Applying for a Student visa from overseas

1. Check if you need a visa to study in the UK

Before we guide you through the visa application process, you should first check if you require a visa to study in the UK. You also need to know whether this would be a Student visa or Standard Visitor visa.

The type of visa you might require is partly determined by how long you'll be studying in the UK and whether you're joining a Pre-Sessional English course.

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK for more than six months, or to join a Pre-Sessional English course, this page will guide you through the application process.

Please refer to our separate guides if you're looking to extend your current Student visa in the UK or if you'll be studying in the UK for six months or less and require a Standard Visitor visa.

Check if you need a UK visa

2. Make sure you have proof of funding

You'll need to provide proof of funding as part of your student visa application. This will cover:

• Your tuition fees for the first year of study
• Your living expenses for the first year of study. This must be at least £9,207 to meet UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements, equivalent to £1,023 per month for nine months.

To demonstrate this funding, you'll need to provide a bank statement that belongs to you or your parent or legal guardian. A joint account is acceptable as long as you or your parent(s) or guardian(s) are named account holders.

The funds must have been in your nominated account for at least 28 consecutive days and the statement cannot be older than 31 days at the time of your visa application.

Find out more about providing financial evidence

3. Accept your offer of a place

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK, you need to accept your offer of a place to begin the visa application process. Accepting your offer is one of the key requirements for us to issue your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) statement.

For applicants to undergraduate degrees, this means firmly accepting your offer through UCAS. For master's courses, you'll need to accept our offer using the postgraduate application tracker.

4. Obtain an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate (if required)

For some courses and research areas in science, engineering and technology, the UK Government require international applicants to gain clearance to study in the UK.

This means applying for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate, unless you're from a country classed as exempt.

Where an ATAS certificate is required, this is mandatory. We won't be able to issue your CAS and your Student visa application will be unsuccessful without it.

Check if you need an ATAS certificate

5. Send us your documents

You'll need to provide evidence of your qualifications before we can issue your CAS statement. We'll accept copies of academic certificates and transcripts during the application process but you'll need to present the original documents when you arrive on campus.

If any academic document is not in English, it must be accompanied by a full, certified translation. You'll need to provide the contact details of the translation company, the date the translation took place, and the signature of the authorised translator.

We also need a scanned copy of your current passport. If you didn't submit this as part of your initial course application, you should send it to us as soon as possible.

You can submit your documents to us online, following the instructions below for your intended level of study.

6. Pay your tuition fee deposit (if applicable)

If you're joining a master's course as an international student, you'll need to pay a £2,000 tuition fee deposit before the relevant deadline. If you're joining a Pre-Sessional English course as part of your offer conditions, you'll need to pay a £1,000 tuition fee deposit instead.

No tuition fee deposits are required if you're joining an undergraduate degree or postgraduate research degree, or if your tuition fees are being paid by a sponsor.

Find out more about tuition fee deposits

7. Check the information in your CAS statement

Once you've followed the above steps and met any academic conditions of your offer, we should be able to issue your CAS statement.

We'll email you if there's any problems with issuing your CAS statement or we need further information. Make sure we have the correct email address for you and check your inbox regularly.

Your CAS statement must match the information you provide when you submit your Student visa application. Check it carefully to make sure that all of the information is correct. If any details are incorrect or change, it's essential to let us know so that your CAS statement can be updated before you apply for a Student visa.

Find out more about CAS statements

8. Make sure you have everything you need for your Student visa application

By completing the previous steps, you'll have gathered many of the documents you need for your Student visa application, including a current and valid passport.

You may also need a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate. Please refer to GOV.UK for details of which countries require a TB test as part of a visa application.

If you're under 18, you'll need a letter from your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) confirming their consent for your visa application, your living arrangements in the UK, and your travel to the UK. You'll also need to supply evidence of your relationship to your parent(s) or legal guardian(s), such as a birth certificate or adoption letter.

Check you've got all the documents you need to apply

9. Complete the online visa application form

When you've got everything you need to apply for your Student visa, you can use the online visa application form at GOV.UK. You should apply as soon as possible in the six months prior to the start of your course.

As part of the application process, you'll need to pay:

• A Student visa fee. This is currently £490
• An immigration health surcharge (IHS). This is currently £776 per year. It will mean that most National Health Service (NHS) treatments are free while you're studying in the UK. The IHS is refundable if your visa application is refused.

Apply for a Student visa

10. Confirm your identity

Confirming your identity is a key part of the application process. How this is done depends on your nationality and the type of passport you have.

11. Check the results of your application

Once you've completed the application process and confirmed your identity, you'll need to wait for a decision.

Your application should be processed within three weeks of submitting your application or attending a visa application centre. You may be asked to attend an interview as part of the decision-making process.

If you want a decision as soon as possible, many countries offer a priority visa service where your application can be processed faster for an additional fee.

12. Complete the international student registration process in Liverpool

When you're travelling to the UK, make sure you bring your visa decision letter and the original documents for your qualifications with you. You must not travel to the UK before the start date given in your visa decision letter.

After arriving in Liverpool, you'll need to attend an international student registration session. Here we'll check and scan your immigration documents and upload them to your student record.

• If you were issued with a digital immigration status, you'll need to generate a share code when viewing your immigration status online. You'll also need to provide evidence of your date of entry to the UK, such as a boarding card or flight ticket.
• If you were issued with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), you'll need to collect this before attending your international student registration session, unless you've chosen to collect your BRP from the University. The deadline for collecting your BRP is either before the vignette in your passport expires, or within ten days of arriving in the UK, whichever is later.

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