Child Student Visa

Once your education provider has offered you a place on a course, they’ll send you a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). You’ll need to enter this reference number on your visa application. Your CAS can cover both the pre-sessional course and your main course of study.

If you are applying from outside the UK you can apply for your visa within 6 months of the start of your course. You cannot apply earlier than that. Your decision will usually be made within 3 weeks. If you are applying from within the UK you cannot apply until 3 months before the start of your course and you will usually receive a decision within 8 weeks. You must apply before your current visa expires and your new course must begin within 28 days of your previous visa expiring.

The costs of a child student visa are:

• £348 to apply for a Child Student visa from outside the UK
• £475 to extend or switch to a Child Student visa from inside the UK

You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. How much you pay depends on how long your visa lasts.

You must be able to show that you have sufficient funds to cover your course fees and living costs when you apply for your visa. You will need to show that you have sufficient funds to pay your course fees for one academic year (up to 9 months).

Where you have to show your hold funds to support your visa application you must prove you (or your parent/relative) have the money for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa.

If you have a student loan or financial sponsorship, you’ll need to provide evidence of this from your loan or sponsorship company.

You will not need to show that you hold funds when you apply for your visa if you have had a valid UK visa for at least 12 months immediately prior to the date of your Child Student visa application – you must currently be in the UK.

If you are a British national overseas or are from a country listed in the “differential evidence requirement” you will not need to show that you have the required level of funds as set out above, however there may be circumstances where this evidence may be requested before a decision is made on your visa. A list of relevant countries can be found here.

If you are boarding in an independent school you must have your boarding fees and your course fees for one academic year (up to 9 months).

If you are living with a relative or a foster carer you must have enough money to cover your course fees for one academic year (up to 9 months). Your relative or foster carer must confirm that they have at least £570 per month for 9 months to cover your living costs. Your relative or foster carer must be a British Citizen or have indefinite leave to remain in the UK and they must not be your parent.

If you are between 4 and 11 years of age, you can be accompanied to the UK by your parent or legal guardian. You will need to show that you have money for your course fees plus £1,560 for living costs for each month of your course, up to a maximum of 9 months. Your parent will require a parent of a child student visa.

Each additional Child Student that your parent or legal guardian is accompanying must show that they have the money for their course fees plus £625 for living costs for each month of their course, up to a maximum of 9 months. Additional child students must be your sibling and must have a child student visa.

If you are 16 or 17 and you will be living independently in the UK you must have enough money to pay for your course fees for one academic year (up to 9 months).

You’ll also need either:

• £1,334 per month (for up to 9 months) if you’re studying in London
• £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months) if you’re studying outside of London

London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs.

You will be allowed to remain in the UK for the following periods:

You can travel to the UK within 1 month of the start of your course.

If you are successful in your application for a child student visa you can do the following:

• You can study at an independent school.

If you’re 16 or over you can work:

• part-time during term for up to 10 hours per week
• full-time during vacations
• on a work placement as part of your course (but not for more than 50% of your course)

You cannot do the following:

• study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school) or further or higher education institution
• get public funds (benefits)
• take a full-time permanent job or be self-employed
• work as a professional sportsperson (for example a sports coach) or entertainer
• apply for settlement
• bring family members (‘dependants’) – if a parent wants to accompany you, they’ll need to apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa