Visas for international students

• The Student Route visa is appropriate for students that can prove their ability in English language, have enough funds to support themselves and are able to meet the other eligibility entry requirements, under the points-based system.
• If you enter the UK on a Student Route visa you may be permitted to work in the UK, subject to restrictions, and certain students may be able to bring family members (dependants).
• In addition, it is possible, subject to restrictions, to extend a Student Route visa if you need more time to study.

The UK has a points-based immigration system. Student Route visa applications require 70 points.

Please note, your visa application will be refused if you do not meet the points requirements.

Under Student Route immigration rules there are limits on the length of time students can spend in the UK. Your visa application cannot lead to you spending more than 5 years at Undergraduate level (degree level) as there is a UKVI time limit cap. Some exemptions may apply to this time limit cap.

The University will consider if you have enough time to study before deciding if a CAS can be issued. Some students will also need to plan their studies to make sure they have enough time to complete their studies.

If your visa is successful you can expect to be granted the length of your course (according to the CAS) plus:

• 4 months, if your course is 12 months duration or more
• 2 months, if your course is 6-12 months duration
• 1 month, if your course is a pre-sessional course of less than 6 months duration
• 7 days , for other courses of less than 6 months duration

You must not remain in the UK after this date unless you have already submitted an application for further leave to remain in the UK i.e. extend your visa. Overstaying is a criminal offence and will have serious consequences for any future immigration applications that you make, including applications for countries other than the UK. Please also be aware that your visa may be curtailed (shortened) if you defer, postpone, take a break from studies or complete your course early.

If your visa documents are not in English then an official certified translation must be provided. The following documents must be included with your application:

• Your current passport as well as any previous passports you have used to travel to the UK
• a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
• Proof that you have the amount of money required by UKVI for immigration 
• ATAS certificate, if applicable to your studies and nationality (Find out if you need ATAS)
• TB certificate (if applicable)
• Academic qualification evidence as listed in your CAS
• Translations of any documents that are not in English (see translation requirements)
• Proof of parental or legal guardian consent if you are under the age of 18.

Low-risk countries and documents to submit

Nationals of some countries do not need to submit evidence of their qualifications or finances when applying as they are deemed ‘low risk’. However you should still collect all the evidence and hold this, as you may be requested to show it at a later stage by UKVI, and your application will be refused if you are unable to provide it within the required timeframe given by UKVI.

See the Student visa website for a full list of low risk countries

• If you are a new student, the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number which provides details about you and your course, is sent to you by the University as part of the admissions process. 
• The CAS number will be provided to you via email after you have accepted your offer, paid your deposit and met all of the conditions, no earlier than six months before the start of your course. 
• A CAS is valid for six months from when it is issued. You will need to apply for your student visa within that time, or your CAS will not be accepted. 

I have not received my CAS number

Common reasons for not receiving your CAS are:

• You have not accepted your offer, or you have not met all the conditions.
• You have changed your email address and not told us. Please contact your Admissions Officer if this is the case. You will find their details on your offer letter.
• Your course starts in more than six months. We do not send out your CAS until at least six months before your course starts.

If the reasons above do not apply to you, and you are worried about your CAS, you should contact your Admissions Officer. You will find their details on your offer letter.

Once you have firmly accepted your unconditional offer and received your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) you can start to prepare your Student Route visa application.

• The earliest you can submit your application is 3 months before your course starts, but you can start planning early: ensuring you have the correct documents and enough funding ready in your bank account.
• Before making your visa application you must read the instructions on how to have your BRP card sent to the University of Birmingham.

You can apply for a Student Route visa once you have all the required documents and have checked that you completed the following:

• Complete the online student application form through the GOV.UK website.
• Paid your visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) 
• Booked your appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC (which may be in a different country).
• Take a tuberculosis (TB) test if it applies to your place of residence.

Visa Application Centre: 

When you attend your appointment you need to take your printed application along with all the required supporting documents for your visa.

• Here you will have your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) taken.
• You may also be interviewed via a video link by UKVI staff in the UK. This is to discuss why you want a visa and why you chose to study in the UK, at the University of Birmingham, as well as why you chose your particular course. 

