Apply from outside the UK

Information for students who are looking for guidance and support applying for a student visa – and who are currently outside the UK.

Set up your eVisa now

Access your eVisa GOV.UK

Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) have been replaced with electronic visas. If you had a BRP which expired on 31 December 2024, but you still have permission to be in the UK, you should create an eVisa account with UK Visas and Immigration now.

Who needs to apply for a visa?

Apply for a student visa if you need permission to enter the UK and wish to study a course more than six months long. Use the UK government's interactive tool to find out if you need permission. If you already have a UK visa in another category, please contact an Immigration Adviser to check whether it permits study.

If you are currently overseas, you will need to obtain a student visa before travelling to the UK. Please read the relevant immigration rules produced by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) before submitting your application.

Your visa application

Where to apply

You should apply in your country of nationality or the country where you normally live if this is different. It is not usually possible to apply from a country you are visiting temporarily.

When to apply

Applications should be made:

How to apply

You must apply for a UK visa online.

The application process should take between 45 and 60 minutes to complete. You are able to save the form and return to it at any time.

How much does it cost?

The visa application fee is £490, usually paid as the equivalent in your local currency. This fee will rise to £524 for applications submitted on or after 9 April 2025.

Priority services may be available. Check with the Visa Application Centre in the country in which you plan to apply.

Applications for visas that are more than six months long will also include an Immigration Health Surcharge. The cost of this is based on the length of the visa that you are applying for.

This charge is in addition to the visa application fee and separate from the maintenance requirements of the visa application.

You will be asked to pay as part of the online visa application. It is not possible to complete the visa application without also paying the Immigration Health Surcharge.

EEA/Swiss nationals with EHIC cards or S1 certificates may be eligible for a refund of the IHS. See GOV.UK for further information.

Required documents

View the full list of documents that you will need to provide as part of your visa application process.

Interview process

Anyone applying for a student visa outside the UK is likely to be interviewed. This is to establish that you are a genuine student and that your English language ability is at the correct level.

A UK Visas and Immigration member of staff will ask you questions and a report of the interview will be sent to the Entry Clearance Officer who makes the decision on your visa application.

Interview instructions may be sent by email, so regularly check the email address you have provided with your application. The interview may take place when you attend a visa application centre to give your biometric information and submit your documents, but may also take place by telephone or video conference.

To prepare for your credibility interview and for further information on what to expect, please see our guide to credibility interviews

As part of Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) production you may be asked to participate in a UWE Bristol Pre CAS Interview with a member of our staff. This will help you think about what you need to know before joining UWE Bristol.

Health screening

Students from some countries are required to provide a medical certificate confirming that they are clear of tuberculosis, if they are coming to the UK for more than six months. See an overview of the health requirements on the UKVI website.

How to apply if you are under 18 years old

If you are under 18 years old you must only apply under the Student route. UWE Bristol does not sponsor applicants under the 'Child Student' route.

If your visa is refused

If your application is refused you will be notified by UKVI. It is important that you immediately forward the notification to the Admissions Team at international@uwe.ac.uk.

You may be able to challenge the refusal by requesting Administrative Review (AR). You can request a copy of your interview transcript to help you prepare the AR application using a Subject Access Review (SAR).

It is vital you act promptly. It can take up to a month to complete an SAR, and the AR deadline is 28 days after you receive the refusal. AR is free of charge outside the UK.

In some cases an applicant can request a second CAS for a further visa application, time permitting. The decision to grant a second CAS is at the discretion of the University.

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