The visa is not hard. The order of operations is#
Most refused Student visa applications are not refused because the applicant was unsuitable. They are refused because a bank balance dipped below the threshold on day nineteen of a twenty-eight day window, or because a sponsor's reference number was issued for a course the applicant had already changed.
The UK Student visa is a points-based application, which means it is mechanical. You either have the points or you do not, and there is very little discretion in the middle. That is genuinely good news, because a mechanical system can be prepared for.
What follows is what the application actually requires, what it costs in full, and how far in advance each piece has to be in place.
The three things the Home Office is checking#
A Student visa awards 70 points, and all 70 are compulsory. There is no partial credit.
Fifty points come from a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, universally shortened to CAS. This is an electronic reference number issued by your university once you have accepted an unconditional offer and met their conditions. Universities can only issue one if they hold a sponsor licence from the Home Office, which every established UK university does. The CAS contains your course details, fees, and any fees you have already paid, and it is valid for six months.
Ten points come from English language ability. For degree-level study, universities can assess this themselves rather than requiring a Secure English Language Test, and most do, using prior education in English, an IELTS score, or their own assessment. The required level for a degree is equivalent to CEFR B2, which is upper intermediate.
Ten points come from money. You have to show you can pay your first year of tuition plus a set amount for living costs, and the Home Office is strict about how that money is evidenced.
Police registration, which used to be a separate obligation after arrival, was abolished in 2022 and no longer applies.
What it actually costs#
Published figures rarely add up to what leaves your account. Here is the full picture for a single applicant, using the rates in force in 2026.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa application fee | £558 | Same whether you apply from outside or inside the UK |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £776 per year of visa granted | Charged upfront for the whole permission, not annually. Under-18s and dependants pay the same student rate |
| Living costs evidence, London | £1,529 per month, up to 9 months | Maximum of £13,761. "London" means the boroughs listed by the Home Office |
| Living costs evidence, outside London | £1,171 per month, up to 9 months | Maximum of £10,539 |
| First year tuition | Varies | Any deposit already paid is deducted, if it is recorded on your CAS |
| Priority or super priority service | Optional extra | Cuts the decision time, does not change the outcome |
| Biometrics appointment | Usually included in the fee | Some visa application centres charge for premium slots |
Two things to note about that table.
The living costs figure is evidence, not a payment. It is money you must show, not money you hand over. It can be your own savings, or held by a parent or legal guardian who provides a letter of consent and proof of relationship.
The health surcharge is charged for the length of your permission, which is not the same as the length of your course. A twelve-month master's usually comes with a visa that runs a few months past the end date, so the surcharge bill is typically more than one year's worth. The surcharge buys you access to the NHS on the same terms as a UK resident, including GP appointments and hospital treatment, and it is worth understanding as a health insurance premium rather than a tax.
The 28-day rule, and how people fail it#
This is where applications actually fall over.
The money must have been in the account for at least 28 consecutive days. The closing balance on your statement must be dated within 31 days of the date you apply. And the balance must not drop below the required total at any point during those 28 days, not even once, not even briefly.
A single transfer out on day twelve resets the clock. Rent paid from the same account resets the clock. A currency conversion that briefly shows a lower balance resets the clock. The Home Office reads the statement line by line.
Use an account you are not living out of. If the funds are in a parent's account, you need their written consent, proof of your relationship such as a birth certificate, and statements in their name.
There is a significant exemption. If you have lived in the UK with valid permission for at least twelve months before applying, you do not need to show the money at all. Nationals of a long list of countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States and most EU states, are also exempt from submitting financial evidence upfront, although the Home Office can still ask for it before deciding. Being on that list is not permission to arrive with nothing. It is permission not to attach the statements.
Working backwards from enrolment#
The earliest you can apply from outside the UK is six months before your course start date. From inside the UK, it is three months. Standard processing is usually three weeks from outside and up to eight weeks from inside, which is the single most surprising figure on this page.
A workable timeline for a September start looks like this.
By March or April, hold an unconditional offer and pay any required deposit. Conditional offers do not produce a CAS.
By May, have the money in place in a single account and leave it alone. This is the step people start too late, because the 28-day window has to close inside the 31 days before you apply.
By June, request your CAS. Universities will not issue one until they have your accepted offer, your passport details and, usually, your deposit. Check every field on it. A misspelled name or a wrong course title on a CAS has to be reissued, and reissuing takes days.
By late June or July, apply online, pay the fee and surcharge, and book biometrics. Applying earlier than this is possible but ties up your passport for longer.
Allow four to six weeks before travel. Priority services shorten the wait where available and cost extra.
If you are applying from inside the UK, start earlier. Eight weeks is the published figure, and your existing permission must still be valid when you apply.
What the visa lets you do, and the deadline nobody mentions#
During term time, degree-level students can work up to 20 hours a week. The Home Office defines the week as Monday to Sunday and does not allow averaging, so 25 hours one week and 15 the next is a breach even though the average is fine. Outside term time, including the long summer between years, you can work full time. Self-employment, freelancing and professional sport remain off limits.
Dependants are tightly restricted. Since January 2024, you can only bring a partner or children if you are on a PhD, another doctorate, a research-based higher degree, or you are a government-sponsored student on a course longer than six months. Taught master's students, which is most postgraduate international students in the UK, cannot.
Then there is the Graduate Route, which lets you stay and work without a sponsor after you finish. This is the part worth acting on.
Applications made on or before 31 December 2026 give two years of unsponsored work permission, or three years for PhD graduates. Applications made on or after 1 January 2027 give eighteen months for non-PhD graduates. If you are finishing a course this autumn and your Graduate Route application is ready, the difference between applying in December and applying in January is six months of your working life in the UK.
You must be in the UK when you apply, and your university has to have reported your course completion to the Home Office first, which usually happens a few weeks after your results are confirmed.
Frequently asked questions#
How much is the UK Student visa in total? The application fee is £558, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at £776 for each year of permission granted. You also have to evidence tuition plus living costs, but that money is shown rather than spent on the application.
What counts as London for the maintenance requirement? The Home Office uses a specific list of London boroughs rather than a general idea of the capital. If your university campus sits inside that list, the higher £1,529 monthly figure applies. Check the campus, not the university's head office.
Can my parents' money be used? Yes, if they are a parent or legal guardian. You need their signed consent, proof of your relationship, and bank statements in their name that satisfy the same 28-day rule.
Do I still need a BRP card? No. Biometric residence permits have been replaced by eVisas, which are digital records of your status held in a UKVI account. Set the account up before you travel and know how to generate a share code, because your university and any landlord will ask for one.
How long does a decision take? Usually around three weeks if you apply from outside the UK, and up to eight weeks from inside. Priority services are available in many countries at additional cost.
What happens if I am refused? The refusal notice states the reason. Most are evidential and fixable, such as a balance that dipped or a document that was not in the required format. You can usually reapply, and you pay the fee again.
Can I switch to a work visa after my course? Yes, either through the Graduate Route or directly to a Skilled Worker visa if an employer sponsors you. Many graduates use the Graduate Route as a bridge while job hunting, then switch.
When should I apply if my course starts in January? Work back the same way. Six months before the start date is the earliest from outside the UK, and allowing four to six weeks for the decision means a comfortable application window sits in the autumn.
