UK Student visa, step by step (2026)

The Student visa is a sequence, not a form. Each step unlocks the next, and most delays come from doing them in the wrong order. Here is the order, with what each one needs.

1. Get an unconditional offer from a licensed sponsor

Only universities and colleges on the Home Office register of licensed student sponsors can support a visa. AnyRoot marks every course from a licensed sponsor; 262 of the 474 providers in our search hold a licence.

Your offer must be unconditional before the next step. If it is conditional on grades or an English test, meet the conditions first.

2. Receive your CAS

The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is a reference number the university issues once you have accepted the offer, paid any deposit they require, and given them the documents they ask for. It records your course, its fees, what you have already paid, and how the university assessed your English.

A CAS is valid for six months. Do not apply for the visa before you have it; the number goes on the application.

3. Prove your English

For degree-level courses you need CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening; for courses below degree level, B1. The usual routes are:

• a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, such as IELTS for UKVI;
• a degree taught in English, assessed by Ecctis;
• a GCSE, A level, Scottish National 4/5 or Higher in English gained at a UK school;
• being a national of a majority-English-speaking country listed by the Home Office.

Universities often assess English themselves for degree-level courses and record it on the CAS, so check what your university requires before you book a test.

4. Show the money

You must show you can pay your course fees for the first year (or whatever is still owed after any payment shown on the CAS) plus living costs:

Where you will study	Per month	For up to 9 months
London	£1,529	£13,761
Outside London	£1,171	£10,539

The money must have been in your account, or a parent's, for 28 consecutive days, and the most recent statement must be dated within 31 days of your application. Student loans and official financial sponsorship count with the right letters. Use the cost calculator to get your exact figure.

5. TB test, if your country is listed

If you are applying from a country on the Home Office list and coming for more than six months, you need a tuberculosis test certificate from an approved clinic. It is valid for six months, so time it with your application.

6. Apply online and pay

Apply on GOV.UK up to six months before your course starts if you are outside the UK. You will pay:

• the application fee: £558 (from 8 April 2026);
• the Immigration Health Surcharge: £776 for each year of the visa, paid upfront. A three-year degree is charged for about three and a half years because the visa runs four months past the course end date.

7. Biometrics and decision

Book an appointment at a visa application centre to give fingerprints and a photo, or use the ID Check app if your passport supports it. Most decisions from outside the UK come within three weeks. Since 2025 you receive an eVisa rather than a card; create your UKVI account as soon as you are asked to, because the eVisa is what you will use for right-to-rent and right-to-work checks.

8. Travel

You can enter the UK up to one month before your course starts if the course is longer than six months. Carry your passport, CAS letter, financial evidence and TB certificate in hand luggage; Border Force can ask for any of them.

What comes next

Landing is where most guides stop. Your first month has its own list: register with a GP, open a bank account, get a UK SIM, apply for a National Insurance number if you plan to work, and register with the police if your visa says so. The AnyRoot app turns that into a dated checklist; the first 30 days guide walks through it.