Due to changes to 'entry clearance' (visas made outside of the UK) if you are applying to come to the UK for 6 months or more, you will be given an entry clearance visa normally for 30 days (which can increased to 90 days recently due to UKVI Covid-19 guidance).

You will also be required to collect a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card when you have been asked to book your appointment with the International Student Team (advised by UKVI as within 10 days of arrival into the UK but the day of collection from the University may be longer). 

• Applications for visas that are more than six months long will also include a 'immigration health surcharge'. This charge must be paid even if you have your own private medical insurance.
• Your visa application will not be granted unless you have paid the surcharge.
• British Overseas Territory Citizens who live in the Falkland Islands are exempt (£0) from any charge, however these people must still receive a IHS reference number.

Information on visa processing times in your country is available on the UK Visas and Immigration website.

• Students applying for an entry clearance visa from outside of the UK will be granted a 30 day short-term entry clearance vignette (sticker) in their passport and will be asked to collect a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) (more information below). 

*Please note, students coming to study for less than 6 months should not require a BRP card.

If you believe the visa you have been issued contains any incorrect information you should ask for it to be changed immediately – before you travel – ask the entry clearance post (VAC) for advice before entering the UK.

Please take care when completing your application to avoid your visa being refused as you may not have time to make another application. If you are in doubt about whether any of the documents meet the requirements, do not risk the possibility of a refusal, and check with the IST before submitting your visa application.

If your visa is refused you should send a scanned copy of your refusal notice to the (IST) International Student Team immediately.

The University of Birmingham cannot issue you with a second CAS until we are certain that the reason for the refusal has been corrected, and that you are able to make a successful application that will allow you to arrive at the University by the latest permitted start date for your studies. If you believe a mistake was made assessing your visa application, the IST will advise you if an Administrative Review is appropriate. This must be done within 28 days from the date you received the notice, and you will not be able to submit fresh evidence as part of this process.

You may not need immigration permission to enter the UK if you are a national of the EEA or Switzerland, provided you have

• Have applied, been granted and retained your pre-settled status (limited leave to remain) or settled status (indefinite leave to remain) under the EU Settlement Scheme.

With permission under the scheme there will be no restrictions on study (where you study or what you study). Please note, if you have not travelled to the UK before 30 June 2021 or have other eligibility under this EU SS Scheme where this deadline doesn't apply.

If you do not have eligibility under the EU Settlement Scheme you will need to consider the Student Route visa or other visa routes to enter the UK for your studies.

You will need an ATAS certificate to do certain types of study and research in the UK. Without this certificate, your visa application will be refused.

Do I need an ATAS certificate?

If you need an ATAS certificate, you will usually get a statement with your offer letter confirming that you need ATAS and telling you what to do next.

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applies to all international students and researchers (apart from exempt nationalities) who are subject to UK immigration control and are intending to study or research at postgraduate level in certain sensitive subjects.

From 6 April 2015 the requirement for ATAS has been extended to all temporary migrants undertaking ATAS attracting studies or research regardless of their visa category. This means that applicants for visas other than the Student Route will also need to apply for ATAS.

When should I apply for ATAS?

You should apply once you receive your offer letter from the University. If you do not have your ATAS certificate you will not be able to make a valid student visa application.

How do I apply for ATAS?

To apply for ATAS you need a statement from the University confirming the subject of your research or study. This is usually sent with your offer letter. If you don't have this statement, but need an ATAS certificate, please contact your Admissions Officer, whose details are on your offer letter.

Once you have your statement you can make your ATAS certificate application online to the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). This should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete.

• Apply online for your ATAS certificate

You will then need to wait for your application to be processed and for your certificate to be emailed to you. Average waiting times for ATAS at present range from 4 to 7 weeks.

I already have an ATAS certificate, do I need a new one?

If you already have an ATAS certificate you should read the IST page for continuing students. Please read the ATAS guidance about making a new ATAS application.

You will need to show that you have enough money for both:

• the full tuition fee for the first/current year of your course - the fee amount will be shown on your CAS statement.
• an amount of money to cover your maintenance/living costs which are set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) under the Student Route financial requirements.

For any dependant applicants, they will have different amounts to evidence.

