UK Student Visa Documents: What You Need to Prove

To get a UK Student visa you must prove four things: an offer from a licensed student sponsor, enough money to support yourself and pay for your course, English language ability, and your identity. The exact documents you need depend on where you apply from, your nationality, and your circumstances. The official GOV.UK guidance does not publish a single universal checklist, so you must work through the evidence requirements step by step and confirm the specifics against the official pages before you apply.

The four core eligibility requirements

The Student visa is available if you are 16 or over and you have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor. Beyond that, the official overview lists four conditions you must meet:

• You have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed student sponsor, shown by your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
• You have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course. The amount varies depending on your circumstances.
• You can speak, read, write and understand English.
• If you are 16 or 17, you have consent from your parents, with evidence of this when you apply.

If you are extending a Student visa (or a Tier 4 (General) student visa) from inside the UK, the requirements are the same in substance. You must be in the UK on a Student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa, have an unconditional offer shown by a CAS, and show that your studies are at a higher academic level than your current course, unless one of the listed exceptions applies.

The CAS: your offer of a place

The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is the single most important document. It is issued by your licensed student sponsor and proves that you have an unconditional offer of a place on a course. Without a CAS, you cannot apply. If you are extending, you must apply within 6 months of getting the CAS. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts, and your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring.

Proof of identity and biometrics

As part of your application you will need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you are from and the type of passport or resident permit you have. There are two routes:

• Use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document. You will also create or sign in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.
• Have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

You will be told what you need to do when you apply. There is no fee for biometric information.

Financial evidence

The official guidance states that you must have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course, but it does not publish a fixed amount on the pages quoted here. The amount will vary depending on your circumstances. If you have been in the UK with a valid visa for less than 12 months, you will need to prove you have enough money to support yourself in the UK. You must check the current financial requirement on the official GOV.UK Student visa pages, because the figure is not stated in the official guidance and you should not rely on any number you have seen elsewhere.

English language and TB test

You must prove your knowledge of the English language. The official guidance does not list accepted tests or minimum scores on the pages quoted here, so you must check the specific evidence requirements on GOV.UK. You should also check whether you need a tuberculosis (TB) test. If you are doing a masters degree or above, you may need to apply for the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.

Extending your visa: the academic progress requirement

If you are already in the UK and applying to extend, you will usually need to show that your studies will be at a higher academic level than your current course. Your new course must be one of the following:

• At a higher academic level than your current course.
• At the same level and related to your previous course or career aspirations. It must be degree level or above at a Higher Education Provider (HEP).
• Intercalated to a medicine, dentistry or medical science course you started studying under your Student visa (including a Tier 4 (General) student visa).

You do not need to show your studies are at a higher level if you are resitting exams or repeating modules, applying for the first time to a new institution to complete a course you started at an institution that lost its student sponsorship licence, applying after working as a student union sabbatical officer to complete a qualification you started under your last Student visa, completing a PhD or other doctorate you started under your last Student visa, continuing a medical, dentistry or medical science degree after an intercalated course, or applying to extend your stay to complete your studies because you have done (or want to do) a work placement or study abroad programme.

Fees and processing times

Item	Amount or time
Student visa application from outside the UK	£558
Extend or switch to a Student visa from inside the UK	£558
Healthcare surcharge	Varies, depends on visa length
Biometric information	No fee
Decision from outside the UK	Usually within 3 weeks
Decision from inside the UK	Usually within 8 weeks

You must pay the visa fee for each person that joins you. You may be able to pay to get a faster decision; you will be told if you can when you apply.

What to do next

Work through the official GOV.UK Student visa guide step by step. Check the specific evidence requirements for English language, the TB test, and the financial amount, because the official guidance does not state those figures. Confirm your identity route (ID Check app or UKVCAS) when you start your online application. Do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision if you are applying from inside the UK, as your application will be withdrawn if you do.