If you are not a British or Irish citizen and you want to study a degree in the UK, you will normally need a Student visa (the Student route). This is how it works, with the figures on GOV.UK in October 2026.

Step by step

  1. Get an offer from a university that is a licensed student sponsor.
  2. Get a CAS. The sponsor issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies once you have met your offer conditions. You need its reference number to apply.
  3. Apply online and pay. The visa fee is £558 and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is £776 per year of your visa.
  4. Show your funds. You must show maintenance funds of £1,529 a month for London or £1,171 a month outside London, for up to nine months, held for 28 consecutive days.
  5. Prove your English — for many students, with a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as IELTS for UKVI, if the university requires it.

One figure to double-check

Third parties report that the monthly funds will rise to £1,570 (London) and £1,203 (outside London) from 30 November 2026. We could not confirm this on GOV.UK, so check the official page before you apply.

Working and staying

  • Degree-level students can typically work up to 20 hours a week in term time. Check the conditions on your own visa.
  • The Graduate visa costs £937 and lasts two years (three for PhD) for applications made on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027.
  • Dependants are restricted to postgraduate research and government-sponsored students.

More detail in our Student visa guide, financial requirements and healthcare surcharge pages.

Rules and fees change. Confirm everything at gov.uk/student-visa.