New to study in the UK

If you are new to study in the UK, you will need the following amount for your maintenance/living costs:

• For a course lasting 9 months or longer in duration: £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months maximum = £9,207) for courses outside London (e.g. University of Birmingham)
• For a course of less than 9 months in duration: £1,023 for each month of your course

Change in maintenance fee level

A change in maintenance level will come into effect for students making a Student visa application on or after 2 January 2025.  Current maintenance level as detailed in the table below will remain the same until the change takes effect.

Change in University accommodation deduction for maintenance fee 

The maximum amount of money that can be offset for accommodation will also be increased in line with the changes to the maintenance requirement. Advance payment for any other type of housing such as private landlord housing or where the student is living with a relative free of charge cannot use this deduction.  See table below: 

Please see further information of acceptable types of financial evidence below. 

• If you pay your tuition fees as stated on the CAS, in full, before submitting your visa application, you will only need to show money for meeting your maintenance/living costs.
• You should submit evidence of your paid tuition fees into your visa evidence (e.g. fee invoice) just in case (However, any fees paid will be shown on the CAS).

As part of your visa application you will need to include documents that are in the UKVI accepted format that prove you have the required level of money.

• Evidence of your money must meet specific requirements.
• If it does not, your visa application may be refused.
• It is important that you check your documents carefully, and note that the documents you need to provide with your application will be different depending on whether you are a officially sponsored student (e.g. financial scholarship) or whether you are self-funded (your own money).

Low-risk nationalities and documents to submit

• If you hold a 'Low Risk' nationality and are applying from this country you should still make sure you hold your financial documents in the accepted format but you will not be required to submit them in your visa evidence.
• However the Home Office (UKVI) can request later for this type of evidence when processing your visa application.
• If you are asked for evidence and fail to provide the documents in time, then your visa application will be refused.

For a full list of low risk countries see under section 'If you’re from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’.

Documents list

You can receive official financial sponsorship from a government, the British Council or any international organisation, an international company, a university or an Independent School.

You must provide a document that includes the relevant following information:

• be on official letter-headed paper or stationery of the organisation with the official stamp signature of the organisation
• state your full name (as shown on passport)
• state the name and contact details of your official financial sponsor
• state the issue date of the letter
• state with the duration of your financial scholarship or sponsorship
• state the amount of money the sponsor is giving to you per month OR confirmation that the official financial sponsor will 'cover all of your tuition fees and living costs'. If your sponsor is not covering all your fees and living costs, you must be able to demonstrate that you have the rest of the money required (with alternative financial evidence e.g. bank statements).

If your sponsor is a government OR international scholarship agency and/or your full sponsorship ended within the last 12 months of your application being made, you will need your sponsor's permission to remain or re-enter the UK.

You must provide your sponsor's 'unconditional consent' in writing (an official letter).

Your sponsorship letter should specifically state that your sponsor consents to you continuing your studies in the UK.

Documents list

If you do not have an official financial sponsor, you are only able to provide evidence of funding using the following:

• your own bank account (including a joint account you hold with someone else)
• your parents or legal guardian’s bank accounts.

If the money is in someone else’s account, or in a business account that does not have your parent’s name on it, you will need to move it so that you can provide the correct documents.

The Student Route financial requirements allow for use of 'personal' fund accounts only, not business accounts. Maintenance must be in the form of cash funds and must be available to withdraw immediately which means you cannot use an overdraft facility or credit card as evidence of funds.

You must provide bank statements meeting each one of the following requirements:

• In your name or your parents' name - not a business name
• Showing that the money has been in the account for a full 28 days, and that the amount of money has never gone below the required amount in this time
• Dated no more than one month before the date of your application
• Showing the account number, the bank's name and the bank's logo

If you use bank statements from an unacceptable institution (not regulated) your visa application may be refused. When using overseas financial documents, UKVI will need to carry out verification checks on the bank.

If you are using your parents' account you must also provide:

• Your original birth certificate or a notarised copy, showing the names of your parents
• A dated letter from your parents confirming that they are your parents and that they give permission for you to use their money in the UK

If you cannot provide these documents, you should read the Home Office financial guidance for any further details.

