Applying for a Student visa from inside the UK – FAQs

1) How do I submit my Student visa application?

Please see our step-by-step guide to applying for a Student visa inside the UK.

2) When should I submit my Student visa application?

You should submit your application within the last three months of your current immigration permission, and no later than the date your current immigration permission expires.

In addition, please note that, if you have applied for a new course of study and currently have a Student visa under another institution’s sponsorship, you will not be permitted to start the course until you have submitted a fresh visa application under the University of Gloucestershire’s sponsorship.  Applications to switch to the University of Gloucestershire cannot be submitted any earlier than one month before the scheduled start date of the course.

3) Can I submit a Student visa application if I have over-stayed my visa?

The university does not issue CAS to students who have over-stayed their visa. If you have become an over-stayer, you will need to supply us with proof that you have left the UK before we can consider issuing you with a CAS.

4) My current visa expires more than 28 days before the start date of my course – can I submit an application inside the UK?

No. To be eligible to submit an application inside the UK, the gap between the date your current visa expires and the start date of your course must be no greater than 28 days. If the gap is greater than 28 days, the university will withhold issuance of a CAS until it has received proof that you have left the UK.

5) Can I switch into the Student route from another immigration category?

You are permitted to switch into the Student route provided you do not currently have permission to stay in any of the following categories:

• Visitor
• Short-term Student
• Parent of a Child Student
• Seasonal Worker
• Domestic Worker in a Private Household
• Leave outside the Immigration Rules

6)  How much will my student visa application cost?

For the most up-to-date information on fees, please see GOV.UK Student visa pages.

Please also note the requirement to pay an additional charge for healthcare, known as the immigration health surcharge.  For further information about this fee, see the relevant GOV.UK page.

7)  How do I pay for my application?

Payment must be made as part of the on-line application process using a debit or credit card.

8)  What supporting documents do I need to submit with my visa application?

The precise documents required will depend on your particular circumstances, but you are likely to have to submit a combination of the following:

• Current passport, plus any previous expired passports you have used to travel to the UK
• Biometric Residence Permit (if you have one)
• Evidence of required funds – see questions 10 to 13
• ATAS certificate (if applicable) – see question 15
• Parental consent letter (under 18s only) – see question 16

9)  Do I need to submit academic documents with my visa application?

If your course is at undergraduate level (i.e. RQF Level 6) or above, or if you are a national of an exempt country, you do not need to submit any academic documents with your visa application.

10)  Am I required to submit evidence of funds with my visa application?

If you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months (as of date of application), you are not required to submit any evidence of funds with your visa application.

Additionally, if you are a national of an exempt country, you are not required to submit any evidence of funds with your application.  Please be aware, however, that UKVI caseworkers are permitted to request evidence of funds from nationals of exempt countries post-submission.  For this reason, we recommend that nationals of exempt countries prepare evidence of funds in exactly the same way as students from countries that are not exempt.

11)  I have been in the UK for less than 12 months – what are the required funds?

If you have been in the UK for less than 12 months (as of date of application), you must show that you have sufficient funds to pay for:

• Any first year course fees that are outstanding on the date you submit your visa application

AND

• Living costs, calculated at a rate of £1023 for each month of the course, up to a maximum of nine months.  If your application is for a course or period of study longer than nine months, you will therefore need to show a minimum of £9207 for living costs.  If the length of your course includes a part of a month, you need to round the time up to the next month, e.g. if your course lasts four months and two weeks, you must show that you have five months’ worth of living costs, i.e. £5115.

12)  I have pre-paid for halls of residence accommodation – can I show a lower amount of funds?

If you have pre-paid for halls of residence accommodation, you are permitted to deduct a maximum of £1265 from the living costs element of your funds.

Examples:

• Student is studying a year-long course, and has pre-paid a total of £4000 to the university for halls accommodation. Money required for living costs = £7942 (i.e. £9207 – £1265)
• Student is studying a six-month course and has pre-paid a total of £360 to the university for halls accommodation. Money required for living costs = £5778 (i.e. £6138 – £360)

13)  I have been in the UK for less than 12 months – what documents should I submit as evidence of funds?

If you have been in the UK for less than 12 months (as of date of application), you will need to supply evidence in one of the following formats: cash funds in a bank or building society account, a loan in your name, or official financial sponsorship.

For detailed guidance regarding what types of document are acceptable, please see our Guide to Student Route Financial Requirements.

14)  I am required to submit evidence of funds, but do not have a financial document that meets UKVI criteria – can I submit an application anyway, at my own risk?

No.  The university will not issue a CAS unless you can supply a financial document that meets UKVI criteria.

15)  Do I need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate?

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) is designed to ensure that those applying for postgraduate study in certain sensitive subject areas do not acquire knowledge that could potentially be used in Weapons of Mass Destruction programmes. Very few courses at the university will require clearance under this scheme, but if you are required to obtain an ATAS certificate, this will be flagged during the Admissions process.  To learn more about applying for ATAS clearance, and for more detailed information about which types of study and subject areas are affected, please see the relevant GOV.UK page.  Please note: it can take several weeks to obtain an ATAS certificate, so it is important that you apply well before submitting your visa application.

