Student visa information and eligibility

This page offers information for international students applying for a Student visa who are outside the UK and will be starting a new course of study at the University of Strathclyde or returning to complete their studies after a period of time outside of the UK.

Please note the Student visa application process may be different depending on your nationality and/or from what country where you are applying. You can find out more from the drop-down windows below.

Students from the EU, EEA or Switzerland

Students from the following countries have a different process to follow in applying for the Student visa; however, you should follow the guidance below and the application form mentioned in section 6 will guide you through the process.

	Country
EU countries	Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden
European Economic Area (EEA)Countries	Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
	Switzerland

EU Settlement Scheme

If you are a student with Pre-Settled Status or Settled Status through the EU Settlement Scheme, then you do not have to apply for a Student visa. Having Pre-Settled Status or Settled Status permits you to travel to the UK and to live, study or work in the UK.

You may be asked to provide evidence of your EUSS status to the University.

More information:

Healthcare Surcharge

The healthcare surcharge (also referred to as "Immigration Health Surcharge") will also have to be paid as part of your visa application.

How much you pay will depend on how long your visa will be granted. If you have your CAS, you can calculate your healthcare surcharge using the calculator link below.

The surcharge cannot be paid in installments and must be paid in full as part of the visa application process.

More information:

ISST - Healthcare surcharge
GOV.UK - Pay the UK healthcare as part of your immigration application
GOV.UK - Calculate your immigration healthcare surcharge (you will need your CAS for this)

Dependants of Student visa applicants

Who can be a Dependant?

Some students may wish to bring their family to join them in the UK during their studies. From a visa perspective, they are often referred to as "Dependants."

Dependants of a Student visa applicant must meet eligibility and financial requirements in Appendix Student.

A Dependant can be one of the following:

Your husband, wife or civil partner
Your unmarried partner
Your child under 18 years old - including if they were born in the UK during your stay

In order to have Dependants on a Student visa:

The main Student applicant must be studying a postgraduate level (course level SCQF 11 or higher) full-time course 9 months or longer at the University of Strathclyde OR
The main Student applicant must be in receipt of an award from a Government and the main Student applicant's course is full-time and at least 6 months OR

Additional evidence will have to be provided of your relationship to your dependants when they apply. Please see our Supporting documents guidance for details.

Financial requirements for Dependants

For details on the financial requirements for Dependants, please see our Supporting documents guidance.

More information:

Overview of Student visa application process outside the UK

Follow the steps below on how to apply for your Student visa from your country outside the UK. You can read more information on each step from the corresponding links.

Step	More information
1. Understand Student visa requirements and check your eligibility to apply	Information: GOV.UK - Student visa Immigration rules: Immigration Rules Appendix Student
1a. If you are planning to apply with Dependants, check that you meet requirements	Information: ISST - International student with families Information: UK Council for International Student Affairs - Dependants
1b. Certain applicants may require a Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate before applying for a Student visa, check if you are required to provide a TB test	Information: GOV.UK - Tuberculosis test for visa applicants
2. Find your nearest UK visa application centre	Information: GOV.UK - Find a visa application centre
3. Receive your CAS	Students starting a new course will receive a CAS by email from Admissions cas.admissions@strath.ac.uk Please ensure that the information in your CAS is correct before continuing
4. Apply for ATAS if required	Apply online: www.gov.uk/guidance/academic-technology-approval-scheme Information: Immigration Rules Appendix ATAS
5. Prepare your finances and supporting documents	Immigration rules: Appendix Student 12.1 - 12.6 Guidance: GOV.UK Student visa - Documents you'll need to apply Guidance: GOV.UK Financial evidence for Student route applicants Guidance: ISST - Student visa supporting documents guidance
6. Start answering questions on the Student visa application	Apply online: www.gov.uk/student-visa/apply Check under "Apply outside the UK" on the page Students from EU/EEA/Switzerland: EU, EEA and Swiss nationals applying for the Student visa can use the UK: Immigration ID Check app to apply
7. Check answers by referring to Student visa application guidance	Application form guidance: Student visa application form outside the UK
8. If you have questions about your visa application or supporting documents, please ask ISST before making any payment	Before contacting our team for advice on your application, please ensure you have not paid for your application online, you have completed the above steps
8a. If you contact ISST for visa advice, please familiarise yourself with our Code of Practice and Privacy Notice before contacting our service	ISST - Code of Practice ISST - Privacy Notice

If you have contacted ISST requesting advice and guidance on your visa application, please wait for a response from an adviser before proceeding with the next steps.

