Table Of Contents:
- What is a short-term student visit visa
- Distance Learning Courses
- Eligibility
- If the purpose of your visit to the UK is to study at an accredited institution
- If you are visiting the UK to do a short piece of research relevant
- If Your Purpose Is to Do an Elective
- If you will be taking the OSCE or PLAB test
- Documents Required
- How to Apply
- How Long Does it Take to Get a Decision
- Final Thoughts
The UK student visit visa is a subcategory of the UK standard visitor visa. International students apply for this visa for short-term study in the UK. The visa lasts for up to 6 months. You get a big opportunity to study in the UK. This boosts your career options. You get the exposure to the UK’s culture as well. Hence, the UK student visit visa is a popular visa route for those looking to do a short-term course or do research related to their course overseas in the UK.
What is a short-term student visit visa?
A short-term visit visa allows visa nationals to study a course in the UK for up to 6 months or less. You can do the following on a student visit visa:
- Study at an accredited institution in the UK, including English language courses.
- Do a short piece of research relevant to the course you are doing overseas.
- Participating in an ‘elective’—an’ optional additional placement if you are studying the equivalent of a UK degree in medicine, veterinary medicine and science, nursing, midwifery, or dentistry.
- Sit an entrance exam, retake an exam or course module, or do a PhD oral exam (a viva).
- Do a clinical attachment that is unpaid if you are a graduate from a dental, medical, or nursing school.
- Take the OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) test or the PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board) test.
For a short-term UK student visit visa, you need to meet the basic eligibility requirements for a standard visitor visa and additional requirements pertaining to the purpose of short-term study.
If you want to study an English language course in the UK that lasts for up to 11 months, you can apply for a UK short-term student visa instead. If your course lasts for more than 11 months, you need to apply for a UK student visa.
For certain subjects, if you want to study or research at the postgraduate level or above, you may need to get an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) before starting your course or research.
Distance Learning Courses
If you are doing a distance learning course, it can last longer than 6 months. This is due to the reason that most of your study will happen outside of the UK.
You can visit the UK for certain activities such as attending induction weeks, face-to-face intensive learning, and sitting exams or assessments as part of your distance learning course.
Eligibility
As mentioned above, you need to meet the eligibility requirements for the UK standard visitor visa. In addition to that, you need to meet extra requirements for a student visit visa.
If the purpose of your visit to the UK is to study at an accredited institution
You must prove that:
- An accredited UK institution has accepted you onto a course provided by it.
- The course lasts no longer than 6 months unless it is a distance learning program.
If you are visiting the UK to do a short piece of research relevant to the course you are doing overseas
You must prove the following:
- You are aged 16 or over.
- The course you are enrolled in overseas is equivalent to a UK degree.
- A UK higher education institution has allowed you to take part in research that’s relevant to your course overseas.
If Your Purpose Is to Do an Elective
You must prove the following:
- You are aged 16 or over.
- The course you are enrolled in overseas is equivalent to a UK degree. The course must be in science, nursing, medicine, veterinary medicine, midwifery, or dentistry.
- An elective you are doing at a UK higher education institution is part of your course.
If your student visit visa is for doing a dental observer post or an unpaid clinical attachment
If you are an overseas graduate student from a dental, medical, or nursing school, you can do an unpaid dental observer post or clinical attachment for up to 6 months.
You cannot treat any patient in the UK.
If you will be taking the OSCE or PLAB test
In the first six months of your visit to the UK, you need to pass the OSCE or PLAB test. If you are unable to pass the PLAB within 6 months, you can stay in the UK for another 6 months to retake the test.
After passing the PLAB test, you can apply to do an unpaid dental observer post or clinical attachment for up to 6 months. This allows you to stay in the UK for a total of up to 18 months.
Documents Required
You need to submit documents such as your current passport, proof of funds such as bank statements, proof of your onward or return journey such as flight tickets, proof of accommodation in the UK such as hotel bookings, etc., for a UK standard visitor visa.
Additionally, you need to submit the following documents for a UK student visit visa:
- Confirmation from your overseas course provider that the research or research tuition you will be taking in the UK is part of or relevant to your course overseas.
- A written confirmation from your UK higher education provider that you will not be treating patients or being paid for the elective.
- A written confirmation of your dental observer post offer or clinical attachment that you have not done a dental observer post or a clinical attachment in the UK before.
- A confirmation letter of OSCE test registration from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- A confirmation letter of your PLAB test registration from the General Medical Council.
How to Apply?
You must apply online for a student visit visa. You can apply no more than 3 months before you plan to visit the UK.
As part of your application, you need to submit the documents online. You also need to pay the application fee of £127.
You will book an appointment at a visa application center in your country. Here you will enroll your biometric information (your fingerprints and photograph) to prove your identity.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Decision?
UKVI usually delivers its decision on UK Student Visit Visa applications within 3 weeks. You can apply for a priority service to get a quicker decision if it is available at the VAC in your country.
Final Thoughts
International students looking to get exposure to world-class education can apply for a UK short- term student visit visa. To make your application successful, you need to meet the eligibility criteria, gather supporting documents, prove your identity, and apply online. For the latest updates related to the visa, you should visit the UK government’s official website, gov.uk.
If you are unsure of applying for the visa yourself, you should take the services of an expert UK immigration agency or lawyer.
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