CRC

You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:

• have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor
• have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course – the amount will vary depending on your circumstances
• can speak, read, write and understand English
• have consent from your parents if you’re 16 or 17 – you’ll need evidence of this when you apply

When you apply for your Student visa you must provide:

• a current passport or other valid travel documentation
• a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your course provider

Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to provide:

• proof you have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course – this will vary depending on your circumstances
• proof of parental or other legal guardian consent if you’re under 18
• proof of your relationship to your parent or guardian if you’re under 18
• your tuberculosis test results
• written consent for your application from your financial sponsor if you’ve received sponsorship for your course fees and living costs in the last 12 months

• passing a secure English language test (the IELTS Academic) from an approved provider
• having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18

You’ll need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if you’re coming to the UK for more than 6 months and are resident in Hong Kong.

You’ll be given a chest x-ray to test for TB. If the result of the x-ray is not clear you may also be asked to give a sputum sample.

If your test shows that you do not have TB, you’ll be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months from the date of your x-ray. Include this certificate with your UK visa application.

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course.

You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

Once you’ve submitted your application online, the waiting time starts when you either:

• attend your appointment and provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a visa application centre
• verify your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app. This will depend on the visa you apply for and you’ll be advised if you can use this

Application result email will explain what you need to do next.

Priority services to get a faster decision

If you verify your identity at a visa application centre and the service is available in the country you’re applying from, you can choose the ‘priority service’ or ‘super priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service.

A decision will be made within 5 working days of your appointment at the visa application centre. Super priority visa application will be ready by the end of the next working day from when you provide your biometric information.

If your application is successful, you’ll get either:

• a biometric residence permit – if you gave your biometric information at a visa application centre
• a digital immigration status which you can view and prove online – if you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app

How long you can stay depends on the length of your course and what study you’ve already completed in the UK. 

If you’re 18 or over and your course is at degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 5 years. If it’s below degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 2 years.

For update information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/student-visa.