What visa do you need?
Most international Students (Nationals of all countries except the United Kingdom and Ireland) will require immigration permission (a visa) in order to study in the UK.
If your circumstances are not covered in this information and you would like to discuss your visa status with us, please contact the Student Advice team.
International students who do not hold a UK Visa
The table below outlines the appropriate type of immigration permission (or visa) required for international students who do not currently hold a UK visa. The type of immigration permission you can study with, whether you need a visa, and the process for applying for it will differ depending on the type of course you plan to study, the length of your course and several other criteria.
| What type of course will you be studying? | Visa type | Does it give you the right to work while studying? | Can you extend this visa inside the UK? |
|---|---|---|---|
A full time degree course (including Masters and Doctorate degrees but not part-time courses) |
(issued for University of Westminster)
| Yes (Student working conditions apply. See UKCISA’s student work information) | Yes, as long as you meet the conditions |
A short course (six months or less) or single semester study abroad programme* | No | No | |
A Study Abroad programme* longer than 6 months | (issued for University of Westminster) | Yes (Student working conditions apply. See UKCISA’s student work information) | Please seek advice |
A Pre-sessional English course leading to a degree course | (issued for University of Westminster)
| Yes (Student working conditions apply. See UKCISA’s student work information) | Yes, as long as you meet the conditions |
Student returning to the UK to re-take an exam | No | No | |
Student retaking part of a course without any timetabled attendance | No | No | |
Student retaking part of a course with timetabled attendance | Yes (Student working conditions apply. See UKCISA’s student work information) | Please seek advice | |
Family member of a Student (with a Student Visa) | (not all students can bring dependants)** | Different rules apply, see UKCISA information | Different rules apply, see UKCISA information |
*A Study Abroad programme is a one or two semester study period at University of Westminster, which is part of your degree studies outside the UK.
**Notes on Student Dependants.
Since 1 January 2024 immigration rule changes mean that most Masters students are no longer able to bring their dependents unless they are in receipt of a Government Scholarship/award, covering living costs and tuition fees.
There are transitional arrangements for dependents who already hold a dependent visa if the student (main applicant) is moving to another course.
PhD students remain eligible to bring dependents.
All students considering bringing their dependants should carefully read the UKCISA guidance ‘Which students can have dependants’.
International students who currently hold a UK visa
If you are an International Student and you currently have an unexpired UK visa, the information below outlines the common types of UK immigration permission and details whether you can use these visa types to study at the University. This is not a full list of UK visas, if you hold a visa that is not listed here and would like further advice please contact the Student Advice team.
A Student visa for the University of Westminster (previously known as the Tier 4 visa) is required by most international students who wish to study a full-time degree at the University of Westminster. The University of Westminster is a licensed sponsor with a track record of compliance. The University of Westminster does not provide sponsorship for a Student visa for part-time courses or distance learning courses.
If you are studying a short course such as a semester long study abroad or exchange that does not include a work placement, you should read the information on Standard Visitor visas below.
To be eligible for a Student visa you must:
- Have an offer for a full-time course
- Be able to demonstrate sufficient funds to cover tuition fees and living costs
- Meet English language requirements
- Provide a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) issued by the University of Westminster for the course you are studying.
Please see further information on Student visas, the application process and the financial regulations and costs.
If you currently hold a Child Student or Student visa for a different university or institution, and it was not issued for a course that you will study at the University of Westminster (UOW), you cannot use this visa to study with us.
This is because your visa is linked to your previous institution and course, and it cannot be transferred or used to begin a new course at a different university
If you are already in the UK and have:
- Been issued a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) by the UOW to apply for your student visa in the UK, and
- Applied for a Student visa using this CAS and before your existing student visa expired, and before your latest date to enrol on your CAS.
You are normally allowed to temporarily enrol on your course at the UOW whilst you wait for the outcome of your visa application.
Please see our Applying for a Student Visa in the UK page for information about who can apply for a Student visa in the UK.
Please note that if you have started a course with a different institution and you did not successfully complete this course then you cannot apply for your student visa in the UK.
If you intend to study a course which is:
- Six months or less and
- does not involve a period of work
You can study a course as a visitor and you will be issued with a letter to support an application. Some people must apply for a Standard visitor visa before coming to the UK, others will arrive at the UK border with Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and be allowed to enter the UK as a visitor. You cannot apply to be classified as a visitor from the UK.
Although students enrolled in courses longer than six months are generally not permitted to study on a Standard Visitor visa, an exception may apply if you are completing your current course or repeating part of it and have less than six months of study remaining.
If you are unable to obtain a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to apply for a Student visa, the University may issue a letter to support an application for a Standard Visitor visa. Your studies must meet the eligibility criteria for this visa in order to enrol on your degree programme while holding a Visitor visa. Students taking a pre-sessional English Language course in the UK which is running before the main course will be issued with a CAS for a Student visa application and should not apply for a Standard Visitor visa.
If you attempt to enrol with a Standard Visitor visa when a Student visa is required, the University will refuse your enrolment.
This visa has a study restriction, and this means you cannot enrol on a course that would ordinarily be eligible for Student visa sponsorship.
Additionally, having consulted with the UKVI, there are certain courses for which the University does not offer Student visa sponsorship, and we also do not permit enrolment on these courses for individuals holding a Graduate Route visa. For example, the Architecture Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practice (RIBA Part III).
If you are switching from a Graduate Route visa to a Student visa, please be aware that the University cannot enrol you on a course until your Student visa has been granted. We are unable to enrol students who hold this visa and are awaiting a decision on a student visa application.
