Study in UK Student Visa 2026

This spoke covers the UK student visa path. For the full country guide, see Study in UK.

How Do I Apply for a UK Student Visa?

The UK Student visa process runs through these stages:

1. Receive your unconditional offer and CAS - your university issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies once you've met all conditions and (usually) paid a tuition deposit
2. Build your maintenance funds - you'll need the required amount held continuously for 28 days before applying (see below)
3. Complete the online Student visa application - through the UKVI portal, from outside the UK up to 6 months before your course starts
4. Pay the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) - both paid upfront as part of the application
5. Verify your identity - either digitally via the UK Immigration: ID Check app, or at a visa application centre appointment
6. Await your decision - most Student visa decisions come through within 3 weeks outside the UK

How Long Does the UK Student Visa Process Take?

Budget 3 weeks for standard processing outside the UK, though it's wise to apply as early as your CAS allows - you can apply up to 6 months before your course start date. Priority processing (extra fee) can reduce this to 5 working days at participating visa centres if you need a faster turnaround.

What Are the UK Student Visa Financial Requirements?

The UK requires proof of both tuition funds and a fixed maintenance amount for living costs, held in a specific way:

• Maintenance funds: £1,529/month if studying in London, £1,171/month if studying outside London - capped at 9 months, so £13,761 (London) or £10,539 (outside London) maximum
• Outstanding tuition fees: the remaining balance shown on your CAS after any deposit paid
• The 28-day rule: your required total must sit in your account, never dropping below the threshold, for 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of your application date - this is the single most common cause of visa refusal
• Visa application fee: £558 (as of April 2026)
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £776/year of visa length, usually covering 16 months for a 1-year Master's (course plus buffer), totaling roughly £1,552

Applicants from a list of "differentiation arrangement" countries (including several EU states, the US, Japan, and others) may not need to submit financial evidence upfront, though they must still genuinely meet the requirement if asked.

What Is the Graduate Route? (UK Post-Study Work Visa)

After completing your degree, the Graduate Route lets you stay and work in the UK without needing a job offer or sponsor - currently 2 years for Bachelor's and Master's graduates, 3 years for PhD graduates. This is changing: from 1 January 2027, the non-doctoral Graduate Route period drops to 18 months for new applications, though PhD graduates keep their full 3 years. What matters is your application date, not your course start or end date - so a student graduating in 2026 who applies before the cutoff still gets the full 2 years.

To stay in the UK beyond the Graduate Route, you'd typically need to switch to a Skilled Worker visa, which requires a job offer meeting a minimum salary threshold (£41,700 general, with lower thresholds for STEM PhD holders and shortage occupations).