Overview
As per the Department of Home Affairs preliminary data, around 44,000 applications for a student visa were obtained from India in the last 6 months of 2023. Also, as per the latest reports, Indians were issued the highest number of student visas by the UK for the year 2023. British High Commissioner stated that 25% of student visas have got approval for Indian students out of 2.8 lakh student visas that the UK issued overall. The number of Indian student visas has increased by 73% as compared to the year 2022. Recently, 'Young Professional Scheme (YPS) has been incepted by India and the UK government which would assist those eligible in obtaining a UK Work Visa for a maximum of two years. People aged between 18 to 30 years can apply for the same.
Students, who wish to study in the UK for more than 6 months, need to know about the following 3 UK Student Visas or UK visa types:
• Short-term Study Visa: Short-term UK Study Visa is for those who want to study an English language course for up to 11 months
• Student Visa: This visa category is for students coming to the UK for higher education. It was formerly termed as a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa, popularly called a Tier 4 Student Visa
• Child Student Visa: This visa is for children who are between 4 and 17 years old and wish to study at an independent school in the UK. It was formerly termed as Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa
How To Apply For Study Visa
There are several steps to apply for a UK Student Visa. UK Study Visa applications are processed within three weeks of the completed application being lodged. Following are the steps to apply for UK student visa:
Step 1
The first step is to check if you qualify for the student visa or not. You need to show that you have:
A confirmed place at the school, university or college where you intend to study. It is called a ‘confirmation of acceptance for studies’ (CAS).
Enough money (also known as ‘maintenance or funds’) to cover your course fees and living costs in the UK.
Step 2
Get your documents ready.
Step 3
Apply online: You will need to register and create an account on the official UK Visa website. When you have completed your online application form, you will need to print and sign your completed form. You must use the online appointment calendar to book an appointment at the visa application centre. When you have completed your online application, you will receive an email message containing your application number.
Step 4
Pay your application fee. There are 4 ways to pay your visa application fee.
Payment at Standard Chartered Bank - You can pay your fee at some branches of Standard Chartered Bank. The bank will issue a demand draft in favour of the 'British High Commission'.
Demand draft from a nationalized or foreign bank - You can pay your fee by getting a demand draft issued by a nationalized or a foreign bank. Bank charges for this service will vary. The demand draft must be in favour of the 'British High Commission’.
Payment at the visa application centre - You can pay the visa application fee at the visa application centre when you submit your visa application.
Pay online - You can pay your visa application fee online using a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card.
Step 5
Visit the visa application centre on the appointed date. You must book and attend an appointment at the visa application centre to submit your application and facial photograph and fingerprints.
Students are allowed to withdraw their applications. For this, they need to contact UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration). If their application processing has not started, their fee will be refunded.