Any documents that are not also in English, must be accompanied by a 'certified' English translation.

Biometric Residence Permits or BRPs are secure ID cards which contain personal details and biometric information for those who have applied for permission to come to the UK for more than 6 months.

It is the shape of a credit card and shows the cardholder’s photo on the front, together with personal details and information about their immigration status. The card includes a microchip which contains two of the cardholder’s fingerprints, and the photo on the front is a digital photo.

Please see the Home Office guidance to see an example of a BRP.

• When making an application for a visa from outside of the UK, applicants can choose to have their BRP card sent to the University of Birmingham campus.
• We strongly recommend that you choose this option to avoid having to travel to a Post Office and to avoid delays in obtaining your BRP.
• When making a visa application within the UK (for example when extending your leave) your BRP will be delivered directly to your address by courier.

Collection from the University

In order to collect you card from the University campus when making your visa application online you must enter the University of Birmingham unique code into the Alternative Location field in the BRP Collection Page as indicated in this example.

The University of Birmingham unique code is 2HE322

Your dependants can also use this code in their application.

If you use the University of Birmingham code we will contact you once your BRP has been delivered to arrange an appointment time when you can collect your BRP.

Please note we are unable to connect a Dependant BRP to the Main Applicant BRP. This means we will not be able to contact you about your dependants. When you book an appointment please enter your dependants details in the relevant section of the booking form.

You must attend the appointment in person and arrive on time and you must bring your original passport and your decision letter issued by the UK Visa and Immigration.

Collection from a Post Office

When you are completing your visa application you will be asked to select a Post Office branch during the visa application process. Remember - choose the closest branch as it may be difficult to change at a later date and you will be charged a fee.

You can choose from the following post offices in Birmingham:

• 13 - 15 Islington Row, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 1LA
• 85 High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 9ND
• Unit 15, Newtown Shopping Centre, Birmingham, B19 2SA
• 773 Bristol Road South, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 2NH
• 361 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, B10 0SH
• 235 Soho Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 9RZ
• 119 Vyse Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6JS

You will need to make your own arrangements to collect your BRP from the Post Office (unless you are aged under 18) and you must take your original passport and your UKVI visa decision letter with you.

When you have collected your BRP you must upload a copy to the My Right to Study webpage so that we can confirm you have the Right to Study in the UK before you start your course.

Once you have made your visa application it is not possible to change the collection of your card from a Post Office branch to the University, or to change the collection of the card from the University to a Post Office branch.

You can change your collection location from one Post Office branch to another Post Office branch, however you will need to pay a fee for each BRP you want to change the Post Office collection for, and you will only be able to do this once you have arrived in the UK. This will also cause delays with the collection of your BRP card so please contact the IST at www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk so we can advise you on the steps you need to take to start your course.

If you need to change the collection location to another Post Office, please follow the process below:

• You need to visit the new Post Office branch that you want to collect the BRP from.
• You need to present your decision letter and passport (not a copy) to staff in the Post Office.
• Staff in the Post Office will arrange for the BRP collection to be transferred to the new Post Office branch.
• You will need to pay £21.90 per BRP card to the Post Office for this service.

It will take 10 working days before your BRP card can be collected at the new Post Office branch. Please note that not all Post Offices offer this service.

If you choose to collect your BRP card from the University you may also want to collect a BRP card for your dependants from the University campus. Please note that only the main applicant needs to be present with their dependants' documents. Family members should not be brought to the appointments to collect a BRP card.

Dependants should not use the University of Birmingham collection code if they have specific needs to be met early on arrival in the UK e.g. if a dependant needs their BRP card for specific activity such as a child needing to start school.

If you are collecting a Dependants BRP please make sure you read the relevant information when we contact you about arranging a BRP Collection Appointment. We cannot match a Dependant BRP with a student until you inform us of your Dependants details when booking an appointment. If your dependants travel separately and you need a different appointment time to collect their BRPs then please contact us using the following online form.

