Before you apply for your visa

Nationals of certain countries do not need to apply for a visa application for the UK, if coming to stay for less than 6 months and as a 'Standard Visitor'.  These are classed as 'Non-Visa Nationals' and can choose to request entry to the UK as a Standard Visitor at port of arrival. If successfully entered on this basis, they would hold visa permission as a Standard Visitor and must comply with the Visitor rules throughout your visit. 

However, there is a list of nationalities who MUST still apply for a visa application (entry clearance) when coming as a 'Standard Visitor'. These are called 'Visa Nationals'

If your country is NOT on this 'Visa National' list, then you would be classed as a 'non-visa national' for visitor purposes.

Please ensure you read the full information below, before intending to come as a 'Standard Visitor'.

Certain programmes, depending on the length may allow you to study in the UK as a Visitor. You can visit the UK for up to 6 months only as per the Visitor permission rules.

The on-campus programme must be no more than 6 months in length.

Standard Visitor 'visit to study' subcategory

List of Visa Nationals

Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You must apply for your Student visa application (entry clearance) from your country of natio nationality, or your normal country of residence.

The only exception to this is if you already hold a valid UK visa which allows you to extend or switch from inside the UK.  

You cannot switch into the Student visa from inside the UK, if you are in the UK with 'Standard Visitor' or 'Short-term Student (English Language)' permission. The Student visa rules do not allow it. you would need to leave the UK first and then apply for entry clearance as explained above.

If you currently hold a valid UK visa, you can use the below tool as guidance to check whether you can make an application in the UK:

Can I apply from the UK?

The UK and the Republic of Ireland are part of a Common Travel Area (CTA); the CTA streamlines arrival to the UK from the Republic of Ireland for most travellers because there is no immigration control between the two countries.

You need to obtain a visa before travelling to the UK, if you are applying under the Student visa route or if you are a Visa National applying under the Standard Visitor visa route.  

If you have obtained a visa from your home country, you can choose to travel via the Republic of Ireland and onward to the UK (can only travel from visa start date).

If you choose to travel via this route, you must keep a copy of all boarding passes / travel itinerary, as you will need to evidence your date of arrival in the UK (for university 'international check in').

However, if you are a Non-Visa National and enter the UK via the Republic of Ireland without holding a valid visa for the UK, you may be given permission/entry to be in the UK for six months only from date of entry to the UK . You will be able to study but employment (paid or unpaid) will NOT be permitted. We recommend that you keep your boarding passes or travel itinerary in a safe place as you will need to evidence your date of arrival to the UK. 

List of Visa Nationals

UKCISA - international student advice and guidance - Arriving via Ireland

If you are permitted to use the e-Gates for the purpose of your entry, we recommend that you keep your boarding passes or travel itinerary in a safe place, as you will need to evidence your actual date of arrival in the UK (for university international check-in).

If you are unsure, you can speak to a border force officer.

There are over 270 eGates in place at 15 air and rail ports in the UK to enable quicker travel into the UK. You can normally use eGates if you:

• have a biometric symbol on the cover of your passport
• are aged 10+ (10 to 17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult)
• are a national of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA

Find out more about what you need to do when you arrive in the UK at the links below:

Arriving in the UK

About eGates

A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is a 13-digit alpha-numeric reference number, issued by your university (student sponsor), which is required in order to apply for a Student visa.  The reference number relates to an electronic record that UKVI has access to, that hold specific information about you and your programme of study for the UK. This CAS information is entered in your student visa application and assessed by UKVI.

The University will normally issue a CAS to a new student: 

• Once you have accepted an unconditional offer from the University; AND 
• Once you have requested a CAS through your EUCLID portal; AND 
• No more than 6 months before your course start date (or the date that you are required to be on-campus, whichever is later*)

*If you are already in the UK and can switch into the Student visa route, please contact us for a CAS, no more than 3 months before the start of your programme.

Find out more about your CAS and how to request it at the link below:

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

Overview of Student visa

You should make sure to only travel to the UK or or after your visa start date as you will need to ‘activate’ your Student visa permission.  

