Welcome to our new website! Find out what's new and access your member benefits here.
Student route: eligibility and requirements
Here’s what you need to know before you apply for the Student route, an immigration option for international students who want to study in the UK.
Last updated on March 25, 2025

Introduction
Last updated April 01, 2025
If you’re 16 or over and thinking about studying in the UK on a course longer than six months, you can apply for the Student route inside the UK or outside of the UK, providing that you meet all of the requirements.
When you apply for the Student route, there are certain requirements you will need to meet and evidence you will need to supply as part of your application.
Essential definitions you need to know
Last updated January 15, 2025
A Student sponsor is an education provider, such as a university or college, approved by the Home Office to sponsor international students to study in the UK. When it is first granted a sponsor licence, it is called a Probationary Sponsor. The Home Office’s register of Student sponsors lists the institutions licensed to sponsor students under the Student and Child Student routes.
Entry clearance means that you are applying for a visa from outside the UK and will use that visa to enter the UK.
Immigration permission means that you have a visa for the UK with certain conditions.
Student permission means that you have a Student visa to study in the UK.
Am I eligible to apply for the Student route?
Last updated April 01, 2025
The Student route is an immigration option for international students, including EU, EEA and Swiss students, who want to study in the UK.
You can apply for the Student route if you’re 16 or over and want to study on an eligible course (further education, higher education, pre-sessional English course, a recognised foundation programme) or as a students’ union sabbatical officer at an educational provider in the UK, who is a Student sponsor.
Before you apply for the Student route, you must have applied and been accepted to your chosen course at an education provider in the UK. Once you have been accepted, you will receive an electronic document called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), which you must use in your application.
You might have heard of the Tier 4 visa, but the Student visa has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa and the Child Student visa has replaced the Tier 4 (Child) student visa. If you currently have or previously had a Tier 4 visa, then this information will still apply to you.
Your application
Last updated February 21, 2025
Once you have applied and been accepted on your chosen course, and you have received your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), you can start your Student route application. This section sets out the requirements and evidence you will need to complete your application.
English language tests (SELTs)
Last updated February 21, 2025
If you are required to take one of the Home Office's approved secure English language tests (SELTs) as evidence of your English language ability, your SELT must show that you achieved the required score in each of the components during a single sitting of that examination (unless you are exempt from a component due to a disability).
There are five approved test providers that offer secure English language tests for the Student route:
- IELTS SELT Consortium
- LanguageCert
- Pearson
- PSI Services (UK) LTD - Skills for English UKVI (this test must be taken overseas only)
- Trinity College London (this test must be taken in the UK only)
IELTS offer a number of different tests, but a test will only be considered to be a SELT if it was taken at an approved test centre and is an 'IELTS test for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) purposes'. These tests will have a UKVI number on the results certificate. If you have any questions about whether the test you are taking is a SELT, then you should check this when you make your booking.
You cannot use an IELTS Life Skills test as a SELT for a Student application. You should check with your institution whether they require you to take an Academic or General IELTS test.
IELTS results certificates state a CEFR level, however this is the CEFR level of the overall band score and is not necessarily confirmation that you have obtained this level in each of the four components. If in doubt, check with your Student sponsor.
Time limits
Last updated February 21, 2025
There are time limits, or ‘caps’, on how long you can study with the Student route. Before a Student sponsor issues your Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS), they will check that your proposed studies will not take you over the time limit. When assessing your application, the Home Office will also check that you will not exceed the time limit, unless there are "compelling and compassionate circumstances", such as injury or disability.
You can find full details of these time limits in the Home Office's Student and Child Student guidance.
Related articles
-
Student route: applying in the UK
Applying for the Student route inside the UK is a different process to applying outside of the UK. Check if you’re eligible and find out how to apply from inside the UK.
-
Student route: applying outside of the UK
The Student route is for international students who want to study in the UK – find out if you can apply for immigration permission from outside of the UK.
-
Short-term students
If you’re coming to the UK to study an English language course of between six and 11 months, you may need to apply for a Short-term Student visa.
Sign up to our free email newsletter
Stay in touch with UKCISA and get all of our updates before anyone else.