The three routes
There are three visa routes for studying in the UK:
Standard Visitor visa — enough if you’re coming for a short course of up to 6 months.
Short-term study visa — for anyone over 16 studying English language for 6 to 11 months. It only covers English language courses.
Student visa — required if you’re studying anything other than English for more than 6 months. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, foundation programmes and longer certificate courses all fall under this route.
What you generally need
- A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from your institution — mandatory for the Student visa
- A valid passport
- Proof of English ability, at the level your course and route require
- Proof of funds — bank statements showing you can cover tuition and living costs
- A tuberculosis test, required for applicants from many countries including Turkey
- For under-18s, parental consent and guardian details
Notes on the process
Applications usually take 3 to 8 weeks, and longer in peak season. A priority service can shorten this. Your bank statements need to show the required amount held continuously for a set period — this is one of the most commonly overlooked requirements and one of the most common reasons for refusal.
Visa rules and fees change regularly. The above is a general framework; check current requirements on gov.uk before applying, or ask us.
We prepare your visa file with you, work through the document list until nothing is missing, and track the application step by step.