Applying for a Student visa from inside the UK

This page looks at the eligibility criteria and visa application process for applying for a Student visa from inside the UK, also known as permission to stay.

Before assessing whether you can apply in the UK and how to apply in the UK, read the general eligibility rules for information about Student visas.

Can I apply for my Student visa from inside the UK?

You will need to take the following factors into consideration when thinking about applying for a Student visa in the UK:

If you do not currently hold a Tier 4 visa or a Student visa:

• are you in a category that allows switching to Student visa in the UK?
• do you meet the academic progression requirements?
• are you subject to any time limits on study?
• what is the gap between the expiry of your visa and the start of your course?
• when will you be allowed to start your course?

If you are currently in the UK with a valid Tier 4 or Student visa:

• do you meet the academic progression requirements?
• have you completed your previous course?
• are you subject to any time limits for study?
• what is the gap between the expiry of your visa and the start of your course?

Who cannot switch to a Student visa in the UK

If you have one of the following visa types, you cannot apply to switch in the UK:

• short-term student
• visitor
• parent of a child student
• seasonal worker
• domestic worker in a private household
• a visa granted outside the immigration rules

Everybody else can apply to switch and must meet the other eligibility criteria.

Should you apply to switch your visa when you are not entitled to it, your application will be invalid. This could lead you to overstaying which has serious consequences.

Academic progression: do I meet the academic progression rules?

To make a Student visa application from inside of the UK, you must meet the academic progression requirement or be exempt from meeting this requirement. The requirement applies to students who have previously held a Tier 4 or Student visa, even if they now hold a different immigration permission.

If you do not meet the academic progression requirement, you will not be able to make your visa application from inside the UK. Instead, you will need to make your application from your home country. For more information about applying outside of the UK, visit the Applying for a Student visa from outside the UK page.

To meet the academic progression requirements, you must have successfully completed the course for which your last Student visa or Tier 4 visa was granted, unless you are exempt from academic progression. You are exempt if you are already a student at the University of Westminster and you are repeating a part of your course, applying to extend for a work placement, going on a study abroad year to take a Student Union Sabbatical Officer post or to complete a PhD.

If you are transferring from a different University and you did not complete your course you will not meet the academic progression requirements.

In addition to having completed the course for which you were last sponsored, you must also be progressing academically. This means that your new course must normally be above the level of your previous course, for example, if you have completed your Bachelor’s degree course, you must now be applying to study a Master’s course. It may be possible to study a second course at the same level, however you cannot study a course at a lower level.

If you are a student who wants to study a course at the same level as the course you have already studied before, for example, a second Masters, you will need to have a progression statement added to your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). You will need to show how the new programme is related to your previous course (either that it is connected to the previous course, forms a part of the same subject group, or involves deeper specialisation) or that the previous and the new course combined support your career aspirations. You should email the University compliance team with your progression statement at [email protected]. Progression statements are not always accepted so take time to work on a good statement that meets the above requirements.

Academic progression: I am a current student at the University of Westminster

If you are applying to re-sit an exam, repeat a course module or you have re-sat exams or repeated course modules in the past and you now need to extend your visa to compete your course, you will be exempt from meeting the academic progression requirement. Your new CAS must confirm that you are exempt from academic progress. Please note that it is not always possible to extend your Student visa to complete your course. One of the deciding factors will be your mode of attendance and whether you are required to be in the UK to complete the course.

If you have previously changed course, having met the relevant requirements to do so, your re-sit or repeat must be relevant to your new course and not your previous course. You are required to submit a transcript of results to demonstrate that your re-sit or repeat relates to your new course.

You are also exempt from the academic progression requirement if you are extending your visa to undertake a study abroad year or work placement or you have previously completed a study abroad year or work placement and you now need further time to complete your course.

Please note there are additional factors that the University needs to check before they can issue with a new CAS. The University will check your mode of attendance, when your re-sit or repeat module will take place and whether you are within the time limit to study in the UK.

If you are continuing on a course at the University of Westminster, please contact Student Advice for further advice.

The rules concerning academic progression are complex; for detailed information about the academic progression, requirement see the immigration rules or contact Student Advice.

The time limit to study on a Student visa

There is a five-year time limit to stay in the UK for degree level study (undergraduate courses).

If your Student visa extension would lead to you having spent more than the five years permitted, the Home Office will refuse your application.

For more information about the time limit for studying in the UK and the exceptions to this rule, please visit the Student visa eligibility requirements page.

The gap between the expiry of your current visa and the start of your course

There must normally be no more than a 28-day gap between the expiry of your current visa and the start of your new course; this is the case both if you are applying to switch to a Student visa or if you already hold a Student visa and you are applying to start a new course at the University of Westminster.

If there is a gap of more than 28 days between the expiry of your visa and the start of your course, you must not make your visa application from inside the UK as your visa application is likely to be refused.

See the Applying for a Student visa from outside the UK page if you need to leave the UK to make a Student visa application. 

I am applying for an extension of my visa as a continuing student

If you are a current student at the University of Westminster and you need to extend your visa because you need extra time to complete your course but you are not repeating, please contact Student Advice to check whether you can extend your visa in the UK.

You must be in attendance on a course to be sponsored by the University for a Student visa. If you are not required to attend for 60 days or more, you may be required to go home for a period of time before returning to resume your studies. The Library and Student Centre will be able to tell you about your course. This rule normally only affects students who are deferring a part of their course or are repeating and will have a gap. Students who are only repeating their dissertation/project will normally not be sponsored as they are not attending classes.

If you can extend your visa in the UK, you will need a new Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). You must apply for your visa extension before your current visa expires.

