Apply for UK Student Visa Application 2022

The UK student visa is one of the most sought-after types of visa among students in the World.  Studying in the UK is a great destination for a lot of Nigerians and people all over the World. The UK provides good education with world-class facilities that attract a lot of students globally. If you are looking to study abroad, then the UK would be a good idea.

However, applying for a student visa could be a challenge for some prospects. In this article, we are going to give you a guide on how to apply for a UK Student visa.

UK Student Visa application

There are instructions and guides that you need to follow to apply for a student visa. Below we have broken down the application process into five steps;

•  The first step of this process is to confirm if you are eligible to apply for a student visa. To qualify for applying for a student visa, you need to provide evidence of the following;
• Confirmation of acceptance from the school, university, or college where you want to study. This is known as a confirmation of acceptance of studies (CAS)
• You will also provide proof that you have enough money to cover your fees and other expenses of living in the UK
• The next thing to do after you have confirmed that you qualify is to prepare your documents. Certain documents are required to apply for a student visa. Later in this article, we will give you the list of all the articles you will be needing.
• Proceed to start the online application
• To do this, create an account and fill the online application form.
• The next step is the payment stage. The UK student visa application fee payment can be done in any of the following ways;
• Make payment at a Standard chartered bank branch and you will be issued a demand draft in favor of the British high commission
• You can also make payment by a draft from a local or international bank. The payment will be made concerning ‘The British High Commission’s
• Alternatively, you can make your payment at the visa application center
• The final and most common way of making this payment is by online payment. You can use a Mastercard or credit card to make payments
• When you are done with the application form and payment, print out the completed online form and the payment slip. Your application number will be sent to you via Email address.
• Finally, you can book an appointment with the visa application center.

In the simple five steps above, you can finish the online application for the UK student visa.

UK student visa fees

The cost of the student visa for Tier 4 (General) is around 348 pounds. Like we mentioned earlier, you can pay via a Mastercard or credit card; through a demand draft; or via the application centre through cash payment.

Types of UK student visa

The student visa is categorized into two depending on the duration of your study. The two types of student visas in the UK are; the short-term student visa and the Tier 4 student visa.

• Short-term student visa

This type of visa is for a student who is taking a short language course or staying in the UK for a brief research program. This type of visa mostly has a duration of 6 to 11 months.

• Tier 4 (General) Student visa

The Tier 4 visa is mostly for students who are studying for a bachelor’s degree, Masters’ program, or doctorate. This visa does not have a specific date of expiration as it runs till the end of your study course.

Required Document for the study visa application

Study visas require a lot of documents compared to tourist visas and some other visa types. Compulsory requirements of your financial and educational background need to be provided to make sure your visa is approved.

Before attending the interview, you should make sure you have the following documents available;

• A copy of the completed online application form
• The Institution, University, or College will provide a letter of acceptance into the course of study. You will also receive a visa letter and you are to apply at least six months after the issuance of the visa letter
• You must also meet all the requirements of the immigration rules
• Your financial status is also very important in getting a student visa. You will need to provide evidence that you can cover your fees and the general cost of living in the UK. The funds must have been with you for not less than 28 days.
• Visa fee payment receipt
• Payslips
• Original certificates

Note; English proficiency tests like TOEFL, IELTS, etc will be needed in the future.

These are the required documents that you need to apply for a UK student visa. You can get more information on the subject via www.gov.uk/student-visa

The student UK visa application process is very easy to complete. However, a successful application does not guarantee that your visa will be approved. On your path, you will have to strictly follow the guidelines and provide the necessary documents to stand a chance.

There are some criteria that you will have to reach to qualify or to be eligible for a student visa.

Below, we are going to highlight some things that will qualify you for a student visa;

• For the Tier 4 (General) student visa, you must be 16 years and above to be able to apply for the student visa. However, Tier 4 also have a category for children between 4 and 15
• You must be able to speak, read, and understand the English language. This is the reason why proficiency tests like TOEFL and IELTS are taken.
• To be eligible, you should have an offer from a University that is licensed.
• Sufficient money for self-support and tuition fee is also very important.
• You will also need parental approval or consent. This applies if the applicant is below the legal age.

Eligibility to get approved is based on the information we have just provided in the paragraph above.

Frequently asked questions and answers

When should I apply for my UK visa application?

The UK student visa application is best done at least three months before you travel. If the date on your letter of acceptance is in October, then you have to try and apply for the visa three months before the date.

However, if you try to apply earlier than three months, you are more likely to get rejected. Also, be careful not to apply too late. This will make sure that you do not miss the date.

What is a CAS document?

CAS is known as a confirmation of acceptance for studies. This is the reference number sent to you by your institute to confirm admission into a course of study. This number is needed when filling out the visa application form.

Is the UK student visa compulsory for everyone? 

The UK visa is compulsory for candidates of a lot of countries except the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. Other nationals must apply for a visa if they want to study in the UK.

How much is the student visa application? 

The Visa application fee for students is dependent on the type of study visa. The Tier 4 student visa is the most common type of visa and this cost around 348 pounds.

How much money do I need to have to apply for a UK student visa?

The UK visa fee is not the only money you would need before applying. If you are to be eligible for getting a student visa, there is an amount of money that you should have own. You must be able to prove that you have enough funds for your tuition fee (in the first year). Also, you have to show proof that you can cover your cost of living in the UK. This price is usually fixed by the UK immigration rules.

For Instance, if your tuition fee for the first year is 3, 000 pounds (as written in your CAS) and the fixed price for maintenance is 9, 000 pounds, this means that you will have to show proof of at least 12, 000 pounds available at your disposal.

You are to submit the evidence of funds to the UK home office when appearing for the interview.

How long does the Student visa application take? 

The UK student visa application does not take too long to complete. Also, the student visas will take only about three weeks before you receive confirmation of your acceptance status.

So, if you are looking to apply for a UK student visa, I believe you now know the application process, requirements, and guidelines. Then what are you waiting for? Visit the official website at Visa4UK to get more information.