Overseas Students
Applying for your Student Visa to enter the UK
British High Commissions and Consulates throughout the world will be pleased to assist genuine students wishing to travel to the UK for full-time studies. Students must first obtain Form IM2 A (application for United Kingdom Entry Clearance) from the local British Consulate Immigration Section.
You must show that you are going to follow:
- a recognised full-time degree course, or
- a period of study and/or research in excess of 6 months where this forms part of an overseas degree course, or
- a course run during the week involving at least 15 hours of organised daytime study each week, or
- a full-time course at an independent fee-paying school
You must also:
- be able to pay for your course and support yourself and any dependants, and live in the UK without going into business or getting a job, or needing any help from public funds
- be able and intend to follow your chosen course, and
- intend to leave the UK when you complete your studies, if your course of study is below degree level.
Students will require the following documents in order to successfully complete the application forms - please check the list:
- A valid travel document or passport
- Two passport photographs (these must not be more than 6 months old)
- The appropriate fee
- Evidence that you have been unconditionally accepted on a course of study in the UK i.e. a letter from the college
- Final acceptance letter from the college for your course, confirming starting date of studies and payment of tuition fees.
- Evidence of any previous study or qualifications
- Evidence of any English language qualifications e.g. IELTS or TOEFL (if English is not your first or national language)
- Evidence of the cost of your course fees
- Payment of tuition fees. Students are strongly advised to prepay tuition fees in full (note that payment of the application fee alone will not get you admitted and will not be accepted by the British Immigration Authorities).
- Name and address of sponsor and letter from sponsor to confirm that tuition fees and living expenses will be covered.
- Evidence of any funds set aside by your financial sponsors specifically to pay for your study e.g. bank statements
- Evidence of your financial sponsor’s occupation, income and any savings or assets they have e.g. letter from employer, payslips and bank statements
- Evidence of your sponsor’s permission to live in the UK e.g. copy of their passport or visa
- Evidence of your current employment/self employment, occupation or work
- Evidence of your total monthly income from all sources of employment or occupation after tax e.g. payslips and tax returns
- Evidence of any income from other sources e.g. friends, family, savings, property, etc
- Provisional date of departure for London (airline and arrival details)
The more of these documents you provide means the more likely that your visa application will be successful.
