Country guide for Indian students
Study in United Kingdom
The UK is the most 'plug and play' major destination for Indian students: one-year taught Masters, globally recognised universities, no separate national entrance exam, and English throughout. The trade-off is cost, tuition plus the mandatory Immigration Health Surcharge plus living costs front-load a large cash requirement before the visa is even granted, and a post-study work window (the Graduate Route) that is being trimmed from 2 years to 18 months for anyone who applies on or after 1 January 2027. Everything else about the process is well-documented and consistent: a single sponsor-issued CAS, one visa type (Student), and a predictable points-based checklist. Miss the Immigration Health Surcharge or the 28-day funds rule, though, and an otherwise-strong file gets refused on a technicality.
At a glance
Visa type
MandatoryStudent visa (points-based)
Requires a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from a licensed Student sponsor. Replaced Tier 4 in 2020.
Visa fee
Mandatory£558 (from outside the UK, 2026)
Rose from £524 to £558 on 8 April 2026. Confirm current fee before paying.
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
Mandatory£776 per year of the visa, paid upfront
Mandatory for every visa year (part-years pro-rated); paid in one lump sum during the online application, on top of the visa fee. Buys NHS access.
Proof of funds (maintenance)
Mandatory£1,529/month London · £1,171/month outside London
Up to 9 months' living costs, plus any tuition still due for the first year. Funds must be held for 28 consecutive days ending within 31 days of applying.
English requirement
ConditionalCEFR B2 (degree level) via an approved SELT, or university assessment
Below-degree-level courses need B1. Many universities can assess English themselves for their own offer, but the VISA needs an approved SELT unless exempt.
University admission (typical), separate & usually HIGHER
ConditionalIELTS Academic ~6.0 to 6.5 undergrad, ~6.5 to 7.0 postgrad (per program, up to 7.5 at Oxbridge/Imperial-tier)
The CEFR-B2 visa floor (≈ IELTS 5.5 to 6.0) is NOT the admission bar. Russell Group and competitive programs commonly want 6.5 overall, often 7.0 with per-band minimums (higher for medicine, law, nursing); Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial-tier courses can ask 7.0 to 7.5. Meeting only the visa English level does not get a student an offer, always quote the specific program's own IELTS requirement.
TB test certificate
MandatoryMandatory for applicants from India on courses of 6+ months
India is on the Home Office's list of countries where a chest X-ray (and, if needed, sputum test) at an approved clinic is required before applying; the certificate is valid 6 months from the X-ray date.
Work while studying
Up to 20 hrs/week in term (degree-level, most sponsors)
Full-time allowed outside term dates. Below-degree-level: 10 hrs/week. No work permitted on pre-sessional/short courses.
Graduate Route (post-study work)
2 years (Bachelors/Masters) if you apply by 31 Dec 2026 → 18 months from 1 Jan 2027
PhD graduates get 3 years, unaffected by the change. The 18-month rule applies only to Graduate Route applications made on or after 1 Jan 2027, confirm before quoting to a student, as this is a live legislative change.
ID document
Digital eVisa (no physical BRP for new applicants)
UKVI stopped issuing new/replacement BRPs from 31 October 2024 and stopped issuing visa vignette stickers on 1 July 2026; status is proven online via a UKVI account and share codes.
Universities & admissions
UK admissions are direct and program-specific: undergraduate applications largely go through UCAS, while postgraduate (Masters/PhD) applications go straight to each university. There is no single national entrance exam; entry turns on prior academic results, the personal statement/SOP, and (for some courses) an interview or portfolio.
Undergraduate route
UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)
One shared application for up to 5 undergraduate courses per cycle, with a Personal Statement and predicted/actual grades.
Postgraduate route
Direct to each university's own portal
No UCAS-equivalent clearing house for most Masters/PhD programs, apply separately to each university, each with its own deadline and document set.
Degree recognition
Indian 3-year Bachelors generally accepted for Masters entry
Most UK universities accept a 3-year Indian Bachelors (60%+ or equivalent, program-dependent) for Masters entry. A formal UK ENIC comparability statement is occasionally requested by universities or employers, though it is not a visa requirement.