16)  I am 17 years old – do I need to supply a letter of consent from my parent(s)?

Yes.  The letter needs to be signed by your parent(s), and must confirm:

• Your relationship to your parent(s); and
• That your parent or parents consent to your visa application; and
• That your parent(s) consent to you living independently in the UK; and
• That your parent(s) consent to you travelling independently to the UK

17)  Do my supporting documents have to be in English?

Yes.  Where an original document (e.g. bank statement, birth certificate) is not in English, it must be accompanied by a fully certified translation by a professional translator/translation company. This translation must include details of the translator/translation company’s credentials, confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document, and the translator/translation company’s contact details. It must also be dated and include the original signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company.

18)  I have made a further payment to the university after receiving my CAS Statement. Will my CAS automatically be updated?

No.  If you make a further fee payment after you have been issued with a CAS Statement, you need to send an email notification to immigration@glos.ac.uk. We will then check with the university’s fees department that the money has been received and amend your CAS accordingly.

Please note: it is your responsibility to ensure the CAS is up to date prior to applying for a visa. The university cannot accept responsibility for any visa refusals that result from CAS not being up to date.

19)  I have been issued a CAS that covers a Pre-sessional course only. Will the university help me to extend my visa inside the UK upon successful completion of the Pre-sessional?

Yes. We will run a series of workshops during and following your Pre-sessional course to guide you through the visa extension process.

20)  When will my new visa expire?

This depends on the type and length of your course:

• Four months after the end of your course if your course lasts 12 months or more.
• Two months after the end of your course if your course lasts between 6 and 12 months.
• One month after the end of your course if your course is a Pre-sessional course of less than 6 months.
• Seven days after the end of your course if your course is less than 6 months long and is not a Pre-sessional course.

21)  Can my dependants apply from within the uk?

Your dependants can apply from within the UK if any of the following situations apply:

• You are studying a full-time research-based higher degree, a PhD or other doctoral qualification of nine months or longer, where the start date of the course was on or after 1 January 2024. If your course start date was before 1 January 2024, the course must be a full-time postgraduate level course of nine months or longer.
• You are in receipt of an award from a government and your course (of any level) is full-time and at least six months.
• You are studying or have studied on a full-time course lasting at least six months and all four points below apply:

– Your Student permission is current or expired no more than three months before your visa application.
– Your new visa application is for a full-time course that is at least six months.
– Your dependant already has Student dependant immigration permission (or it expired no more than three months before this application), or your dependant is your child who was born since you were last granted your immigration permission.
– You are applying for immigration permission at the same time as your dependant.

22)  What documents do my dependants need to submit with their applications?

The precise documents required will depend on your dependants’ particular circumstances, but they are likely to have to submit some or all of the following:

• Current passport, plus any previous expired passports they have used to travel to the UK
• Biometric Residence Permit (if applicable)
• Evidence they hold required living costs (dependants who have been in the UK for less than 12 months only) – see question 24
• Evidence of dependant status (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate etc.)
• If born inside the UK, a full UK birth certificate
• If aged 16 or 17, an NHS registration document and a letter from school/college/university confirming their address (the letter must be on the relevant organisation’s official headed paper and must bear the organisation’s official stamp)

23)  How much will my dependants’ applications cost?

For the most up-to-date fees, please see the GOV.UK Student visa pages.

24)  My dependant has been in the UK for less than 12 months – how much money do they have to show for living costs?

If your dependant has been in the UK for less than 12 months, they are required to show £680 for each month of immigration permission that you have been granted (if they are applying after you have received your visa) or will be granted (if they are applying at the same time as you).  This is up to a maximum of nine months, i.e. £6120.

25)  Does a baby born in the UK need to apply for a dependant visa?

A baby born in the UK can remain in the UK without applying for a dependant visa. However, if you need to travel outside the UK, your baby will require a passport or travel document, and they will also need a dependant visa to re-enter the UK. Your child will also not be covered for free hospital treatment after the age of 3 months if they have not paid the immigration healthcare surcharge as part of a visa application.

For your baby to apply as your dependant from the UK, both parents must be living together in the UK. Your baby can apply for the dependant visa from inside the UK or from your home country, but you must obtain a passport or travel document for them from your Embassy in the UK. Your baby can apply at the same time as you (if you require a visa extension) or your baby can apply on their own. You will need to submit their full birth certificate (which must include the names of both parents), along with financial evidence confirming they have held £680 for each month of immigration permission that you have been granted (if they are applying after you have received your visa) or will be granted (if they are applying at the same time as you), up to a maximum of nine months, i.e. £6,120.

26)  Where can I find further information about applying for a Student visa inside the UK?

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has produced a detailed guide to making a Student visa application.  This guide includes information about all aspects of the visa application process, and includes links to many other useful publications.