Student Visa Procedures and Health Insurance Requirements

To apply for a student visa, you must be at least 16 years old and have financial ability. Documentation showing that you can cover course fees and living expenses is required. If you have a visa in the UK for more than 12 months, you may not need to provide this financial evidence, but for more extended training programs, this evidence will be required. Financial support of £1,334 per month is required for courses in London and £1,023 per month for courses outside London (valid for a maximum period of 9 months). If you are between 16 and 17 years old, you can apply for a visa with your family's permission.

Applicants from outside the UK: You must apply for a visa at least six months before your studies, and the result is usually known within three weeks.

Applicants from the UK: You must apply for a visa at least three months before your education and your current visa expires and wait eight weeks for the results.

Students aged 18 and over can usually stay in the UK for five years if their education is at a degree level. For courses below degree level, you can generally wait two years. If your course duration is six months or less, you must arrive at least one week; if it is longer than six months, you must arrive at least one month.

To apply for a Student visa from outside the UK, a visa fee of £490 must be paid, and a separate fee is required for each additional person. You can also bring your partner and children.

Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS): Your education provider will send you a CAS reference number once you have been offered a place on the course. You must use this number when you apply for a visa.

There are various scholarship opportunities for international students in the UK, including scholarships provided by the government, universities' scholarship programs, scholarships offered by third-party organisations, and scholarships funded by various organisations. The value of scholarships varies depending on the type of provider and the organisation it is affiliated with. For example, some scholarships are offered to cover tuition fees only, while prestigious government scholarships such as Chevening can cover all the costs you will incur throughout your education process. Each university and organisation sets specific criteria for the distribution of scholarships, and there is often intense competition. To successfully emerge from this competition, besides your academic achievements in the field you are applying for, additional factors such as your extracurricular activities and volunteering can provide a significant advantage.

The scholarship application process follows the rules set by the institution providing the scholarship. While some scholarship programs are automatically evaluated during the application to the university, some may require a separate application. You may be asked to submit special projects or written studies for research-oriented scholarships. Documents often needed when applying include a scholarship application form, academic transcripts and diplomas, passport or ID copy, letter of intent, letter of recommendation, standardised test scores (SAT, ACT, GRE, GPA, etc.) and language proficiency test results (e.g. IELTS). Careful preparation in this process can increase your chances of winning a scholarship.

Students who will stay and study in the UK for more than six months must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHM). After paying this fee, you must return to your online visa application within 30 minutes. You can arrange your health insurance according to course dates and calculate its cost on this website.

You will receive an email with the IHS reference number when you complete your visa application. You can also see this number on the checkout screen and only use it once in a new application.