If you have a Skilled Worker visa you are allowed to study at the University of Westminster, your course should not interfere with the primary purpose of your visa, which is to work in your eligible job.
The Visa Compliance team may ask for further information from you about your plans, if they are concerned that the course will interfere with your work.
Before starting a course with a Skilled Worker visa, it’s important to consider whether your visa will last for the full duration of your studies and what your options are if it doesn’t, or your course is extended due to ill health or the need to repeat.
If you plan to extend your visa during the course, please take account of future changes to immigration rules, such as those outlined in the recent White Paper, and how they could affect your ability to extend your visa.
If you're thinking about switching to a student visa mid-way through the course, check your eligibility and the costs carefully, for instance you will not qualify for a student visa if you are taking a part-time course.
While many students successfully study on a Skilled Worker visa, being aware of these factors can help you plan and avoid unexpected issues.
If you hold a dependant visa as the dependant of a student, skilled worker or Graduate Route visa holder, you can study a full or part-time course at any level.
Before starting a course with a Dependant visa, it’s important to consider whether your visa will last for the full duration of your studies and what your options are if it doesn’t, or your course is extended due to ill health or the need to repeat.
If you plan to extend your visa during the course, please take account of future changes to immigration rules, such as those outlined in the recent White Paper and how they could affect your ability to extend your visa.
If you're thinking about switching to a Student visa mid-way through the course, check your eligibility and costs carefully for instance you will not qualify for a Student visa if you are taking a part-time course.
Also, consider the impact on your visa and studies if the main applicant must leave the UK or loses their visa. While many students successfully study on a Dependant visa, being aware of these factors can help you plan and avoid unexpected issues.
A UK Spouse or Civil Partner visa allows a non-UK partner of a British citizen or settled person to live in the UK, provided they are in a legally recognised marriage or civil partnership and intend to live together permanently. If you have this visa there will be no restrictions on the type or level of course you can study at the University of Westminster.
A Short-term Student visa allows you to study an English language course in the UK for up to 11 months. However, the University of Westminster does not currently offer any courses that meet the requirements for this visa. As a result, you cannot enrol in a course at the University using a Short-term Student visa. Additionally, if you currently hold this visa you cannot switch to another visa while you are in the UK, you would need to leave and apply for a different visa from abroad if you wish to study a course with us. Do not confuse the Short Term Student visa with a Student visa, which is the primary way that students come to the UK to study a course.
The UK Global Talent visa is designed for individuals who are leaders or potential leaders in fields such as academia, research, arts, and digital technology. If you have a Global Talent visa, you will be able to study a degree at any level, full-time or part time. The University may ask for further information if we are concerned that you cannot meet the primary purpose of your visa.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a form of permanent residency in the UK that allows you to study without restrictions.
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa allows individuals to both work and study in the UK.
Before starting a course with a Youth Mobility visa, it’s important to consider whether your visa will last for the full duration of your studies and what your options are if it doesn’t, or your course is extended due to ill health or the need to repeat.
If you're thinking about switching to a student visa mid-way through the course, check your eligibility and costs carefully. For instance, you will not qualify for a Student visa if you are taking a part-time course.
If you have received Settled or Pre-Settled following an application to the UK EU Settlement Scheme, you will be asked to provide your share code during the admission process in order to enrol with this status.
Pre-settled status is time limited if your course extends beyond the expiry of your current status, you will need to provide evidence that you have the right to continue studying once it expires
If you are waiting for the outcome of a Settled or Pre-settled application, you can show evidence of this pending application, and ask for advice during the admissions process about whether you can be enrolled.
If you do not hold settled status or pre-settled status and you do not have another UK visa that allows you to study, you will be required to apply for a Student visa; please see the section above, International Students who do not hold a UK visa.
I submitted a visa application within the UK but have not yet received a decision
If you submit a visa application before your current visa expires, you are usually allowed to remain legally in the UK while waiting for a decision. During the period when you have submitted a valid Student visa application, you continue to be subject to the conditions of your previous visa. You can enrol on a course with the University if you can show that your immigration status in the UK allows you to study.
Please note that:
- If you previously held a Student visa for another university and have now applied in the UK for a student visa to study at the University, the UKVI does allow you to enrol while your new application is pending even though your previous visa was tied to a different institution. You must have used a University of Westminster CAS to apply for your Student visa.
- If you held a Graduate Route visa and applied for a Student visa for the University of Westminster, you would not be eligible to enrol on a course while waiting for a decision, because the Graduate Route visa does not permit certain types of study.
- If you held a Skilled Worker visa and applied for a Student visa for the University of Westminster, you can begin your course while waiting for a decision, and this is because your previous visa did not restrict your right to study.
- If you applied from within the UK when you were not eligible to do so, the University will not enrol you
The visa requirements for enrolment
Your visa status will be checked as part of the admissions and enrolment process. The University must check your identity and confirm that you have a UK immigration status that allows you to study. If you applied for a visa from outside the UK you will be asked to show either a stamp in your passport or your flight ticket/boarding pass to confirm you entered the UK whilst you had a valid visa allowing study.
Most students will be asked to provide their current passport and provide a share code that shows you have a relevant UK visa/immigration status that allows you to study your chosen course at the University of Westminster.
Please see further information on the enrolment process on our Enrolment for new students page.
Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
If you will be applying for a Student visa you will need a CAS.
Find out about the CAS and how to get one.