Visas and Immigration

International @Campuslife offer comprehensive visa advice for students

Detail of passport and visa

Which visa do I need?

If you are of a nationality from outside the UK you may need immigration (a visa) to study in the UK. You can check whether you need a visa by entering your details in the Gov.UK website It is very easy to check as you just enter your Nationality, that you are studying and the length of your course. The site will then inform you whether you need a visa and if you do, which visa you need.

If you need to apply for a Student Visa (previously the Tier 4 route) see our helpful guide to Making a visa application overseas or from within the UK. Please note: You cannot automatically make a Student Route visa from inside the UK, even if you have existing time on a visa you are holding. In particular, you cannot extend a Student visa where you studied previously at a different institution and you did not complete the course for which the visa was granted. If you are in doubt please check with University staff as part of the Admissions process and they will refer you to ICL if necessary.

If you are coming for a course of less than 6 months or for a short visit as part of a distance learning course then you will probably need only to apply for a Standard Visitor visa. If you are coming for an 11-month English Language course you will probably need to apply for a Short Term Student visa

If you are an EU or EEA national coming to study in the UK, you will need to apply for the correct immigration permission to allow you to enter and study in the UK. Please look at the University information regarding EU students to see what you need to do. Do not assume you can make your visa application in the UK. If your course is more than 6 months in length you will need most likely to make your visa application from home.
 
If you are a visiting or exchange student you will also be able to find information on the University's website. If you are a University Visitor, including a Researcher or Academic, please see our bespoke guidance found here.
 
If you are a Hong Kong British National Overseas (HK BNO) you may be able to apply under the new HK BNO route.

If you are already in the UK on a Student Route/Tier 4 or other visa (e.g. PBS dependant, Tier 1 or 2) you may already be eligible to study with us. If you would like help verifying your status, please send a copy of your visa to the International @Campuslife team via email and they will check your options with you. 

Information on part-time study