UK Student Visa – Complete Document Checklist

Before You Start

The exact documents required for a UK Student visa depend on the applicant's nationality, course, university or education provider, funding arrangements, age, immigration history and personal circumstances. This guide separates the core documents from evidence that is only required in particular cases.

Core Student Visa Documents

• Current valid passport or other valid travel document
• Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference from the licensed student sponsor
• Documents specifically requested through the online visa application
• Evidence required to prove identity and complete the application process

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

The CAS is issued by the licensed student sponsor and contains important information about the course and sponsorship. Check that the applicant's personal details, course information, fees and other relevant information are correct and consistent with the visa application.

• CAS reference number
• Course title and level
• Course start and end dates
• Tuition fees shown on the CAS
• Tuition fees already paid and recorded on the CAS, where applicable
• Sponsor details
• Any qualifications or evidence referred to by the sponsor where relevant

Financial Evidence

• Evidence of funds for outstanding course fees where required
• Evidence of required living/maintenance funds where required
• Bank statements or other permitted financial evidence where applicable
• Student loan evidence where relied upon
• Official financial sponsorship evidence where relied upon
• Evidence of tuition fees already paid where relevant
• Evidence of qualifying accommodation payments where relevant to the financial calculation

28-Day Financial Rule

Where the financial rules require funds to be held, the required amount generally needs to be held for at least 28 consecutive days. The end of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days before the Student visa application date. GOV.UK

Academic Documents

• Qualifications referred to in the CAS where evidence is required
• Degree certificates
• Academic transcripts
• Previous educational certificates where relevant
• English-language qualification where relied upon and required
• Other academic evidence specifically requested by the sponsor or application

English Language

Student visa applicants must meet the applicable English-language requirement unless an exemption or another permitted method applies. How this is demonstrated depends on the course, sponsor and applicant's circumstances.

ATAS Certificate

Some applicants studying certain sensitive subjects at postgraduate level or above need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate. Whether ATAS is required depends on factors including the course and nationality.

• Check whether the course requires ATAS
• Apply for ATAS sufficiently early where required
• Check that the ATAS details correspond with the intended course
• Include the valid ATAS certificate where required

Tuberculosis (TB) Certificate

A tuberculosis test certificate is required where the applicant falls within the UK's TB testing rules. The test must be completed through an approved clinic.

Official Financial Sponsorship

If an applicant has received qualifying financial sponsorship covering course fees and living costs, appropriate sponsorship evidence may be required. If a financial sponsor has paid both course fees and living costs within the relevant period, written consent from that sponsor may also be required for the visa application.

Applicants Under 18

• Written consent from both parents or legal guardians, or from one parent where that person has sole responsibility
• Consent for the Student visa application
• Consent for travel to the UK
• Consent for living and care arrangements in the UK
• Birth certificate or another government-issued document showing the parents' names
• Any additional evidence relating to guardianship or sole responsibility where relevant

Certified Translations

Where relevant supporting documents are not in English or Welsh, check the current requirements for an acceptable certified translation and submit the translation together with the underlying document where required.

Applying from Outside the UK

• Complete the correct online Student visa application
• Provide the required identity evidence
• Use the UK Immigration: ID Check app where instructed, or attend the required visa application centre
• Provide biometrics where instructed
• Take the passport to the visa application centre where required
• Upload or provide supporting documents using the process specified for the application

Applying from Inside the UK

Applicants switching or extending from inside the UK must check that their current immigration category allows an in-country Student application and that they satisfy the timing and other requirements. An application must be made before the current permission expires.

If Dependants Are Applying

Not every Student is permitted to bring a partner or children. Check the current Student dependant eligibility rules before preparing dependant applications.

• Check whether the Student's course and circumstances permit dependants
• Partner's passport and identity evidence
• Child's passport and identity evidence
• Marriage/civil partnership or qualifying relationship evidence
• Children's birth certificates
• Additional maintenance funds for each eligible dependant
• Evidence concerning older dependant children's circumstances where required
• TB certificates where applicable
• Other supporting evidence required by each dependant's application

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using incorrect information that does not match the CAS
• Miscalculating tuition fees still outstanding
• Using insufficient maintenance funds
• Breaking the 28-day financial holding requirement
• Using financial evidence that falls outside the permitted evidence period
• Missing ATAS where it is required
• Missing a required TB certificate
• Failing to obtain sponsor consent where required
• Missing parental consent for an applicant under 18
• Providing inconsistent information about previous study or immigration history
• Assuming every applicant has the same document requirements
• Submitting the application without checking the latest rules

Final SBA Pre-Submission Check

• Passport details checked
• CAS checked against the application
• Course and sponsor details checked
• Tuition fee calculation checked
• Maintenance requirement checked
• Financial evidence dates checked
• ATAS requirement checked
• TB requirement checked
• English-language evidence checked
• Academic documents checked
• Sponsorship evidence checked
• Under-18 requirements checked where applicable
• Dependants checked separately where applicable
• Translations checked
• Application answers reviewed for consistency