Student Route Visa (Outside the UK)

You will need to provide the following documents with your visa application. Please use the IISA guidelines for Student Visa applications to help you to make sure all your documents meet UKVI requirements.

The current cost of a Student Route visa is £558 per person, and a full list of all UKVI fees, including overseas application costs can be found on the Gov.UK website.

Evidence of Finances 

You must be able to prove that you have enough money to pay your tuition fees and living costs during your studies. The amount you will need depends on the length of your course and the cost of your fees.

For applications made on or after 11th November 2025

You must be able to prove that you have enough money to pay your tuition fees and living costs during your studies. The amount you will need depends on the length of your course and the cost of your fees.

• Programmes of 9 months or more are £10,539 plus any unpaid course fees for the first year
• Programmes of 9 months or less are £1,171 for each month of the course plus any unpaid course fees

Course fees - the exact amount will be shown on your CAS.

Financial Documents

Proof must be in the form of original bank statements or a bank letter covering 28 days.

Bank statements

• Original bank statements must show your or your parents name, the date, the name and logo of the bank, the balance and transactions for the full 28 day period and the currency
• Bank letters must include the details above, and confirmation the balance hasn't dropped below the required amount for the 28 day period as well as being stamped by the bank
• Statements should not be more than one month old on the date of your visa application
• You may only use your bank statements or those of your parents/legal guardians

Please note, if you complete and pay for your visa application before the money has been in the bank for at least 28 days your visa application will be automatically refused.

Your parents / legal guardians bank statements

If you are using your parents’ or legal guardians’ bank statements, you must also provide: 

• An original birth certificate to prove your relationship with them
• Original signed and dated letter from them giving consent for you to use the money for your study in the UK

Translating a statement

You can use overseas statements, but if they are not in English, you must also send a fully certified translation by a professional translator. 

This must include: 

• Confirmation from the translator or translation company that it is an accurate translation of the original document. E.g. “I can confirm that this is a true and accurate translation of the original document”
• The date of the translation
• The full name and original signature of the translator, or of an authorised official of the translation company
• The contact details of the translator or translation company.

Remember – to avoid any risk of refusal, you need to make sure that your translation contains all of the information listed above.

You can ask the Immigration & International Student Advice (IISA) team to check a translation before application if you are unsure if it meets all requirements. 

Scan a clear copy of the document and email to [email protected].

Overseas currency

If you are using overseas currency, you must write on the document the closing balance in pounds sterling. 

Use the official exchange rate on the OANDA website.

Minimising visa refusal

Make sure you also read the University information on Minimising risk of visa refusal-funding and finance.

Proof of progress / qualifications

If you are studying below degree level, you will need to include the original transcripts and certificates of any qualifications that are listed on your CAS statement that have been used to assess your suitability for the course.

If you are studying at or above degree level you are not required to submit evidence of your qualifications or references as part of your application.  If the caseworker request documents from you, please contact our Immigration Advice Services Team on [email protected].

Proof of English language proficiency

If you need to prove your English Language level (as stated on your CAS) you would need to provide evidence related to that. Please see the USW course pages about English Language Entry Requirements or contact [email protected].

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Some postgraduate courses within science, engineering or technology may require you to get an ATAS certificate before you can be issued a CAS. 

Your offer letter from the University will state if you need to do this. If it is not listed on your offer you should not need one. Further information about how to apply for an ATAS.

Visa application and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees

The Immigration Health Surcharge is payable on all Student Visa applications and allows the payer access to free National Health Services in the UK. The cost is £776 per year of leave granted. 

Periods of less than 6 months are charged at half the annual rate (£388). 

For further information on the IHS and to work out the fee that you can expect to pay, please see contact the Immigration Advice Services team on [email protected].

You will have to pay the above fee as part of the online application process using a Mastercard or Visa debit or credit card- so make sure that the money is available for payment via that method.

Tuberculosis test

Students from some countries will need to take a TB test before applying for their visa. You can find a full list of guidance and UKVI approved clinics on the Gov.UK website.

Passport (current and any previous)

You must provide your current passport and any other previous passports.

Important information

You must include originals of all documents as well as a copy of each. Make sure you keep copies of everything you submit for your own records. 

Further information is available about the Student Visa Route - Points Based System Guidance.

 

Some nationalities are considered to be low-risk and do not officially need to provide all these supporting documents with their application. However, we strongly recommend that you prepare and have all these documents available to you on the date of your application as the UKVI can ask to see them at any point during the visa application process

Register an account on the UKVI website and then complete the online application form. Guidance is available as you complete the form. Make sure you read each question carefully and check that your answers are correct.

Remember you should not complete and pay for the visa application until you have all your documents ready and your money has been in your bank for at least 28 days.