We would strongly recommend that you select the University of Birmingham as the collection location by using the ACL code 2HE322 when completing the visa application from outside of the UK, as it is not possible for someone under the age of 18 to collect a BRP card from a Post Office unless they are accompanied by a responsible adult who has been approved by the Home Office in advance. If you have a guardian in the UK who is able to collect the BRP on your behalf then you must register their details at https://www.biometric-residence-permit.service.gov.uk/someone-else/arrange providing the following information:

• Your full name, date of birth nationality, passport number, a contact number and case reference number
• The responsible adult's full name, date of birth, nationality, the document they will use to prove their identity along with the expiry date and reference number, their email address and explanation of how the responsible adult is related to you.

If approved by the Home Office, both you and the responsible adult with receive an authorisation email. This email will need to be presented to the Post Office when collecting the BRP card.

If you do not have a guardian in the UK who will be able to accompany you to collect the BRP card, certain staff in the University of Birmingham have been granted Home Office approval to collect BRP cards for students under the age of 18. You will need to contact the International Student Team at www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk. A member of staff will then send you further instructions and will arrange collection of your BRP.

If you applied for a visa from outside of the UK

If you are having problems collecting your BRP for any reason, for example:

• you went to collect it from the Post Office and it was not there,
• you have lost you passport or travel document, or cannot prove your identity or
• you do not know which Post Office to go to because you have lost your decision letter.

You should report this to the Home Office if you have any other above problems collecting your BRP.

The Home Office will email you within 5 working days to advise you on what to do next. Please remember to provide an email address, as without this it can take a little longer.

If you applied for a visa from within the UK

If you make your application for a visa within the UK the BRP card is not issued on the day you give your biometrics, it will be delivered to you by courier. If you have not received your BRP within 10 working days of the date of your decision letter you should notify UKVI.

You should be able to register on your course at the University of Birmingham and start your studies if the below applies:

• You have been assigned a CAS by the University of Birmingham for your new course of study.
• You have submitted a in-time valid visa application before your existing current visa expires (Student permission).
• The University has checked your evidence of visa application form and documents showing that you have made an application for a new Student Route visa.

If you did not complete your previous studies and are now changing to a different course (programme transfer) you may be able to use your existing Student Route visa to start your new course, if the below applies:

• New course is the same level as the course you were previously granted a visa to study; or
• A higher level than the course you were previously granted a visa to study; or
• A lower level than the course you were previously granted a visa to study, provided the conditions and requirements of your permission to stay are the same as they would be given if you made an application for your new course.

If your new course requires ATAS you must obtain ATAS approval before you can start your course (or period of research).

If your new course is shorter than the previous course, you will need to notify UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). UKVI may reduce the length of time on your student visa.

If your new course is longer than your previous course, you are likely to have to make an application for an extension of your student visa. You should do so as soon as possible, and certainly before your current visa expires, in order to complete your new course.

The IST immigration and visa University webpages provide information on how to apply for new Student visa and when to apply. You are advised to use the helpful UKCISA detailed advice webpages before making any Student visa application.

Inside the UK:

• University information - Applying inside the UK
• UKCISA Guidance - Applying from inside the UK

Outside the UK:

• UKCISA Guidance - Applying from outside the UK
• University information - Applying outside the UK

Please check our Student Help resource and FAQ's before you submit an online query to IST.

The IST may be able to help you further if you have checked the above linked advice webpages and are still unsure. You can submit an online enquiry to the IST through our intranet if you are a new or current student.

It is important to check that the start date of your new course of studies (as stated on your CAS) is no more than 28 days after the end of your current visa so you can meet the Student visa extension eligibility requirements.

If your visa will still be valid by the start date of your new course, or your current visa will expire within 28 days of your new course start date, then you should follow the instructions below.

If the new course start date is later (more than 28 day gap from expiry date) then you must leave the UK and apply for a Student visa (entry clearance) from your home country or place of residence.

You must apply for a new Student visa before you can complete registration at the University of Birmingham to begin your new course.

If you have submitted a valid Student visa application, you can actually start your course at the University of Birmingham following Right to Study checks, before you receive the UKVI visa grant decision. However this is at your own risk because we do not know if you will be granted the visa until you receive the decision.

The University will need to see your visa application evidence before you can be registered on your new course.