Grading benchmark
No single national conversion scale
Each university sets its own minimum (commonly 60 to 65% aggregate, or a First/Upper Second-class equivalent for competitive Masters). Confirm per program, there is no UK-wide formula equivalent to Germany's modified Bavarian scale.
Shortlist by course fit and entry requirements, not just ranking
RecommendedCheck each program's own page for: required subject background, minimum grade/class equivalence, required English test and score, application deadline, and whether the course needs an ATAS certificate or a portfolio/interview. UK postgraduate admissions are program-specific, requirements can differ significantly between two similarly-ranked universities.
When: 10 to 12 months before intake for competitive Masters; earlier for Oxbridge/medicine/law undergraduatePrepare the document set
MandatoryTypical set: academic transcripts and degree certificates (10th, 12th, Bachelors), an approved English test result (or evidence of exemption), a Statement of Purpose, 2 academic/professional references, a CV, and for some courses a portfolio or written sample. Postgraduate research (Masters by research/PhD) additionally needs a research proposal and a supervisor match.
You get: A reusable, verified document pack for every application.Apply and track the offer
MandatoryUndergraduate: apply via UCAS by the relevant deadline (typically January for the main cycle, with an earlier October deadline for Oxbridge/medicine/dentistry/veterinary science). Postgraduate: apply directly on each university's portal; many run rolling admissions so applying early materially improves the chance of a place and scholarship funding. An offer can be conditional (pending final grades/English test) or unconditional.
You get: A conditional or unconditional offer letter, this must convert to a CAS to apply for the visa.Accept the offer and receive the CAS
MandatoryOnce the offer is unconditional (or its conditions are met) and any deposit is paid, the university, as a licensed Student sponsor, issues a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) with a unique reference number. This is the single document that unlocks the visa application; it records the course, fees, and how English was assessed.
You get: A CAS reference number, valid for 6 months for entry-clearance applications.
A CAS can only be issued by a university holding a valid Student sponsor licence, must not have been used in a previous granted or refused application, and must state the course dates, fees, and accommodation costs accurately, errors here are a common cause of visa refusal. Confirm the CAS details match the offer exactly before applying for the visa.
Sources
- UCAS, apply to UK undergraduate courses, UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Student, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- UK ENIC, statement of comparability for international qualifications, UK ENIC (operated by Ecctis, the UK's official National Recognition Information Centre)
Language & tests
The UK's language requirement has two layers that are easy to conflate: what the UNIVERSITY accepts for admission (often flexible, including its own internal assessment) versus what the VISA requires, an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) unless the student is exempt. Standardised academic tests (GRE/GMAT) are rarely required.
Visa English requirement
MandatoryCEFR B2 (degree level) / B1 (below degree level)
Applies unless exempt (see below). B2 equates to roughly IELTS 5.5 in each of the four skill components on an approved SELT.
Approved SELTs for the visa
ConditionalIELTS for UKVI, LanguageCert, PTE Academic UKVI, Trinity ISE/GESE
Only tests on the Home Office's approved SELT list, taken at an approved centre, count for the VISA, a standard (non-UKVI) IELTS or Duolingo score may satisfy the university but not the Home Office. Always confirm on the live SELT list before booking.
University-only assessment
ConditionalMany universities can certify English themselves
A UK Higher Education Provider with a track record can assess English without a SELT and record this on the CAS, but the assessment must still meet B2 equivalence, and some universities still insist on IELTS/PTE/TOEFL for admission regardless.
Visa English exemptions
ConditionalNationals of a short list of majority English-speaking countries/territories (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, USA, Caribbean/Commonwealth states, etc.); UK school qualifications; a degree taught in English; proved English in an earlier UK visa
India is not on the exempt-nationality list. A non-UK degree taught in English only counts if Ecctis (UK ENIC) has assessed it as English-medium and degree-equivalent, most Indian students still need a SELT or a qualifying university assessment.
GRE/GMAT
OptionalNot usually required
Asked by some MBA and a few competitive Masters programs, check the individual course page.
- Book the SELT early, UKVI-approved test slots near major intakes (August, September) fill up months ahead.
