Student Immigration Service

Standard Visitor visa

If you study in the UK for up to 6 months and your period of study doesn’t include a work placement, you should come to the UK as a Standard Visitor. You may need to apply for a visa from outside the UK depending on your nationality.

Current UKVI processing times

Standard visitor visa applications are currently taking on average 3 weeks to process, however some applications might take longer.

Visa decision waiting times

 

Who needs to apply for a Standard Visitor visa

Your nationality will determine whether you need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa (entry clearance), the Electronic Visa Waiver or Electronic Travel Authorisation.

Applying for a Standard Visitor visa

Find out what you need to do to apply for Standard Visitor visa permission. We also include guidance about the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that will apply to certain Non-Visa Nationals.

Permitted activities and restrictions

What you can and cannot do while on a Standard Visitor visa.

Healthcare and insurance on a Standard Visitor visa

All students on a full-time course in Scotland are eligible for National Health Service (NHS) treatment, but you may have to pay for more specialised services.