You want to study in the UK but think that applying for a UK student visa is very difficult,... Is that really true? What do you need to prepare for a UK student visa? Please follow the article below to understand better!

1. Types of UK student visas

There are 4 main types of UK student visas: Student visa, Child student visa, Standard visitor visa, and Study English in the UK.

1.1. Student Visa (formerly Tier 4 General Student - Applicable to students over 16 years old)

Suitable subjects: Student visa is for subjects aged 16 and over, who want to study Foundation, University, Master's, or PhD programs in the UK.

The most suitable time to apply for a Student visa is 3-6 months before starting school. International students can go to the UK 1 month in advance if their course lasts more than 6 months, or 1 week in advance if their study time is less than 6 months.

1.2. Child Student Visa (Applicable to students aged 4 to 17)

Suitable subjects: A child student visa is for those under 18 years old who want to study at a private secondary school in the UK.

The most suitable time to apply for a Child student visa is 3 months before starting school, provided that you receive an invitation letter from a UK school and have a sponsor.

Similar to a Student visa, international students applying for a Child student visa can go to the UK 1 month in advance if their course lasts longer than 6 months, or 1 week in advance if their study period is less than 6 months.

1.3. Standard Visitor Visa (Short-term study visa for 6 months)

Suitable subjects:

Standard visitor visa is for those who want to participate in a short-term course, English certificate, or summer camp for a maximum period of 6 months.

The most suitable time to apply for a Standard visitor visa: is usually applied for at least 3 months before starting school.

1.4. Visa for English courses of 6 - 11 months (Study English in the UK - Short-term study visa)

Suitable for:

Short-term study visa for international students taking short-term English courses in the UK.

The best time to apply for a visa is 3 months before starting your journey to the UK. You can stay here for the duration of your course plus 30 days, as long as your total stay in the UK does not exceed 11 months.

Contact Now

2. Conditions for receiving a UK student visa

If you want to apply for a UK student visa, you must meet at least 3 criteria below:

  • Receive an unconditional offer to study any course in the UK and have a sponsor for a licensed study abroad pathway.

  • Prove your financial condition to ensure that you can afford tuition fees and living expenses during the study abroad process. You can refer to information about

    how much money you need to study in the UK

    to prepare well!

  • Meet the conditions of academic knowledge, be able to listen, speak, read and write English.

3. Application for a UK student visa

You should invest your time and enthusiasm when applying for a student visa in the UK, as well as any other country. If your application is unlucky enough to be rejected, it will be difficult to be accepted for the second time.

Here are 10 important documents to need when applying for a UK student visa:

1 - A passport or travel document that is valid for at least 6 months at the time you want to enter the UK and has at least 2 white sides on which the visa is affixed.

2. Savings book, ensuring the amount of tuition fees and minimum living expenses for the first year of study. Accompanying the passbook will be a Certificate of Passbook Balance (taken when the passbook has been opened and the necessary amount proves that it has been maintained sufficiently and for 28 consecutive days).

4 - Letter of support for Visa application from CAS school, relevant qualifications and transcripts.

5 - Academic records such as degrees, grades, school reports and certificates of completion of courses/provisional graduation certificates as required by the school according to CAS.

6 - Visa application and related documents.

7- Confirmation of biometrics and relatives: for international students participating in a course lasting more than 6 months, this is a particularly important document for the purpose of avoiding falsification of documents and preventing illegal entry crimes. International students usually provide fingerprints and a digital photograph taken at the designated institution.

8 - IELTS certificate or similar English language certificate (minimum 4.5 or 5.0 depending on the application).

9. Student's birth certificate and financial guarantee letter if the passbook is in the parents' name.

10 - Receipt confirming payment of 100% of the UK visa application fee.

For international students under the age of 18, it is necessary to add a "Letter of Consent", a letter of consent from the student's parents to send their child to study in the UK with the arrangement of the school and the content of authorization for the student's legal sponsor.

4. The process of applying for a UK student visa

After preparing all the documents in the application, international students move on to the steps of making an appointment and interviewing for a visa:

Step 1 - Fill out the online application for a UK student visa:

  • Fill out the visa application form as instructed. You need to check the application code that appears on the last page of the declaration and sign the confirmation on this page.

  • Once you have downloaded and sent your visa declaration, the application code starting with GWF will be sent to the email you provided.