- Keep the test certificate valid through the visa application, check the validity window (commonly 2 years) against the intended visa application date.
- For research Masters/PhD in sensitive STEM subjects, plan the ATAS certificate (see Universities & admissions / Student visa) alongside, not instead of, the English test, since ATAS has its own 30-working-day lead time.
Standard IELTS Academic (the version most students book for admissions) is not automatically the same product as 'IELTS for UKVI', book the UKVI version at a listed SELT centre if the visa route needs it, or confirm the university's own in-house assessment will be recorded correctly on the CAS. Getting this wrong late in the process can force a costly retest right before the visa deadline.
Applying to universities
Two intake rhythms exist in parallel: the undergraduate UCAS cycle (deadlines cluster around October and January) and postgraduate rolling admissions (apply as early as a year ahead for competitive, funded Masters places). September is the dominant intake for both levels; a smaller January intake exists for some Masters programs.
Confirm the intake and deadline per course
RecommendedMost UK undergraduate and Masters courses start in September/October, with some Masters also offering a January start. UCAS undergraduate deadlines are typically mid-October (Oxbridge and most medicine/dentistry/veterinary courses) and mid-January (main cycle); postgraduate deadlines are set individually and often run on a rolling basis until places/funding are full.
When: 10 to 12 months before intake for competitive courses/funded placesPrepare and submit the application
MandatoryUndergraduate: one UCAS application covering personal statement, reference, and up to 5 course choices. Postgraduate: separate applications per university, each needing transcripts, SOP, references, English test evidence, and (for research routes) a research proposal.
You get: Submitted application(s) awaiting a decision.Respond to offers and pay any deposit
MandatoryAn offer may be conditional (pending final grades, English test, or references) or unconditional. Confirm acceptance and pay any required tuition deposit, universities generally will not issue the CAS until the deposit (if required) is paid and any conditions are met.
You get: A firm, accepted place.Receive the CAS
MandatoryOnce the offer is unconditional and any deposit paid, the university issues the CAS with a unique reference number, listing the course, fees, and English-assessment method. This is required to start the Student visa application and is generally valid for 6 months for entry-clearance applications.
You get: CAS reference number, the anchor document for the visa.
Unlike undergraduate UCAS deadlines, most UK Masters programs run rolling admissions, scholarship and funded places are awarded on a first-qualified, first-served basis well before the nominal 'final' deadline. Advise strong candidates to apply as early as possible, not just before the stated cutoff.
Student visa
Indian students apply online for the Student visa (a points-based route: a valid CAS, proof of funds, and English ability together score the required points) via the UK government's online application, then attend a VFS Global Visa Application Centre in India for biometrics. There is no in-person interview at a British mission for most applicants, the process is document- and biometrics-based.
Visa type
MandatoryStudent visa (points-based system)
Visa fee
Mandatory£558 (2026, from outside the UK)
Increased from £524 to £558 on 8 April 2026. Paid online in GBP during the application; always confirm the current fee before applying, as Home Office fees are revised roughly annually.
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
Mandatory£776 per year of visa duration (standard student rate, 2026)
Paid in full, upfront, for the ENTIRE visa duration as part of the online application, not spread monthly. Part-years and durations under a year are pro-rated (e.g., roughly half the annual rate for 6 to 12 months). This is separate from the visa fee and is commonly under-budgeted.
Where biometrics happen
MandatoryVFS Global Visa Application Centre (India)
VFS Global is UKVI's outsourced partner across India (standard and Premium centres in most major and several tier-II/III cities). Book online after submitting the visa application; applicants generally have a window of several months to attend.
Application window
Up to 6 months before course start (from outside the UK)
Applications to extend/switch from inside the UK can be made up to 3 months before the course start.
TB test certificate (India)
MandatoryMandatory for courses of 6 months or more
India is on the Home Office's list of countries requiring a TB test. Take the chest X-ray at a Home-Office-approved clinic in India; the resulting certificate is valid for 6 months from the X-ray date and must still be valid when the visa is decided.
