Student Immigration Service

Applying for a Student visa outside the UK

The steps you need to take to apply for a Student visa from outside the UK, including where to apply from, when to apply, and how much it costs.

Steps for applying for a Student visa outside the UK

The steps to apply for a visa from outside the UK depend on whether you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national or not.

Where to apply for your Student visa

If you are making your Student visa application from outside the UK, you must apply in your home country or normal country of residence.

When you can apply for a Student visa

You can apply for a Student visa up to 6 months before your programme starts. Once you’ve submitted your application and had all the necessary checks, the approval process should take 3 weeks.

How much it costs to apply for a visa

To apply for a Student visa, you will need to pay an application fee, as well as a healthcare surcharge to give you medical coverage while you’re studying here.