You need to provide copies of all of the following to the University for checking:

• photo page (bio-data) of your valid passport
• BRP and Visa Vignette - as applicable
• UKVI visa application form and checklist (You can download these documents following online submission)
• All supporting documents (evidence) that have been uploaded for your application - UKVCAS biometric appointment or app

It will be your responsibility to provide these documents and without this evidence, you cannot be registered for your new course and begin study at the University of Birmingham.

University Online Registration

University online registration takes place at the start of your course. The University is required to check all visas, so you must have taken the required action as explained on this page prior to this time.

We advise to check the UKCISA advice webpages that are really helpful as well as our own webpages below for information about how to apply for a Student Route visa.

UKCISA guidance:

• UKCISA Student visa application - Outside the UK
• UKCISA Student visa application - Inside the UK

University guidance:

• Applying from outside the UK
• Applying from inside the UK

A standard visitor visa may be an option if the following circumstances apply to you:

• Your programme of study is for less than 6 months and you do not require a Student Visa;
• To resist an exam or retake a module and you need to be in the UK for less than 6 months;
• To take a viva (oral) examination as part of a PhD qualification;
• To complete a study abroad programme as part of an oversees course, if the duration is less than 6 months;
• To sit an entrance exam;
• To undertake a medical elective if you are studying medicine, veterinary medicine and science oversees which is equivalent to at least a degree level of study in the UK;
  • the elective must form part of or relevant to the course and provide confirmation from your overseas provider; and
  • electives must be unpaid and involve no treatment of patients

• Complete a period of research or research tuition;
  • Enrolled onto a course overseas equivalent to at least degree level of study in the UK; and
  • The research must from part of or relevant to the course overseas; and
  • Your overseas provider must confirm that the research or research tuition is relevant to your course overseas

If for any reason the Standard Visitor visa will not be suitable, please read the information about applying for a Student Route visa above. 

If you are granted a standard visitor visa, the following conditions will apply;

• Granted a visa for a maximum period of 6 months only;
• Cannot normally extend this visa;
• Not permitted to take employment/work in the UK, undertake a work placement or do work experience;
• Not be able to apply with dependents at the same time, they will have to make a separate visa application for a visitor visa; and
• Not be able to apply for public funds (NRPF) e.g. cannot apply to receive public fund benefits, tax credits or housing assistance.

You should carefully read the above information and consider your future plans, if there is any possibility that you might need extra time for your course, you must apply for a Student Route visa.

Please note you cannot enter the UK successively on a visitor visa to complete a course which is longer than 6 months (unless you are on a Distance Learning course).

The supporting letter required for a Standard Visitor visa is available from the online shop.

If you need further help please contact the IST.

If you have applied for a Standard Visitor Visa overseas before you travel (entry clearance), you should receive a Standard Visitor visa vignette (sticker) in your passport. You would normally receive a entry stamp in your passport (normally given one time entry only) and can see the visa validity dates on the vignette.

If you are a non-visa national that chooses not to apply for a visa, then you can enter the UK through the e-passport gate. However, you must carry the evidence listed in the 'How to Apply' section below in case you are randomly checked and questioned by a Border Control Officer. Please also make sure to save your boarding pass or flight details as evidence of when you arrived in the UK as you will not receive a stamp when using the e-passport gates.

When to apply

The Standard Visitor visa is normally only valid or 6 months maximum duration. The earliest you can submit your visa application is 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. Remember that the visa will expire 6 months after the date the visa is granted to study a short course. Check the guide to processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in the country you are applying from.

How to apply

• If you are a visa national you will be required to submit a visa application for a standard visitor visa to be granted before you enter the UK (entry clearance). You must submit your online visa application from outside of the UK.
• If you are a non-visa national you can obtain this permission upon your arrival to the UK at port of entry (e.g. e-passport gates or a border force officer).
• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. In other cases, find out if you need to apply for a visa to enter the UK. You should hold a valid passport which is advised to be valid for the whole time period you will be in the UK. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can continue to use the automatic ePassport gates to pass through the border on arrival (where the passport has the e-passport chip symbol).

E- Gates (epassport)

If you are a non-visa national you can use the E-gates at the airport. Please ensure you keep your boarding pass, this will be needed for the Right to Study check.