Confirm eligibility and gather the CAS
MandatoryCore eligibility: an unused CAS reference from a licensed Student sponsor, proof of funds for maintenance (and tuition if unpaid), and evidence of English ability (SELT or qualifying university assessment) unless exempt. Under-18 applicants need additional parental consent documents.
Take the TB test at an approved clinic (mandatory for applicants from India)
MandatoryIndia is on the Home Office's list of countries where anyone applying for 6 months or more must have a tuberculosis test, almost all Bachelors/Masters/PhD courses qualify. Book a chest X-ray at a Home-Office-approved clinic in India (several dozen locations including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad); an unclear X-ray may require a follow-up sputum test. The certificate is valid for 6 months from the X-ray date, so time it to stay valid through the visa decision.
When: Before applying, allow time for an appointment and, if needed, a repeat testYou get: A TB certificate to upload with the visa application.A certificate that expires before the visa is decided is a preventable, common cause of delay.Secure the maintenance funds and hold them for 28 days
MandatoryDeposit at least the required amount (see Money & proof of funds) in an acceptable account and keep it there for 28 consecutive days, with the 28-day period ending no more than 31 days before the visa application date. Funds shown too early, too late, or that dip below the required balance during the 28 days can trigger a refusal.
The 28-day rule is a frequent, entirely avoidable refusal reason, plan the deposit date backward from the intended application date.Apply online and pay the visa fee + IHS
MandatoryComplete the Student visa application on gov.uk, upload documents (passport, CAS, financial evidence, English test/exemption evidence, tuberculosis test certificate if from a listed country, ATAS certificate if required), and pay the visa fee plus the full Immigration Health Surcharge for the visa's duration in one transaction.
Cost: £558 visa fee + £776/year IHS (2026)Give biometrics at a VFS Global centre
MandatoryBook and attend an appointment at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre in India to submit fingerprints and a photograph, and hand in (or upload in advance via the VFS portal) supporting documents. Priority (faster decision) and Super Priority services are available for an extra fee.
Cost: Included in visa fee; optional Priority (~£500) or Super Priority (~£1,000) services extraYou get: Biometrics captured; application forwarded to UKVI for decision.Wait for the decision and receive the eVisa
Standard processing is typically around 3 weeks from India, though official guidance is to allow longer in peak season (July, September). On approval, most applicants now receive a digital eVisa rather than a physical vignette or BRP, the applicant must create/use a UKVI account to view and later prove their status.
When: Allow at least 3 weeks; apply as early as the 6-month window allows
The IHS is a mandatory, separate charge from the visa fee, £776 per year of the visa (2026 student rate), paid in one lump sum for the WHOLE course duration at the time of application, not spread out. For a typical one-year Masters this alone is roughly £776, £1,164 depending on exact course length; for a 3 to 4 year Bachelors it can exceed £2,300, £3,100. It buys full NHS access on the same basis as a UK resident. Build it into the total cost estimate given to families up front, it is one of the most commonly under-quoted costs of studying in the UK.
Certain sensitive-subject postgraduate research routes (Masters by research, PhD, and some research-linked taught Masters) in fields like physics, most engineering disciplines, materials science, and some computing/AI topics require a free ATAS certificate, MANDATORY where it applies, before the visa can be granted. Processing takes at least 30 working days (longer April, August) and, for research degrees, the required CAH3 subject code is tied to the specific research topic, so it can only be confirmed once a supervisor assigns it. Build this into the timeline separately from the English test.
Since the Home Office stopped issuing biometric residence permits to most new applicants and stopped putting visa vignette stickers in passports (from 1 July 2026), an approved Student visa is a digital eVisa linked to a UKVI account. Advise students to create their UKVI account promptly, check the eVisa record for accuracy, and keep passport details updated in it before every trip, airlines and UK Border Force check the digital record, not a physical document.
Sources
- Student visa, Overview, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Student visa, Money you need, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Student, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Healthcare for visa applications, how much you pay (Immigration Health Surcharge), UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- VFS Global, UK visa services in India, VFS Global (outsourced partner for UK Visas and Immigration in India)
- Tuberculosis (TB) test for a UK visa, who needs one, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Countries where you need a TB test to enter the UK (India listed), UK Home Office (gov.uk)
Money & proof of funds
Two separate money questions: what tuition and living actually cost, and what the Home Office requires you to PROVE you have before the visa is granted. The proof-of-funds rule is stricter and more mechanical than the real cost of living, get the mechanics (amount, timing, account type) exactly right.
