Student Visa

The Student route enables those aged 16 and over to study in the UK at a school, college or university that holds a sponsor licence.
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Student Visa

The Student route enables those aged 16 and over to study in the UK at a school, college or university that holds a sponsor licence.

How long a visa will be granted for will be in line with the duration of the course. Students may be able to extend their leave or apply for new leave. Students may work whilst in the UK, this right is restricted to a specified number of hours per week during term time, while full-time employment may be allowed out of term time.

The Student route does not lead to settlement in the UK. Once an applicant has completed their studies, in order to remain in the UK, they will be required to switch to another visa category.

How can we help?

We have extensive experience of preparing successful Student visa applications on behalf of our clients. We pride ourselves on the presentation of our applications to the Home Office. You can be assured that your application process will be managed in a professional and organised manner.

Key contact

Usof Shah PNG
Usof Shah
Legal Director

What our clients say about us

We have also greatly benefited from the excellent work of Usof Shah, Immigration Director, whose expertise has been instrumental in helping our members address critical skills shortages in the construction industry. Usof has provided clear, actionable guidance on immigration laws, empowering our members to legally employ skilled foreign workers and sustain their businesses. His commitment extends beyond traditional legal services - he has delivered live webinars and offered free advice to some of our SME members, which was highly valued and, in several cases, helped save their companies. This combination of deep legal expertise, accessibility, and genuine care for clients' success sets him apart from others in the field.

Throughout my UK career, I came across many solicitors and solicitor firms. But Herrington Carmichael is the best so far. Their quick response, wider knowledge, and straightforward decisions come with a very competitive advisory fee. I can easily recommend them, and I did. Their success rate for me is 100%. In a nutshell, they are brilliant.

The individual deals with my requirements and makes sure I fully understand what he is advising and what the best way to proceed is.

Responsive, commercial, and able to explain immigration requirements in clear, simple terms.

The individuals we work with stand out for being approachable, knowledgeable, and responsive. Usof Shah, in particular, has been extremely professional, helpful, and practical in his advice.

Usof Shah stands out for his strong combination of technical expertise, commercial awareness, and responsiveness. He is able to explain complex immigration matters in a clear and practical way while remaining highly approachable and solutions-oriented throughout the process. What differentiates him from competitors is the level of personal attention and ownership he brings to matters. He is proactive, detail-oriented, and demonstrates a strong understanding of the operational and business needs of his clients rather than approaching matters from a purely technical perspective. I have particularly valued his responsiveness, clear communication, and ability to manage matters efficiently under tight timelines. He consistently provides pragmatic advice and maintains a high level of professionalism, which creates a strong sense of confidence and reliability throughout the engagement.

Usof Shah and his team stood out for their professionalism, responsiveness, and clear communication.

Herrington Carmichael’s team stands out for its strong expertise in immigration matters, combined with a highly personalized and responsive service. Over the past few years, they supported me and three members of my family, managing each of our individual cases efficiently and professionally. Compared to other firms, they are notably more organized and responsive.

Thank you for helping me to apply the exceptional assurance and I got the application succeed very quickly.

Usof was a pleasure to work with and his wealth of knowledge on the topic of immigration law was evident. We collaboratively delivered a successful webinar to hundreds of construction professionals on the post-Brexit immigration system and Usof was able to answer complex questions on the spot, demonstrating his attention to detail and professionalism. We would not hesitate to recommend Usof and Herrington Carmichael.

Usof Shah has been a great source of information and guidance both in setting up to become a sponsor and also in getting candidates sponsored.

The team provides useful guidance and support on the pitfalls and processes of being a sponsor. The team helps set everything up to become a sponsor as well as assisting with processing CoS applications.

Meet our experts

Dedicated professionals ready to assist you.

Usof Shah PNG
Legal Director
Neelu-Gurung-PNG
Paralegal

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your most pressing questions about our services and processes.

You can apply for the Student visa if you meet the following requirements:

  • Are 16 or over
  • Have been offered a place on a course by a licenced student sponsor
  • Have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course
  • Can understand, speak, read and write English
  • If aged 16-17 – have consent from your parents for the application

Yes, your course provider will need to provide you with the reference number from your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) before you can apply for your visa. The CAS confirms your place on the course and you must make your application within 6 months of receiving your CAS.

Yes, this application can be submitted either in the UK or from overseas. You can apply 6 months before the start of your course.

You should get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks for an application submitted in the UK or within 3 weeks of applying from overseas. Please note, these timeframes are a guideline, and some applications do take longer to receive a decision.

You may arrive up to 1 week before your course if it is 6 months or less, or 1 month before your course starts if it is more than 6 months. You may not travel to the UK before the start date stipulated on your visa, regardless of when your course starts.

You will need:

  • A valid passport
  • Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your course provider

You might also need:

  • proof that you meet the financial requirements and can support yourself
  • a valid ATAS certificate if your course and nationality require it
  • proof of consent from your parent or guardian if you are under 18
  • proof of your relationship with your parent or guadian if consent is required
  • tuberculosis test results if you are from a qualifying country
  • written consent from your financial sponsor if you have received sponsorship for your course fees and living costs

If you need to receive consent from your parent or guardian if you are under 18, it needs to include:

  • their consent for your visa application
  • your living and care arrangements while studying in the UK
  • your travel to the UK (flights, for example)
  • copy of your birth certificate showing the names of your parents

The fees charged by Home Office can be found on their official website here.

Yes. You will need to pay £1,035 per year that that the visa is valid for. You need to pay the full amount at once.

You will need to show that you can support yourself, or that your parents are supporting you.

More information about the financial requirement can be found on the government website at https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/money

Yes. You will need to demonstrate evidence of the language requirement through:

  • Passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider
  • through a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, or from a school in the UK.

You can extend your visa if you will be continuing to study.

You can stay for the duration of the course.

If you are 18 years old or over and are studying at a degree level, you will be able stay for up to 5 years. If you studies are below degree level, you can stay for up to 2 years.

You can extend your visa if you continue your studies. Or you can switch to a graduate visa.

You will be able to work part-time and in holidays.

You will not be able to claim public funds or benefits, work in certain jobs, be self-employed or study at a local authority-funded school.