Travel via Common Travel Area (Entry via Republic of Ireland)

If you are planning on travelling to the UK via the Common Travel Area, you should apply for entry clearance as a standard visitor before travelling to the Republic of Ireland. If you have not secured a standard visitor visa before travelling to the Republic of Ireland and then travel to the UK, you will not have a valid visa for study.

Standard Visitor visa supporting documents for visa and non-visa nationals

• Your current valid passport (you may also need any previous passport details which you have used to travel to the UK);
• A letter from the University confirming your student status can be downloaded via Verify on the University intranet;
• Letter from overseas provider/institution (e.g. your home country university) about your study visit, if applicable;
• If your course leads to a qualification at Master's or doctorate level, or a postgraduate qualification abroad you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance certificate. This will be applicable if you are on a relevant course (ATAS attracting) and come to the UK using this route to undertake a course, research or research tuition, an elective, a viva, a re-sit exam, a re-take module or part of a course under the distance-learning provision. You should obtain this ATAS certificate before you make your immigration application (at the UK border or as entry clearance), as the Home Office guidance says you will need to provide the certificate with your application. Therefore, you will need to apply for the ATAS clearance as early as possible;

• Evidence that you have the funds to support yourself during your trip, eg bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months. This should include evidence of money to pay for: course fees, accommodation, daily subsistence (meals, etc), onward or return flights;
• Translations of any documents that are not in English.
• The supporting visa letter required for a Standard Visitor visa is available to download from the University online shop: https://shop.bham.ac.uk/product-catalogue/nonacademic-departments/student-services/letters
• If you are an 'external student' you will also be required to download the following proof of registration letter from the University online shop: Proof of Registration Letter for External Students and Students on a Leave of Absence (for Current Students Only) | University of Birmingham Online Shop (bham.ac.uk)

Medical Insurance

You will be required to obtain medical insurance before you enter the UK on a visitor visa. You will not be permitted to receive non-emergency NHS services whilst on a visitor visa. The Immigration Health Surcharge does not apply to a visitor visa.

It is recommended you obtain the appropriate health care insurance before your arrival to the UK.

If you are studying an English Language course which is 6 to 11 months in duration, you will be required to apply for a short term study visa.

You will need a letter from the University of Birmingham called a 'Short-term Study Visa letter', you will need to request this from Admissions if you haven't received this already.

Please see the Short Term Study website for detailed information on how to apply and the documents required.

When to apply

The earliest you can submit your application is 3 months before your date of your intended travel to the UK. Your visa will be valid for a period of 6 months to allow you to study a short course (or valid for 11 months if studying an English language course). Check the guide to processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in the country you are applying from.

How to apply

Both visa and non-visa nationals will be required to make a short term study visa application from outside of the UK by completing an online application form.

Documents that you must provide:

• Your current passport as well as any previous passports you have used to travel to the UK
• Evidence that you can support yourself during your trip, eg bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months. This should include evidence of money to pay for: course fees, accommodation, daily subsistence (meals, etc), onward or return flights.
• A ‘Short-Term Study Visa letter’ from the University of Birmingham which can be requested from the University's Admissions Department or your unconditional offer letter
• TB certificate if applicable
• Translations of any documents that are not in English

If you have applied for a Short-term Study Visa to study an English language course for up to 11 months, you may be given an entry clearance visa for 30 days, and you will be required to collect a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card within 10 days of arrival into the UK. Please read the instructions on how to have your BRP card sent to the University of Birmingham.

The following persons can come into the UK as your dependants:

• Your husband or wife (age 18 or over)
• Your civil partner, same-sex partner, or unmarried partner if lived together for at least 2 years akin to a marriage (age 18 or over). Please check UKCISA guidance for further information.
• Your children (aged under 18 in their first visa application)

The immigration rules state that both parents must be legally present in the UK where there is shared parental responsibility. For a single parent with sole parental responsibility for the child you should be able to apply for your dependant child. See the visa requirements below for a dependant child:

1. That the other parent is dead, OR
2. That you have and have had sole responsibility for the child's upbringing, OR
3. There are serious or compelling family or other reasons which would make it desirable not to refuse the application and suitable arrangements have been made in the UK for the child’s care.

