If you are a non-EEA national you must apply for a Student Route visa if you need to travel and study in the UK for longer than six months.

You may also be required to sit the Credibility Interview conducted by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) – here is a short video explaining what's involved, please take a moment to watch the video and let us know if you have any questions.

You can also find more information about this process on the Navitas website.

Students who are nationals of countries deemed by the UK Government to be ‘ low risk’ are unlikely to be interviewed. Students who are already in the UK will not be required to undertake an interview. 'Low risk' countries are defined by the UKVI and can be found here.

This information is for guidance only. Please refer to the UKVI website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Visa applications from outside the UK are usually made online on the UKVI website.

You may be required to undertake a TB screening test as part of the student route application process. To see if this applies to you please click here. Alongside the visa application, you will also need to visit a visa application centre to have your photograph and fingerprints (biometric details) taken. You will also be expected to pay for the student route application and the healthcare surcharge, for more details click here. When making your visa application, you will need to consider your travel date to the UK, making sure you provide an accurate arrival date. This is because you will only have ten days after arrival in the UK to collect your BRP, for more information on BRP, click here.

What will my visa look like?

If your visa application is successful, you will be provided with a temporary entrance visa known as a vignette. This will be a sticker in your passport. You will then need to collect your BRP, which is your permanent visa. You should include the BRP collection address.We recommend you use the University of Northampton address. You will need your student route visa decision letter to collect your BRP.

How much does it cost?

Fees can change at any time and so you are advised to refer to the UKVI website for details here.

How long does it take?

The Visa processing time varies depending on the country you are applying from, this can be anywhere from 24 hours to 2 months. To find out the visa processing time in your country, please click here.

How is the score calculated?

You will score 30 points for a CAS Statement from an approved education provider and 10 points if you can show you have enough finances to cover your course fees and monthly living expenses for up to nine months (known as maintenance). You must show that you have kept the money at the required amount and for the acquired length. If you are unsure about this please email info@unic.northampton.ac.uk

What is a CAS Statement?

A CAS Statement includes information about you, your sponsor, the course, and your finances. To obtain a CAS statement, you will need to have accepted your place by completing the acceptance document included in your unconditional offer pack and paid your tuition fee deposit, as outlined in the offer pack.

Once we have received the acceptance form, deposit and proof of maintenance (if applicable), you will be issued with a Provisional-CAS, which will allow you to check that all the information included is correct. Once we get confirmation we will issue you your final CAS.

How do I apply for my visa?

You will need to fill in the application form on the UKVI website, pay your fee and include:

• a current passport or travel document
• documents to show you have the right finances (maintenance) available
• documents used by your sponsors when they accepted you onto the course as listed on your CAS statement.

Immigration health surcharge

From January 16th 2024, the Immigration Health Surcharge for students will increase from £470 per year to £776 (for visa applications made from that point onwards).

To make an application and/or to find out more please click here.