UK Tier 4 (General) Student Visa

• You have been offered a place on a course at one of the UK higher education authorities or UK university.
• The applicant can speak, read, write and understand English
• You must have enough money to support yourself during your studies and pay for your course.
• You are from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
• Meet the other entry & eligibility requirements

You can make an application to the home office for a visa 3 months before your course start date. The decision of your visa application will be available within 3 weeks from the date you give biometrics and documents submission.

You can even request for a visa faster than normal. Find out about paying for a faster decision.

Tier 4 Visa application Fee:

• Applicants from the outside UK: £348
• For each dependant: £348 per person.

Immigration Healthcare surcharge

As part of your visa application, you’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge.

Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.

Duration of your stay

You can arrive in the UK before your course starts:

• up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or less
• up to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months

The length of your stay in the UK depended on the kind, of course, you’re doing and what study you’ve already completed and the duration of your course.

What you can and cannot do with Tier 4 general visa:

You can:

• study
• work as a student union sabbatical officer
• Apply for a visa from inside or outside the UK
• Apply to extend your stay
• work in most jobs – depending on what level your course is and what kind of sponsor you have

You cannot:

• You are not able to get public funds
• work in certain jobs, for example, professional sportsperson or sports coach
• study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school)

You may be able to bring your family members (dependants).