UK Student Visa 2026: Requirements, Costs and Timeline

To get a UK Student visa you need an unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor (shown on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, or CAS), enough money for fees and living costs, and English at the required level. As of October 2026, the visa costs £558 plus a £776-a-year health surcharge. Most applicants from outside the UK get a decision within 3 weeks.

Key points

• Apply up to 6 months before your course starts (outside the UK) or 3 months before (inside the UK) (GOV.UK).
• English: B2 for degree level, B1 below degree level.
• Living costs: £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 elsewhere, for up to 9 months. These rise to £1,570 and £1,203 for applications made from 30 November 2026.
• Only PhD/research students and government-sponsored students can usually bring family.
• Nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan applying from outside the UK are currently refused under the “visa brake”.

UK Student visa requirements at a glance

Requirement	What it means	Source
Age	16 or over (16–17 year olds need parental consent)	GOV.UK
Offer	An unconditional place with a licensed student sponsor, confirmed by a CAS	GOV.UK
Money	Course fees for the first year plus living costs, held for 28 days	GOV.UK money
English	B2 (degree level) or B1 (below degree)	GOV.UK English
ATAS	May be needed for some master’s and PhD subjects	GOV.UK
Fee	£558	Fees table
Health surcharge	£776 per year	GOV.UK IHS

The CAS: your starting point

Your university or college issues a CAS once you have accepted an unconditional offer and met its conditions (often a deposit and documents). The CAS is an electronic record with a reference number you enter in the visa application. It shows your course, its dates, the fees and anything you have already paid.

Check every detail on your CAS before you apply. Errors in your name, passport number or fees can cause delays or a refusal, and only your sponsor can correct them.

Money: how much you need to show

You must show you can pay your course fees for the first academic year (up to 9 months) and support yourself. The course fee figure comes from your CAS. Living costs are set by the Immigration Rules.

Where you study	Applications up to 29 Nov 2026	Applications from 30 Nov 2026
London	£1,529 a month	£1,570 a month
Outside London	£1,171 a month	£1,203 a month

The current figures are on GOV.UK. The new figures come from Statement of Changes HC 584, which takes effect on 30 November 2026. Applications made before that date are decided under the old rules.

The money must be held for 28 consecutive days, and the last day of that period must be within 31 days of your application date. Some people do not need to show funds, including those who have held a UK visa for at least 12 months and nationals covered by the “differential evidence requirement” (UKVI can still ask them for evidence).

For worked calculations and the 28-day rule in detail, see our Student visa bank balance guide.

English language requirement

According to GOV.UK:

• Degree level and above: CEFR B2. A higher education provider can assess your English itself, but it must be equivalent to B2.
• Below degree level: CEFR B1, usually proven with a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider.

You do not need to prove English if you are a national of a listed majority English-speaking country (for example Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the USA), if you have a degree taught in English that meets the rules, or if you proved your English in a previous successful application.

Costs: fee, health surcharge and other expenses

Cost	Amount (as of Oct 2026)
Visa application fee	£558
Immigration Health Surcharge	£776 per year of the visa
Priority service (outside UK, where available)	£500
Super priority (where available)	£1,000

The surcharge is charged for the full length of your visa, which is usually longer than your course. For example, a visa of more than 1 year and up to 18 months costs 1.5 times the yearly rate, so £1,164. A visa between 18 months and 2 years costs 2 full years, £1,552 (GOV.UK). Many 1-year master’s visas fall in the 1-to-18-month band, but check your own visa length.

You may also need to pay for an English test, an ATAS certificate (free to apply), a tuberculosis test if you live in a listed country, translations, and travel to a visa application centre.

Timeline: when to do what

When	What to do
9–12 months before	Choose courses, check entry and English requirements
6–9 months before	Apply to universities; book an English test if needed
After your offer	Meet conditions, pay any deposit, apply for ATAS if required
At least 28 days before applying	Make sure the full amount is in your account and stays there
Up to 6 months before the course (outside UK)	Receive your CAS and apply for the visa
About 3 weeks after biometrics	Usual decision time from outside the UK
Before travel	Set up your UKVI account and check your eVisa

From inside the UK you can apply up to 3 months before your course starts, and your new course must start within 28 days of your current visa expiring. Decisions take about 8 weeks.

How to apply

1. Get your CAS reference number from your university.
2. Check your money has been held for 28 consecutive days.
3. Complete the online application on GOV.UK and pay the fee and surcharge.
4. Prove your identity, either through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre.
5. Upload or present supporting documents: passport, CAS details, financial evidence if required, ATAS if needed, TB certificate if needed, and parental consent if you are under 18.
6. Wait for the decision, then view your eVisa through your UKVI account.

What you can and cannot do on a Student visa

You may be able to work, but how much depends on your course level and whether it is term time. Your work conditions are set out in your visa grant, so check them rather than relying on general advice. Degree-level students at a university are usually limited to 20 hours a week in term time, and the limit is lower for courses below degree level (GOV.UK).

You cannot claim public funds, be self-employed or work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.

Degree-level students can usually stay up to 5 years; courses below degree level are usually limited to 2 years. After graduating, many students switch to the Graduate visa.

Family members

Most taught master’s and undergraduate students cannot bring dependants. Since 1 January 2024, only government-sponsored students on courses over 6 months and students on PhD or research-based higher degrees can usually do so. See Can I bring my family on a UK Student visa?

The visa brake

Since 12:01am on 26 March 2026, Student visa applications made outside the UK by nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan are refused, even with a valid CAS (GOV.UK). Read our explainer on the UK visa brake.

Common refusal reasons

• Money not held for the full 28 days, or the balance dipping below the required amount
• Bank statements dated more than 31 days before the application
• CAS details that don’t match the application
• English evidence that doesn’t meet the required level or comes from an unapproved provider
• Credibility concerns at interview about your study plans

If you have been refused before, or your circumstances are complex, speak to your university’s international student adviser or an OISC-regulated adviser before reapplying.

What to do next

1. Confirm your course start date and work back 6 months to find your earliest application date.
2. Check whether you will apply before or after 30 November 2026, and which money figure applies.
3. Move the required funds into an eligible account at least 28 days before you plan to apply.
4. Check your CAS carefully as soon as you receive it.
5. Follow the UK hub and updates page for rule changes before you submit.