  • Print all pages of the declaration and submit it to the application center.

Step 2 - Make an appointment and come to submit your visa application: You make an appointment online and then come to submit your application online at the Application Reception Center in Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi/Da Nang. Documents to bring: appointment form at the Application Reception Center, the required documents in the UK student visa application list are mentioned in the section above.

Step 3 - Visa Interview: The visa interview is not mandatory for all international students, but during the visa processing process, the visa processing officer of the immigration department can randomly call directly by phone or email to arrange a face-to-face interview with the student at the VFS visa reception center's office.

Details you can refer to: Basic steps to apply for a UK student visa to succeed

5. Experience in applying for a UK student visa

In the process of applying for a UK student visa, you need to pay attention to the following issues:

5.1. Experience in preparing applications to study in the UK

The application to study in the UK must meet the following criteria:

  • The documents in the dossier must be in A4 paper size, unstapled, clipped, not injected with plastic, flat and the words on the paper are clear and easy to read.

  • Financial records, academic records and certificates need to be translated and notarized at reputable centers.

5.2. Interview experience

If the Embassy sees your desire to experience a real education in the UK, it will be easier to obtain a visa. Therefore, you need to prepare the following criteria for the interview process to go smoothly:

  • International students need to know information about the school they want to pursue in the UK, their parents' financial situation, future career orientation, etc. to answer the Embassy's questions about the purpose of studying in the UK.

  • When asked about your future career direction, you should avoid emphasizing your plans to apply for a job and settle in the UK after completing the course.

  • Answers should be concise, honest and must ensure sufficient content provided on the school's website, avoiding curtly yes or no answers that cause disapproval.

  • One of those notes is that when asked about your immigration history and the times you have been granted or denied a visa, you should share it honestly.

6. Time to apply for a UK student visa

The best time to apply for a UK student visa is 3 - 6 months before admission.

The average processing time for a UK student visa is about 3-8 working weeks. You can use the "Priority Visa" approval form, the visa processing time will be 1 working week. During the processing period, students should pay attention to calls or emails from the immigration department, visa processing officers can contact at any time to review and verify and supplement the necessary documents for visa processing.

7. Fees for applying for a UK student visa

For Student visa groups:

  • The cost is £490 if you apply for a visa outside the UK.

  • The cost is £490 if you are in the UK and apply for a visa extension or upgrade.

For Child student visa groups:

  • The cost is £363 if you apply for a visa outside the UK.

  • The cost is £490 if you are in the UK and apply for a visa extension or upgrade.

For a Standard visitor visa (6 months): The cost is £110.

For short-term study visas: The cost is £200.

In addition, you also have to prepare the cost of printing papers, records, financial proofs, etc

  • Healthcare Surcharge: £776/1 year for students, dependents, applicants under the age of 18.

8. Duration of UK student visa

The UK Graduate Route Visa is a great opportunity for international students who want to stay and develop their careers after completing their studies. With this visa, you can stay in the UK for 2 years if you have graduated from an undergraduate degree, and up to 3 years if you have completed a doctoral program. The post-graduation visa period will be valid from the date your application is approved. This is a great opportunity for you to gain experience and develop yourself while working in an international environment.

To learn more and more details about the job opportunities that the Graduate Route Visa offers, you can check out the IDP's detailed article here: Graduate Route Visa: Opportunities to work in the UK after graduation.

9. Reputable and highly qualified UK student visa application support unit

Preparing documents and applying for a visa is a difficult first step in the journey to conquer ancient England. If you are wondering about the requirements for a UK student visa, do not hesitate to contact IDP for answers as soon as possible with free support.

IDP Education is a trusted address with more than 50 years of experience in studying abroad for students, playing an important role in international education when helping more than 700,000 students successfully study abroad at schools in Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland.

IDP currently has a network of 170 international admissions offices in 30 different countries and is the official admissions representative of more than 600 prestigious schools in Australia, the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland. Besides, IDP is also the co-founder and organizer of the IELTS test worldwide, which will best support you to have a great study abroad experience!

Hopefully, the above article has given you a brief overview of preparing the application for a UK student visa. Since then, international students who cherish many plans and ambitions when coming to the UK can be more fully prepared in terms of knowledge and spirit before starting a journey to explore a new land.

See more:

Register Now