
| IHS for part years | Visas over 6 months but under a year cost a full year; up to 18 months cost 1.5 years |
| Living costs you must show | GBP 1,529 per month (London) or GBP 1,171 per month (elsewhere), up to 9 months |
| First-year course fees | Set by your university and shown on your CAS |
| ATAS certificate | Free |
| TB test | Charged by the approved clinic in your country |
| Faster decision | May be available, you will be told when you apply |
If the surcharge is not paid in full, UKVI emails you and you have seven working days (from outside the UK) to pay before the application is refused.
Bringing your partner or children
Dependants are now limited. Since January 2024, only government-sponsored students on courses longer than six months, and full-time postgraduate students on a PhD, other doctorate or research-based higher degree of nine months or longer, can usually bring a partner or children. Each dependant needs GBP 845 a month (London) or GBP 680 a month (elsewhere) for up to nine months, plus their own visa fee and health surcharge. Their visa ends on the same date as yours.
Working while you study
Under Appendix Student, full-time students at degree level or above, sponsored by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time outside term. Below degree level the limit is 10 hours. Part-time students cannot work. A “week” runs Monday to Sunday, and you cannot be self-employed, work as a professional sportsperson or entertainer, or fill a permanent full-time vacancy.
After graduation: the Graduate visa change
The Graduate visa lets you stay and work after completing an eligible course. GOV.UK confirms it lasts two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, but only 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates still get three years. The Graduate visa costs GBP 937 plus the health surcharge at the general rate of GBP 1,035 per year. If you finish a one-year master’s in autumn 2026, the date you apply really matters.
Timeline: when to do what
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| 6 to 9 months before | Apply, take an English test if needed, start ATAS if relevant |
| 3 to 6 months before | Meet offer conditions, pay any deposit, receive your CAS |
| At least 28 days before applying | Have the full amount sitting in your account |
| Up to 6 months before the course | Submit the visa application from outside the UK |
| About 3 weeks after identity check | Usual decision time from outside the UK |
| Up to 1 month before the course | Earliest arrival for courses over 6 months |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying before the 28-day period is complete. A balance that dips below the required amount for even one day can lead to refusal.
- Using the wrong living-cost rate. London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs. A campus just outside may use the lower rate, and vice versa.
- Letting the CAS go stale. You must apply within six months of receiving it.
- Starting ATAS too late. It takes at least six weeks and has no fast track.
- Assuming family can come. Most taught master’s students can no longer bring dependants.
- Booking flights before the visa start date. You cannot enter before the date on your visa.
When I worked on a previous education and jobs guide site, questions about financial documents and deadlines were among the ones readers asked most. If anything here has changed since October 2026, please tell me at contact@eurogulfguide.com and I will recheck it against GOV.UK.
Frequently asked questions
How much bank balance do I need for a UK Student visa?
Your first year’s course fees (shown on your CAS) plus GBP 1,529 a month in London or GBP 1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to nine months, held for at least 28 consecutive days.
Can I apply for a UK Student visa without IELTS?
Yes, if you are exempt or can use another approved route, such as a UK degree, an English-taught degree confirmed by Ecctis, or an assessment by your university for degree-level study. Otherwise you need a SELT from an approved provider.
How long does a UK Student visa take?
GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within three weeks from outside the UK and eight weeks from inside the UK. You may be able to pay for a faster decision.
Can I switch to a work visa after my studies?
You can apply for the Graduate visa, or switch to a route such as the Skilled Worker visa if you have a qualifying job offer. Compare this with Europe’s options, such as the Germany Opportunity Card.
Are there scholarships that cover UK study?
Yes, though most are competitive. See our overview of fully funded scholarships in Europe for 2027, which includes Chevening, and compare the costs with our Germany student visa guide.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: Student visa overview, fees and timing
- GOV.UK: Student visa, money you need
- GOV.UK: Student visa, your course and CAS
- GOV.UK: Student visa, documents you will need
- GOV.UK: Student visa, knowledge of English
- GOV.UK: Student visa, your partner and children
- GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge amounts
- GOV.UK: Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
- GOV.UK: TB tests for visa applicants
- GOV.UK: Immigration Rules, Appendix Student
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa
UK immigration fees, financial requirements and rules change regularly, often in April. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements on GOV.UK or with your university’s international student team before applying. Last checked October 2026.