If you are a non-visa national, you may in some circumstances be able to enter the UK as a standard visitor before the start of your Student visa.  You will have to meet the criteria of the standard visitor route, and you will also need to leave the UK / Common Travel Area (Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man) and re-enter after the start of your Student visa in order to get the correct permission to study. You can find out about the standard visa category here: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor

It is important to note that you cannot start a Student visa application overseas and travel to the UK to complete it.  

It can vary as depends on the UKVI Student visa rules and the timing of the visa decision.

A new Student visa may have a start date of - whichever is the latest of the following: 

• One month extra before your course start date for longer programmes. (OR one week/seven days before course start date if short programme less than 6 months long); OR 
• Up to seven days before the confirmed 'intended date of travel' to the UK (as stated in your visa application form); OR 
• The date on which your visa is granted by UKVI (if date of visa decision is less than one month before course start date). 

Further guidance can be found below:

UKCISA - Student visa start and end dates

The Student visa duration issued by UKVI will mainly depend on the programme details.

The Student visa would normally be issued by UKVI to cover:

(Extra time before course start date) + (programme duration of course start to end dates) + (additional time at the end, called the 'wrap up period').

• If your programme is less than six months in total length, the additional wrap up period at the end, will be 7 days/one week from course end date.
• However, if you are studying a pre-sessional programme, this additional wrap up period at the end will be 1 month from course end date.
• If you are studying on a programme with total duration of between 6-12 months in length, the additional wrap up period is 2 months from course end date.
• If you are studying a programme which has total duration of 12 months or longer, you will have an additional 4 months wrap- up period from course end date.

Further guidance can be found below:

UKCISA - Student visa start and end dates

This will depend on where you make your application.  If you are outside the UK, it normally takes around 3-4 weeks to get a decision (following biometrics appointment/visa evidence submission). 

If you are inside the UK, it normally takes around 8 weeks (following biometrics/visa evidence submission). 

Applying for a Student visa

Visa processing times

The University can issue a CAS up to 6 months before your required programme attendance date (at the earliest).

If you are a new student and have accepted an unconditional offer for your programme, you will need to request a CAS through your EUCLID portal.

Steps to follow for new students:

• Log into your Applicant Hub through EUCLID – you will then be able to see your offer under ‘My Applications’ 
• Select ‘Open Application’
• Select the link which states ‘Please tell us if you require a CAS.’
• When your CAS is ready you will receive an email to your personal email address asking you to confirm the details. 
• Follow the link in that email and log in to your Euclid portal.
• Click on the ‘immigration details’ tab under the personal details, scroll down past your passport and visa and you’ll see your CAS information. 
• Check all of the information carefully - if something is not right it could result in your visa application being refused. If everything is correct, click on the green button at the bottom of the immigration details page to send us your confirmation. If there are any issues you can report them using the red button. 

Once we receive your confirmation, you will receive your final CAS number within two working days.

*If you are already in the UK and wish to switch into the Student visa route as a new student, then please contact us 3 months before your programme start date to discuss your circumstances. You cannot apply to switch into the Student visa route, any earlier than this.

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

Please note, it is a different cas request process for our 'current students' who are returning to continue their programme following a break/other reason. Current students would need to follow the steps as explained on our 'current student' CAS webpage for their return to studies. 

Unlike many other countries, the UK does not require that a passport is valid for any particular period of time during your studies, after successful arrival into the UK.

Your passport (or travel document) MUST be valid by your date of application and for your arrival into the UK.

It is advised to ensure your passport covers your programme if possible but it is not a requirement. If it will expire during your studies, you will be responsible of having to complete a national passport renewal with your embassy in the UK. 

UKVI web information for people arriving in the UK does say that your passport must remain valid for the full length of your stay, but this is advisory only and has no basis in any law or guidance for UK visas. Your passport (or travel document) MUST be valid by your date of application and for your arrival into the UK.

It is quite common for a student visa holder's passport to expire during a long programme/stay in the UK. You would need to monitor this yourself and apply for a passport renewal in a timely manner. You would then update the university with your new passport for international check in.