I am applying for a visa to study a new course and have recently completed a course at the University of Westminster

If you have recently completed a course at the University and you wish to start a new course at Westminster, please contact Student Advice to see whether you can extend your visa from within the UK.

If Student Advice confirms that you can make your visa application from inside the UK, you will be able to start your course on your current visa. You must submit your visa application, using a new CAS for your new course, within six weeks of enrolling on your course, or before your visa expires, whichever is earlier. If there is a gap of more than 28 days between the expiry of your current visa and the start of your new course, you will not be able to make your visa application from inside of the UK. Furthermore, you must meet the academic progression requirement and you must be within the time limit to study in the UK.

I am applying for a visa to study at the University of Westminster and have successfully completed a course at a different institution

If you are applying to start a new course at the University of Westminster, you will need to make your visa application before you can enrol on your course. You will not be able to enrol on/start your course until you have a visa for the University of Westminster, or you provide evidence that you have applied to extend your Student visa in the UK.

If showing us evidence of an application, you must have used a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for the University of Westminster and applied for an extension whilst you had existing student permission.

Making your Student visa application from inside the UK

How to apply

You must complete and submit the online visa application form. For most in-country applicants, the process is now fully digital and includes using a Government ID checking app to confirm your identity. Those unable to use the app will be required to attend a biometrics appointment at a UKVCAS centre, in addition to submitting the online application form. You must apply with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for your course at the University of Westminster.

A standard Student visa application usually takes eight weeks to be processed. If you want a decision more quickly you may be able to make a priority application or super-priority application, although the latter option is not available for those using the ID Check app as a part of the process.

For a full list of documents you should include with your application, please refer to our Documents required for a study visa page.

When to apply

If you are currently on a Student visa or are switching visa category you should apply for your visa extension before your current visa expires.

If you remain in the UK after the expiry date of your visa without submitting your visa application, you will become an overstayer, which is a criminal offence. There are serious consequences of overstaying your visa and it is unlikely that you will be able to start or continue with your studies at Westminster as an overstayer. You can read about the consequences of overstaying your visa on the UKCISA website.

You should prepare for your visa application in advance of your visa expiry date to ensure that you have the time to gather your supporting evidence, this is especially the case if you require an ATAS certificate, need to show evidence of funds (see: Financial requirements), or have previously been sponsored by an Official Financial Sponsor.

Please note that a Student visa application must not be made more than three months before the start of your course as shown on your CAS.

I have received a decision on my visa application, what are my next steps?

You will most likely receive a decision on your visa application via email. Alternatively, you could be sent a decision in the post. It is important that you read the information on the decision notification carefully. The notification email or letter will confirm whether the Home Office has granted or refused your application. If your application has been granted you should check the information to ensure your visa details are correct, including the start and end dates of your visa. You should also familiarise yourself with the conditions of your new visa.

Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) versus digital visa

If you applied for your Student visa using the ID Check app, you will receive a digital visa which you will be able to view and show to others using the Government website. The details and conditions of your visa will be described in the decision letter you receive, so please make sure to read it carefully and save it for future reference. You will also receive a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) in addition to your digital visa if you are a Visa national.

If you did not use the ID Check app in your application, your visa will be granted on a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). A BRP is a plastic card (like a credit card) that contains your photograph, your personal information, your immigration permission and the conditions of your visa. Your BRP will be sent by courier to the correspondence address mentioned on your visa application form. It can take up to 10 days, after you receive a decision on your application, for your BRP to be sent to you.

What details do I check on my digital visa (including the decision letter) or BRP?

• Your personal details
• The start and end date – your visa should be granted for the duration of your course plus an additional four months if your course duration is for 12 months or more. For courses that are six months or more but less than 12 months, you should be given an extra two months at the end of your course
• The University’s sponsor licence number – KQG71BMB4 

There is an error on my BRP or digital visa

For basic errors on your BRP such as your name, date of birth or nationality, you will have to report these on the GOV.UK website within 10 days of receiving your BRP. Failure to report an error within 10 days could result in you having to apply and pay for a BRP replacement. If you spot a basic error on your digital visa, you are required to report it via the ‘view and prove’ page.

If there is an error with the length of your stay or the conditions of your visa, you will need to submit an administrative review application. Please contact Student Advice immediately if there is an error on your BRP or digital visa.

What to do after a successful application

Following a successful Student visa application and when you are preparing for your course, you may have questions about what to bring and what to expect. We've rounded up some key resources below.

• To find out about the enrolment process, see our Enrolment for new students page
• For advice about documents you need to bring and events to help you settle in, see our Enrolment for new international students page
• To find out what to do before you arrive and during your first few weeks at Westminster, see our New student checklist page

Police registration

In the past, you may have been required to register with the Police, but as of 1 August 2022, the requirement to register has been removed. You will now not be asked to either register with the Police on arrival in the UK (as a condition of your visa) or to provide a Police Registration Certificate if you are making a Student Visa Extension application.

Refusals

If your Student visa application is refused, you must inform the University's Student visa team by emailing [email protected] and contacting Student Advice to discuss your next steps.

Dependents

If you are planning on bringing a family member with you to the UK as your dependant, please visit the UKCISA website for information about the application process and requirements.

Please also note that the rules relating to who can be your dependant whilst you are in the UK will be changing in January 2024. You will no longer be able to bring dependants to join you in the UK if you are studying for a postgraduate degree (undergraduate degree students are also unable to bring dependants).

For further details, please see the overview of changes on the UKCISA website. Please note there will be some exceptions for students who are already studying in the UK before this date.