Step	More information
9. Pay for your Immigration Health Surcharge, application fee and biometric enrollment fee	Payment of your visa application is the date you applied for your visa Calculate your surcharge: www.immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk/checker/Type
10. Follow instructions from your UK visa application centre for the process	Information: GOV.UK - Find a visa application centre
11. The Home Office will consider and make a decision on your application	Information: GOV.UK - Getting a decision on your application An email will be sent to you by UKVI with a decision on your visa application If your visa application is refused, please contact the University Visa Compliance team (visa.compliance@strath.ac.uk) immediately along with the details of your visa refusal
12. If your visa application is successful you will receive an entry clearance vignette (visa sticker) in your passport and a decision letter explaining the conditions of your visa and information on where to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) The vignette should be for a period of 90 days if you are doing a course of more than 6 months EEA nationals please see information at right	Check that the details are correct on your visa vignette and your decision letter and check that your visa covers you through to the end of your course If you find errors on your visa, contact ISST and you will be advised what to do Non-EEA nationals: You will be given details on how and where to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) at a collection location in your decision letter Due to Coronavirus restrictions most University of Strathclyde offices remain closed - the Post Office for BRP collection nearest to the University is on Glassford Street, G1 1UG, Glasgow EU/EEA/Swiss nationals: After you have received a decision by email, view your status online through the View and Prove service at www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status
13. Travel to the UK on or after the "Valid from" date on your Student visa	Please check with UK and Scottish government guidance for most up to date information on travelling to the UK, as well as your home country's government guidance Information: GOV.UK - Entering the UK Information: GOV.UK - Find a British embassy, high commission or consulate Information: International students - Pre-arrival guide
13. Arrival and registration with the University of Strathclyde	Information on registration: New students - International (including EU/EEA and Switzerland)
13a. Register with the police (certain nationals only)	The Police Registration Scheme ended and students are no longer required to register with the police - see links below for further information Information: Police registration Information: Police Scotland - Notice for foreign nationals who are no longer required to register

Frequently asked questions

How long will it take to process my Student visa application?

UKVI advise on their Student visa page that it normally takes 3 weeks to receive a decision. However it may depend on whether you have paid for a quicker processing service or may be longer during particularly busy periods.

Processing times may also be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. We recommend for Student visa applicants to wait for a decision on their visa application and have received all their documents before making travel arrangements.

More information:

How much is the Student visa application fee for outside the UK?

The application fee is £363 for the main Student visa applicant applying outside the UK.

If you are applying with Dependants, it will cost £363 for each Dependant applicant.

More information:

Can I travel to the UK before I get my Student visa?

For students who have already applied for their Student visa, we strongly advise for students to wait for a decision on their Student visa and have received their entry clearance vignette (visa sticker in passport) before making arrangements and travelling to the UK.

If you have booked your flights before receiving a decision on your visa application, there is a risk you may have to reschedule flights or lose out on money paid.

Travelling to the UK before having your Student visa may also cause issues with being able to register to start your course.

Therefore we recommend for students to wait to receive their Student visa in hand before booking flights and travelling to the UK.

Where can I collect my Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)?

During the application process, you will be asked where you want to collect your BRP; you can opt for this to be sent to the University or you can collect it from a local post office. Due to ongoing coronavirus restrictions, most University offices remain closed; we strongly recommend that you opt to collect from the Post Office nearest to the University - Glassford Street G1 1UG - to avoid any delays in receiving your BRP.

If you do choose to collect your BRP from the University, you will need to use the ACL code: 2HE582. You will not be able to collect your BRP immediately and will need an appointment to do so. The post office remains the quickest option for collection of your BRP.

If your Student visa application is successful, students will receive their decision either by email or with a letter explaining the conditions of your new Student visa. Please check the letter carefully, as it may contain instructions on where to collect your BRP.