Student visas

Check if you need a visa

Most international students need a Student Route visa to study in the UK. It allows you to study on a course that is longer than six months and it's the most common student visa.

Make sure that you read the information below about how to apply for a Student Route visa carefully. Your visa will be refused if your application is not completed correctly.

start your UK visa application

Important things to have before you start your UK visa application

  • All students who apply for a Student route visa under the sponsorship of Middlesex University must agree to our conditions of Student route sponsorship (PDF)
  • You must have an unconditional offer to study at an institution that is licensed by the Home Office as a Student route visa sponsor. Middlesex University is a licensed Student route (General) visa sponsor
  • You must be at least 16 years old to apply for a Student route visa to study at Middlesex University. We regret that we are unable to offer Student route visa sponsorship to students who are under 16 years of age
  • You must meet the financial and documentation requirements. Please see below for these in more detail

You will receive an email containing your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number, once we offer you a place to study and have confirmed that we will be able to sponsor you.

Confirmation

Documents you need when making your application

Your university will send this to you by email when you have met all of the academic and financial conditions of your offer.

You must state your CAS reference number on your Student route visa application.

Please be aware that a CAS is specific to your unconditional offer. If you defer your studies to the next intake, or choose a different institution, you will need a new CAS.

Unless you have already been living in the UK for 12 months or longer and are making a new application in the UK, you must provide a bank statement(s), loan letter or sponsorship letter to show that you have sufficient funds to pay for your studies.

This includes outstanding tuition fees for your course, as well as living costs. You need to show that you have £1,334 per month for 9 months (£12,006) unless your course is shorter than 9 months*.

*These figures are accurate as of February 2021. These figures are subject to change and you must make sure than you meet the requirements in place at the time you submit your visa application.

Checklist for bank statements

  • They must clearly show the money is in your account for 28 consecutive days. The bank statement cannot be more than one month old when you apply for your visa
  • Bank statements must be in your name or the names of either of your parents(s). You cannot use a company account or a bank account in any one else's name
  • Loan letters must have been issued as part of an official state or national government educational loan scheme. Sponsorship letters must have been issued by a government or government agency, a university or a multinational company
  • All financial documents must be in English or accompanied by a translation stamped and signed by a professional translator
  • If you are applying for your visa from within the UK, you may be able to show reduced living costs. Please see the UKCISA website for more information

More information on the financial requirements for your visa can be found in the UK Visas and Immigration Student route visa policy guidanceStudent route visa policy guidance.

Your CAS will list the qualifications which you must submit with your visa application. You must supply the original copies. Photocopies will not be accepted.

The Home Office requires all students to have a minimum standard of English before they can study in the UK. The standard of English required depends on the level of the course you have applied for.

Your CAS will state how your English has been assessed. This might be by reference to a qualification you have achieved or a IELTS certificate. You must ensure that you supply copies of any qualifications referenced on the CAS letter when you apply for your visa.

If you are from a country which is recognised as majority English speaking, or you have completed a degree course which was taught and assessed in English in one of these countries and this is recorded on your CAS, you will not need to provide evidence of any additional English Language qualifications.

Majority English-speaking countries are defined as: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA.

If you are coming to the UK for more than six months and apply for your visa from a country which has a  high risk of tuberculosis, you must be tested and obtain a certificate to confirm that you do not have this illness.

You must obtain this certificate from a recognised screening clinic before you make your visa application. There is a small charge, which is payable locally.

Get more information about tuberculosis tests and a list of recognised screening clinics from the UK Visas and Immigration website.

You will need a valid passport in order to apply for a student route visa.

Applying for visa