When can I travel to the UK before my course starts?
How early a Student visa lets you enter the UK before the course start date, what to carry through the border, and what to do in the first days.
Reviewed 28 September 2026 · 1 min read
Short answer: Up to one month before the course start date if the course lasts longer than six months. Travel only after the visa is granted, and carry your passport, CAS letter, financial evidence and TB certificate in hand luggage; Border Force can ask for any of them.
The window
Your visa's start date is set by the Home Office and lets you enter up to one month before the course starts when the course is longer than six months. Arriving early gives you time for the things that unlock everything else: a UK SIM, enrolment, a bank account and GP registration.
In hand luggage
- Passport
- CAS letter
- The financial evidence you used for the application
- TB certificate, if your country is listed
- Prescription medication for six to eight weeks, with the prescription
Do not book before the decision
Most decisions come within three weeks of biometrics, but flights booked on the assumption of a grant are the most common expensive mistake. Once you land, the first 30 days checklist gives the order that works.
Sources
General information, not regulated immigration advice. Rules change; check the source before you act, and speak to an IAA-registered adviser about your case.