*If you will hold or already hold a eVisa (digital status), you must update your UKVI online account with your up-to-date passport before any travel.

Currently, only certain applicants will hold a eVisa as UKVI is transitioning to be in action fully from 2025. eVisa holders will need to update your UKVI account details, if they receive a new passport. For eVisa holders, the visa permission is linked to the passport in the online account*

eVisa - Update your UKVI Online Account details

Contact us urgently and as soon as possible for specialist advice. You must provide full details and documents as attachments in your email.

Email a copy of all the documents to our team and write 'Visa Refusal' in the subject line. Please also make the type of visa clear in the email subject line, for example (Visitor / Student visa). 

Send us all of the following documents:

• Copy of your application form and checklist (download via UKVI application email link)
• Copy of all visa evidence/ supporting documents that you submitted to UKVI with initial application
• Copy of UKVI Visa Refusal Notice
• Copy of any UKVI correspondence emails

Allow us time to review your refusal and assess your situation. We will then support you with specialist advice in writing in a urgent and timely manner.

Our team make ask you for new documents that we can assess before we decide on your next course of action.

Contact us

*You would need a new CAS before you can make a new Student visa application.*

Please wait for our advice before you re-apply following a visa refusal. You would need to meet all visa requirements by the new date of application.

A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is an ID card which contains the details of your visa permission.  It is your ‘visa’ evidence and you must carry it for any travel outside to be able to re-enter the UK, to show your right to study, and your right to work.

It is credit card-sized, and you should keep it safe at home at all times except travel.

New students will need to collect their BRP from either from the University or from a Post Office, depending on the delivery address option you confirmed in your visa application. If you have forgotten, you can re-check your visa application form (download from UKVI application email link).

Only certain applicants will be issued a BRP as it depends on how they applied. 

Please note, there will be no more physical BRPs issued to visa applicants from 2025 onwards. UKVI are moving to an all new digital visa system  starting from January 2025.

The eVisa is the name of your digital immigration status, which would be linked to your passport, with access to linked UKVI online account. The new digital visa system in the UK starts from 2025 onwards.

Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

About the eVisa

If you have applied for your Student visa from outside the UK (entry clearance), you will get a sticker in your passport called a ‘visa vignette’.  This is a document that gives you permission to travel to the UK. This is may not show your actual visa length if it has been issued for 90 days.

Usually for a longer programme, the visa vignette will be issued with a 90-day validity. This 90 day visa vignette is not your full Student visa duration. This 90 days is your entry clearance and you must travel to the UK during it's validity so your student visa permission is activated. In this case, your actual Student visa length/duration will be confirmed in your UKVI initial visa decision letter. You should check this letter to make sure you visa duration has been correctly issued, before you travel to the UK.

*However, if you are on a programme with a very short duration, you may be issued a visa vignette with validity for total visa length (if visa duration is less than 6 months). In this case, the visa vignette will have your visa start and end date as your visa permission evidence for the UK.*

Once you arrive in the UK, you may have to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) (if issued to you), which contains details of your visa permission. This BRP would be required for any travel purposes during it's validity only.  

Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

If you do not hold any other immigration permission for the UK that allows you to study, you must instead apply for the Student visa (entry clearance) if main purpose for coming to the UK is to study on a programme of 6 months or longer.

Your CAS will list your main listed nationality as per your admission record. You would list this as your main nationality when filling in your application form with any additional dual/other nationalities also listed. 

You must include the details of both nationalities in your visa application form with both valid passports in your visa evidence. 

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*If you hold an EU/EEA/Swiss passport or national ID card (i.e. you are a citizen), and you moved to the UK before 31 December 2020, you may have already applied for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). If you have been granted settled or pre-settled status under the EUSS then you do not need a separate visa to study in the UK.*

EU Settlement Scheme

Student Route

All students who are registered full time and residing in Scotland with valid visa permission for more than 3 months have full access to the NHS services in Scotland.   

If you need to apply for a visa to come to the UK, you will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.  Once you have a valid Student visa, you should will give you full access to the NHS services, like a ordinarily UK resident during validity of your visa permission.