If the above applies to your dependant, you will need to provide supporting evidence to the UKVI to satisfy that the dependant is eligible and evidence your parental relationship under the UK Immigration Rules. If you need advice on the type of documents a dependant may need to provide, please check the UKCISA guidance before contacting the IST for advice.

• You can find out about other possible visa options on the GOV online guide that can give you basic information with the relevant GOV visa webpages.
• If you are applying for a Student visa at the same time as your dependant (dependant visa), then please make sure to contact the IST for help if you are unsure.
• If your dependants are applying separately from you, the IST will not be checking your dependant's documents as this will be your own responsibility.
• You can contact the IST for advice and guidance if you are still unsure after checking the relevant UKCISA advice webpage.
• For detailed information, please read the section for dependants on page 98 on the UKVI Student and Child Student caseworker guidance.

Student Dependant Visa Application - Your partner and children must apply online as dependants:

• Applying online as a partner
• Applying online as a child

To support a dependant visa application, you will need to prepare and submit supporting documents (evidence) for each of them.

As part of their application, they’ll need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit).

Documents list

In addition to the documents you submit for your own Student visa application, you will also be required to submit the required supporting evidence for each dependant applicant. The UKVI are strict about the types of documents they will accept as valid evidence. If your documents do not meet the UKVI requirements, the application may be refused. It is very important that you check your prepared evidence carefully before you make a visa application for a dependant.

We have listed the main types of supporting documents you may need. You may need to submit the following for each dependant applicant:

• Proof that you have the amount of money required by UKVI for their maintenance (see money requirements)
• Valid passport
• Copy of any other passports or previous visas that the applicant may have used to enter the UK in the past - may be required
• Relationship proof for dependant eligibility (for example, original marriage certificate for your husband or wife; birth certificate for child)
• Certified translation document for any visa documents that are not in English (see translation requirements)

Low-risk nationality

If your dependant is from a 'low-risk' country you should still prepare all the evidence as listed above. However, you won't need to submit financial evidence with the visa application if they are deemed as a 'low risk' national and are applying from the UK or their home country/country of residence. Instead, the UKVI can ask for this later, so you are advised to hold these documents.

If you are asked for this evidence while your application is being processed, you will be given a deadline by which to provide it. If you fail to provide the financial visa documents when they are asked for, your visa application will be refused.

Which countries are low-risk?

You can check if you or your dependants hold a nationality that is deemed as 'low risk' in the 'Differential Agreement' section under the Student Route visa: Student visa : Money you need - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Nationals of countries that do not need a visa will still need to prove that they are genuine visitors when they enter the UK.

To do this, they will need to show proof that they intend to leave the UK and that they have the money to support themselves without working for the time they are in the UK.

The supporting documents should be carried in hand luggage in case the immigration officer requests them. 

The UKVI website will tell you if should you make your application online or by submitting a paper application. It also explains the process in your country including visa fee and waiting times.

From the graduating student

You should provide the following documents for your guests to include with their visa application:

• An up to date letter from the University confirming your graduation date. You can request a Congregation Information letter from the Student Hub by submitting the Accessing the Aston Webb Student Hub form.
• A letter from you, explaining your relationship with them and the purpose of their visit. IST have provided a sample letter (PDF - 21KB).
• A copy of the bio-data page (the page containing your photograph) and the visa page in your passport, or a copy of both sides of your Biometric ID Card
• If you will be supporting them financially during their visit, or paying for the cost of their visit, your original payslips, bank statements, or some other evidence to show that you have enough money to support them. We advise that these documents should cover several months before the date of application.
• Professional translations of any of the above documents that are not in English or Welsh (see translation requirements)

From the person making the application

The person making the visa application should provide the following original documents:

• Passport or travel document
• A recent passport-sized colour photograph which meets the UKVI photo standard. These are only needed if they are applying before coming to the UK.
• Bank statements, payslips, or other financial evidence showing that they can pay for the trip and that they have enough money to support themselves without working. We advise that these documents should cover several months before the date of application.
• Evidence that they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit (for example, a letter from their employer to say that they have a job to return to, or a return flight ticket).
• Professional translations of any of the above documents that are not in English or Welsh (see translation requirements)