Student migration constitutes a significant share of immigration to the UK. The number of international students relocating to the UK increased over the decade of the 1990s and 2000s, with a particularly sharp increase in 2009. Student visas issuing decreased from 2010 to 2016. This was the reason for policy changes that tightened the eligibility criteria for educational institutions seeking to sponsor students to come to the UK.
International students from outside the UK must apply for a student visa. If the study presumes a short course, the student may be eligible for the short-term study visa. This is valid up to six months for most short courses and can be extended for a stay of up to 11 months, for example, for English language courses. If the study means a longer course, a student will need to make sure that the institution he/she has chosen holds a Tier 4 Sponsor License.
Please note, EU students now also have to apply for a student visa to come to the UK to study.
Depending on the duration and nature of your course, there are different immigration categories you can consider:
Student visa (replaced Tier 4 General Student)
Child student visa (replaced Tier 4 Child student)
Short term student visa
International students who have completed an eligible course of studies in the UK may be eligibile to remain in the UK under the new Graduate route.
Under the Graduate route students will be able to work or look for work in the UK for 2 years after completing their studies (3 years for Doctoral students).
Students who have completed an undergraduate degree or above in the UK are eligible for the new Graduate route.
Applicants will not require a job offer to apply for the graduate route. There will be no minimum salary requirements, no quotas on numbers. Applicants can work flexibly and switch employers.
CONSULTATIONWe value your time. After the consultation, we will let you know what the next steps are. We will request the documents we need, and only call you when necessary. We are proactive, will update you on your case as soon as we have any news so that you don’t need to call, meaning you can rest assured that no actions are needed from your side.
We haven’t forgotten about you, but we believe you’d rather spend time doing something that really matters than on the phone with a lawyer.
We have broad experience working with private clients, advising and representing their rights in legal institutions on various matters, such as: relocating to the UK, family member’s relocation, skilled immigration, obtaining permanent residence, or British citizenship.
More informationEvery year, about 190,000 work-related visas are granted to foreign specialists from around the world. This number undoubtedly demonstrates how dynamic and promising the UK labour market is. If you want to come to the UK to work and meet eligibility requirements, you can apply to the following visas
More informationKey requirements:
You must have an offer to study from a licensed sponsor (a school or university)
To prove this, you sponsor will provide you with a reference number called CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)
More informationIndividuals who want to study a short course in the United Kingdom can apply for a Short-term study visa. From 1 December 2020, this route is only for students who intend to study between 6 and 11 months. For courses up to 6 months, individuals can instead apply for a ‘Standard visitor’ visa.
More informationInternational students may need to extend their student visa in order to complete their program. This may be because they have made a change to their course, need to repeat a year, or wish to defer some of their assessment. Applications can be made from both within and outside the UK.
More informationTier 5 visa is a temporary visa allowing applicants to enter the UK for a period of 6-24 months usually for the purpose of work, internship, or work experience.
More informationIn September 2019, the UK Government announced the introduction of the graduate route to international students from 1 July 2021. This includes students who have already started their course, even if due to Covid-19, they have needed to undertake online learning.
More information