However, the mandatory IHS payment when coming to the UK for more than 6 months, does NOT constitute as 'health insurance'.

It will only provide access to the UK National Health Service (NHS) and does not cover healthcare for any other country.

Immigration Health Surcharge

UKCISA guidance about IHS and UK NHS healthcare

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*If you have already hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you will have access to study and the NHS services/healthcare under this EUSS permission for the UK.*

Information for EU/EEA and Swiss students 

Normally, if your programme is below degree level, you will need an IELTS for UKVI certificate at  least CEFR level B1 (at least 4.0 IELTS) in order to apply for a Student visa. 

If your programme is degree level or above, you do not need to have an IELTS for UKVI certificate.  The University will make its own assessment of your English language and you do not need to provide any further evidence for your visa application. If this is the case, it may be confirmed 'university has made their own academic assessment' in the evidence section of a Student visa CAS. 

You should check your unconditional offer letter for details of what the University has used to assess your English language.

English language requirements

Any documents that you will submit with your Student visa application which are not in English must be officially translated by a professional and certified translator.  You cannot translate the documents yourself. 

You can find the full requirements at the link below.

Translations

The IHS is a one-off mandatory fee payment you make with your visa application, which gives you access to the National Health Service (NHS), which is the UK’s healthcare system.  You will not need to pay any extra for hospital treatment, medication, or visits to the doctor. 

The IHS is not health insurance.  It allows you to access the NHS but does not cover you in your home country or if you are travelling outside the UK. 

Immigration Health Surcharge

IHS charge and payment process

Only certain types of Student visa holders may be able to apply for eligible family dependants to join them in the UK, under the Student Dependant visa rules. 

Normally, eligible dependants would be classed as a spouse/civil partner/unmarried partner*, and their children to the UK as their dependants. 

*(must have been in a genuine and subsisting relationship similar to a marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years before the date of application.)

You cannot bring other types of family members, such as your parents or siblings on the Student visa route.

Bringing your family 

Student visa dependants

UKCISA guidance on dependants

The University of Edinburgh does not sponsor students to study on a part-time programme using a Student visa. 

A CAS can be issued for a full-time on-campus programme at our University.  

If you would like to discuss your options further, please contact us 

You will not be eligible for a Student visa. The university cannot sponsor you for the Student visa for a Online Learning mode of programme.

The 'Online Learning' mode does not qualify for the Student visa route and you will not be eligible for a CAS for this reason.

There is no on campus study requirement for distance learning/online learning mode programmes. It means you wouldn't need to be in the UK to study on this type of programme.

Furthermore, the Standard Visitor visa permission does not allow Online Learning students to study all/majority of this type of programme in the UK.

If you intent to come as a visitor to the UK, it would need to be for specific reasons to meet the Visitor rules and for a short period of time only.

Most/all of your study will be happening outside of the UK as it is a fully online programme mode. 

However, you may want/need to visit the UK to do certain study related activities as part of your Online Leaning course, for example for one off university events, such as:

• attend induction weeks
• do face-to-face intensive learning
• have progress checks
• sit exams or assessments

However, if your main reason to visit the UK is not for a short study visit and it is for family/travel/holiday reasons, then you should make this clear in your visitor visa application/on arrival to the UK if intending to Visit only.  

Studying from overseas | The University of Edinburgh

Standard visitor information

 Visitor visa - Distance Learning section

Yes, you can start your visa application online and choose to 'save it for later' to complete the rest of the form, at a more suitable time. 

To return to a saved incomplete visa application form,  you will need to check your previous UKVI visa emails for the sign-in link.

How to sign into your online application 

If you’ve started a UK visa application form, you can sign back in to continue your application to be able to finally finish and submit it online.

To sign back in:

1. Find your UKVI visa application registration email.
2. Use the link in the email.
3. Enter your sign in details.
4. Continue your application

You can only sign in back in to an application you’ve already started using your email address.

You may not be able to sign in if you’ve not returned to a saved incomplete application for over 10 weeks. You would need to start again, in this case.