Visa requirements

You must submit your Student Route visa application with the correct supporting documents. If you do not supply the correct documentation, your application will take longer to process.

You will need the following:

• Current passport/travel documentation (this must be the same as the document listed on your CAS)
• CAS reference number

You may also need:

Financial documents

You must show the full amount needed (course fees plus maintenance) for a 28-day period. A bank statement should be printed on the 29th day. Your bank statement closing balance must be no more than 31 days before the date you submit your Student Route visa application.

If you are using your parents' bank statements, they must be accompanied by a letter of consent from parents and proof of the relationship. For example, a birth certificate can be used to prove the relationship.

The Immigration Rules Appendix Finance gives very precise instructions strictly to ensure you meet the financial requirements.

Academic and English qualifications

The qualifications you submit must be the same ones as you used to receive an offer to study with Kingston University. These qualifications are also the ones listed on your CAS.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) 

This certificate is required for some science and engineering courses. If your course requires Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance we will not issue a CAS until we have received a copy of the ATAS certificate. You can apply for an ATAS certificate up to 9 months before the starting date of your course.

Tuberculosis (TB) Medical Certificate

Some international students need to have a TB test from a UKVI approved test centre. This only applies to students who are coming to the UK for more than six months and are residents of certain countries. See if you need to get a TB test.

Letter of consent from parents

If you are under 18 years old, you will need a letter of consent from your parents.

Official English translations

If any of your supporting documents are not in English, you will need to provide official translations.

Once all your supporting documents are prepared, it’s time to submit your application. The application will need to be submitted on the Home Office website.

When you are filling out your application, you will need to do the following:

• Pay your visa application fees of £524
• Pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee

We provide more information on these two topics below.

Create a UKVI account for your eVisa

The Home Office is digitising the UK border and immigration system in 2025. Physical immigration document such as Biometrics Residence Permits (BRPs) and visa vignettes are being phased out and will be replaced by an eVisa.

For more information, please visit Gov.UK/eVisa

For more details on how to convert to eVisa including video tutorials, please visit Visa, Immigration and CAS.

Due to these changes, you will need to adjust how you verify your permissions and demonstrate them to other organisations.

For a useful guide and frequently-asked questions about e-visas, please visit this website: e-visas

​This section provides you with an overview of our services and relevant information to support you as an international student with any visa/immigration queries during your studies. Please click on the relevant page to access the information you are looking for.

If you would like to book a drop-in appointment for immigration advice, please use our online booking service.

More information and support for international and EU students can be found on the Home Office website and on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) webpages.

Once your student route visa application is successful, you will have the necessary information on how to open your UKVI account and view your e-visa.

Immigration Health Surcharge

You will have to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of your Student Route visa application. This surcharge is in addition to the Student Route visa application fee.

The IHS entitles you to use the National Health Service (NHS) if you become unwell or have an accident while studying in the UK.

The amount you must pay for IHS depends on the length of your visa:

• £776 for each year of study
• £388 for periods of less than 6 months (e.g., additional four months of leave granted at the end of your studies)

You can find out how much IHS you need to pay by using this Home Office webpage.

You will be invited to book an appointment to submit your biometric information. The appointment will be at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).

Biometric information includes your fingerprints and a digital photograph.

You will need to scan and upload any supporting documents ahead of your appointment. The required documents will be outlined in your 'Document checklist' at the end of your online visa application.

After you have submitted your Student Route visa application, you will have to wait for the UKVI’s decision. They will complete biometric, criminal and travel history checks.

You may be called for a credibility interview. 

Check out visa processing times on the government website.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) process all applications as soon as possible. They are unable to offer refunds for visa fees once you have visited the Visa Application Centre and submitted your biometrics.

If your student visa is granted but it is too late to travel, the money paid for your visa application fee and the immigration health surcharge (IHS) will not be refunded.

UKVI provides priority and super priority services. These services enable your visa to be processed quicker than other visa applications.

Applications for the priority service are typically processed within five working days with an extra fee. To use the service, select ‘priority service’ when you apply if you verify your identification at a visa application centre. However, you will need to check the service is offered in the country from which you are applying.

For updates on the status of VACs in your country check with:

• TLS Contact if you are in Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East
• VFS Global for all other countries

Appointments are continually being released. If you cannot get an appointment time to suit you, keep checking back on the VFS or TLS websites.

Some countries have more than one appointment centre. So, if you cannot get a suitable appointment at your preferred location, you can check availability at other nearby locations.

You should apply for your visa as soon as possible. Making an early application ensures you have plenty of time to attend your visa appointment. You are also more likely to receive your visa before your course begins.

Overseas applications can be made up to six months before the course start date.

International students often ask us if they can bring their partner and children with them to the UK.

If you are on a research-based postgraduate degree, such as Masters by Research or MRes (Level 7 Research Course), MPhil or PhD, you can apply to have your family join you as dependants. Your partner and children under the age of 18 count as dependants.

Students on undergraduate and taught masters degrees cannot bring dependants to the UK. One exception is if a student is financially sponsored by the UK or an Overseas Government.

How to apply for a dependants’ visa

You will need to apply for a visa for each of your dependants. You can do this at the same time as you apply for your own visa or after you have received your visa.

When making the application on behalf of your dependents, you must provide proof of your relationship. You will also need to show proof of finances to fund their maintenance. This is in addition to the proof of finances you need for your own application.

The application will be reviewed against your Student Route visa immigration status and the type of degree you will be studying at Kingston University.

To find out more about bringing a spouse or children to the UK, the Home Office provide guidance on their student visa and family members page.