Biometric Resident Permit

The form will ask you from where you wish to collect your Biometric Resident Permit and will ask for an Alternative Location Code (ALC). 

The University’s ALC code is: 2HE492. 

Visa card collection

Your visa card will be sent directly to the University for collection. This enables the University to help you should the card be delayed or missing.

Support

If you need support and guidance you can contact the University’s IISA team. 

Pay online

Once you have completed your application you will be asked to pay online. This payment will be for both the visa and Immigration Health Surcharge fees.

If you can't make an online application

If you are not able to make an online application in your home country, you will need to print out and complete a VAF2 application form. You need to take this completed form to your appointment in stage 3 below. You can find the form and further guidance on the Gov.uk website.

 

• You can now book an appointment at your closest Visa Application Centre
• At this appointment you will be asked to submit your biometric information (your photograph and fingerprints)
• You may also have a short interview called a credibility interview

Credibility Interviews

The UKVI undertake credibility interviews as part of the Student Visa application process. This interview is to find out more about you, the University, your course, why you have chosen it and what you future plans are. 

Prepare for the interview

It is essential that you prepare for the interview. Questions can cover a wide variety of subjects. 

1. Understand the purpose of the interview
UKVI uses credibility interviews to check that you are a genuine student. They assess:

• your intent to study
• your knowledge of your course and university
• your financial arrangements
• your academic background
• your future plans

2. Know your course well
You must be able to explain:

• what the course teaches
• key modules
• why you chose it
• how it links to your past studies or work
• how it supports your future career plans

Students who cannot explain their course are often flagged.

3. Know your university
Be ready to talk about:

• why you chose USW
• what you know about the campus, facilities, services, or teaching style
• why the UK is the right place for your studies

This shows genuine intention.

4. Be clear about your finances
UKVI will check that you understand:

• who is funding you
• how much your course costs
• how much your living costs are
• where the funds are held
• how long the funds have been held (28 days)

If a parent or legal guardian is sponsoring you, you must know this clearly.

5. Explain your accommodation and travel plans
You should know:

• where you plan to live
• approximate costs
• when you plan to travel
• how you will arrive in the UK

This shows you have prepared properly.

6. Speak clearly and confidently
UKVI is assessing:

• clarity
• consistency
• confidence
• genuine intention

You don’t need perfect English just clear communication.

7. Be consistent with your application
Everything you say must match:

• your CAS
• your financial documents
• your personal statement

Please use these questions as a guideline and ensure that you are confident in answering similar questions before you attend your visa interviews. 

When applying for a UK Student visa from outside the UK, you will:

• Submit your visa application online through the UKVI portal.
• Book your biometric appointment at TLScontact or VFS Global.
• Upload all supporting documents digitally (passport, CAS, bank statements, birth certificate, sponsor letter, TB certificate, etc.) to the TLScontact/VFS portal before your appointment.
• Attend the Visa Application Centre only for biometrics and passport submission.
• UKVI will review your documents digitally and contact you if further evidence is required.
   

UKVI has moved to eVisas, meaning your immigration status will be held digitally instead of as a physical vignette or Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). You will access your status through your online UKVI online account, and you will not receive a BRP.

For further information on eVisas, please see our eVisa Guide.

A standard application outside the UK usually takes around 15 working days from the date you give your biometrics to process- although this is sometimes longer at peak times (September/October). You can check the current visa processing time for your country on the Gov.UK website.

Some countries also offer a Priority Visa Application Service that takes around 3-5 days. To see whether this service will be available to you, please check the information on the individual Visa Application Centres above.

You will receive your visa in the form of a vignette (or sticker) in your passport. 

If your length of leave is longer than 6 months, this vignette will just cover you to travel to the UK and then you will be expected to collect your Biometric Resident Permit (BRP- visa card) on arrival in the UK. 

If you put the Alternative Location Code (ALC 2HE492) in your application form, you will collect your BRP directly from the University. 

If you did not use the code, you will collect from a local Post Office. Further information on the Biometric Resident Permit collection process can be found here.

Make sure you check your visa vignette to make sure your name, date of birth and other details are correct and that it states you are . If not, you should contact the Visa Application Centre immediately so that they can correct this for you.

Please scan a copy of your new visa to the University’s Enquiries & Admissions team so that they can attach it to your record and make sure you familiarise yourself with the Student Responsibilities and University Reporting Duties.

It is important that you let the University’s Enquiries & Admissions team know as soon as possible if you have a visa refusal. Please scan all refusal letters over so that we can look at the refusal for you. 

If we agree that an evidenced mistake has been made, you will be referred to the IISA team so that they can support you in making an Administrative Review application.