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UK Visa Information

Travelling to another country is always very exciting, however, we must remember that travelling to the UK might require a UK visa. Please see below for more information. If your questions are not answered below, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Study Visas

If you are a visa national or a non-visa national, you will need a UK visa to study in the United Kingdom. Please see the UK Government website for more information.

Students applying for a study visa must participate in at least 15 hours of English Language courses per week. Please see our Course options for more information. Similarly, students travelling on a tourist visa can study, however, there are limitations. Please contact us directly for more information.

6 month Study Visa

If you want to study for fewer than 6 months you can apply for a Short-Term Study Visa (6 months). Non-visa nationals can get this visa at the airport when entering the country. Visa nationals must apply for this visa before they travel.

11 Month Study Visa

However, if you want to study for longer than 6 months, you can apply for the Short-Term Study Visa (up to 11 months). Students cannot get this type of visa at the airport when entering the UK. Therefore, you must apply for this visa in your country.

Requirements

In order to apply for a UK visa, there are some things that you will need. Firstly, you must be over 18, (if you are under 18 you can only apply for a Child Visitor Visa). Secondly, you must be enrolled at a language school. You must also be enrolled in a school which is accredited by an organisation which is approved by the UK Border Agency, for example, the British Council. Rose of York is accredited by the British Council. You do not need a minimum level of English to apply for this visa.

You must show proof that you are a genuine student and have enough money to support yourself for all of your course. For London, this amount is about £1,335 for each month of your stay. To prove you have enough money you will need to show your bank statements for the past few months. These statements must have evidence of enough money to support yourself during your studies.

And finally, you also need to show evidence that you have the intention of returning to your country once you have completed your course. This could include:

  • Evidence of travel plans (a return plane ticket).
  • A letter or contract from your employer showing that you have a job to go back to (or evidence that you are self-employed).
  • If you are a student, a letter from your university or other course provider.
  • Evidence that you own property in your country.

Restrictions

You can study for up to 6 months or up to 11 months if your visa is a Short Term Student Visa. However, there are some things that you can NOT do.

Students cannot:

  • extend any of those visas in the UK. You must return to your country once your visa expires.
  • work.
  • attend a government-funded school.
  • do a work placement or internship (paid or unpaid).
  • do any kind of business in the UK (for example, buying, selling or providing goods or services).

Application Process

If you are from a non-visa national country, it is a simple process. When you arrive at the airport in the UK, you can show the immigration officer the documents required to support your application. The immigration Offer will assess your documents and give you a Short Term Student Visa (6 months).

If you come from a visa national country, you need to apply for any visa before leaving your country. You will NOT be granted any visa on arrival in the UK.

Click here to apply for a UK visa online.

If you are not sure whether you are from a visa national country, please click here to check.

Documents Required for a UK Visa

There are numerous documents that you will need to provide in order to support your application. Please see the list below:

  • A letter from the school confirming that you have enrolled and paid for the course.
  • Evidence of previous qualifications.
  • Any evidence of previous English studies is applicable.
  • Evidence of the reason you have now decided to study English.
  • If required by your employer, you will also need a letter from your employer explaining this need.
  • Your bank statement or that of your parents, if they are supporting you.
  • Evidence of your relation with the person supporting you (your birth certificate and a copy of the passport of the person supporting you).
  • Evidence of your current employment status or that of the person supporting you (contract, letter from employer, etc.)
  • A letter, written and signed by the person supporting you, stating that they are supporting you.
  • Evidence that you will return home at the end of your course. This could be return tickets, a letter from your employer, or a letter from your course provider if you are a student.

We will request to see a copy of all these documents before we issue a visa letter as we need to assess the suitability of all students.

If you are still not sure, please call us or email us and we will be happy to help you.