You can apply for a Short-term study visa if:
- you’re doing a short course of study in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
You need a Standard Visitor visa if you’re an academic visitor.
You cannot apply if you qualify for British citizenship - including if you can have dual nationality. You must apply for British citizenship instead.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- do a short course of study in the UK, such as an English language course or a training course
- do a short period of research as part of a degree course if you are studying abroad
You cannot:
- study at a state-funded school
- work (including on a work placement or work experience) or carry out any business
- extend this visa
- bring family members (‘dependants’) with you - they must apply separately
- get public funds
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK for the length of your course or research.
You may be allowed to stay an extra 30 days if your total stay in the UK would be no more than 6 months, or no more than 11 months if you’re both:
- 16 or over
- studying an English language course
Your visa will say how long you are allowed to stay in the UK.
If you do not normally need a visa to visit the UK, you can study for up to 6 months without applying in advance. You must see a border officer when you arrive in the UK - do not use the ePassport gates.
If you want to study for longer than 6 months, you must apply for a Short-term study visa in advance.
Fees
It costs:
- £97 for a 6 month visa
- £186 for an 11 month visa
How long it takes
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
For further information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/study-visit-visa