Maintenance funds, London
Mandatory£1,529/month, up to 9 months (2026)
= up to £13,761 if the full 9 months is required. Applies to courses/institutions based in Greater London (City of London + the 32 boroughs).
Maintenance funds, outside London
Mandatory£1,171/month, up to 9 months (2026)
= up to £10,539 if the full 9 months is required.
The 28-day rule
MandatoryFunds held for 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of applying
The single most common technical refusal reason. The balance must not dip below the required amount at any point in the 28 days.
Tuition proof
MandatoryAny first-year tuition not already paid to the sponsor
If tuition for the first year is already paid (shown on the CAS), it does not need to be shown again as available funds, only the unpaid balance plus living costs.
Funds exemption
ConditionalNot required for some applicants
Exempt if: held valid UK immigration permission for the 12 months up to the application, are a student union sabbatical officer, or hold a passport from certain listed nationalities/British National (Overseas) status. Most Indian applicants are not exempt and must show funds.
Tuition fees (typical range)
£10,000, £38,000+/year depending on course and university
Classroom-based Masters sit at the lower end; lab/clinical/MBA programs and Russell Group universities at the higher end. Always confirm on the specific university/course page, there is no national fee cap for international students.
International Student Levy (watch for 2028)
£925/student/year, charged to English universities, not students, from August 2028
Confirmed in the UK's Autumn Budget 2025: a flat £925-per-international-student annual levy on England-based higher education providers (first 220 students/year exempt), starting with 2028 to 29 enrolments. It is paid by the institution, not billed to the student directly, but may feed into future tuition-fee rises, too early to quote as a student cost, but worth flagging to families planning multi-year enrolment from 2028 onward.
Immigration Health Surcharge
Mandatory£776/year, paid upfront for the whole visa (2026)
See Student visa section, this is separate from tuition and maintenance funds and is paid at the time of the visa application, not monthly.
Calculate the exact required amount
MandatoryAdd: (a) up to 9 months of the London or outside-London monthly rate, check the 9-month cap applies to the specific course length (shorter courses need proportionately less), and (b) any first-year tuition not already paid, as shown on the CAS. Use the CAS's own figures, not a generic estimate, since it states the exact fee balance the Home Office will check against.
Choose an acceptable account and hold the funds for 28 days
MandatoryFunds can be the student's own savings, or a parent's/legal guardian's savings with an accompanying letter, but must be in an acceptable account type (not certain restricted investment products) and, per the 28-day rule, held continuously for 28 days ending within 31 days of the application date. A bank letter or recent statements are used as evidence.
When: Fund the account well before applying; count the 28 days backward from the planned application dateA single day where the balance drops below the required threshold restarts the 28-day clock.Budget realistically beyond the visa minimum
RecommendedThe Home Office minimum is a floor for the visa, not a real cost-of-living estimate. London students commonly spend more than £1,529/month once rent, transport, and food are counted realistically; outside London, costs vary widely by city (Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow generally cheaper than London; Oxford/Cambridge/Bath rents can rival London). Counsel families to budget above the visa-minimum figure, especially for rent in high-demand university cities.
The London/outside-London monthly maintenance rates are periodically revised by the Home Office. Always check the live gov.uk figure before advising a family on the exact amount to deposit, do not carry forward a previous year's number.
Before you fly
With the eVisa approved, focus shifts to arriving ready: accommodation confirmed, the CAS and financial documents in hand (not just uploaded), and travel timed so the arrival window fits UK entry rules.
Confirm accommodation before departure
RecommendedSecure at least the first term's accommodation, university halls (the easiest and most guaranteed route for new international students) or a private rental. University accommodation offices can often help even students who applied late; private renting from overseas is harder and riskier without a local guarantor (see the Living essentials callout below).
Do not fly in planning to house-hunt from scratch with nowhere booked for the first weeks, short-term hostel/Airbnb stays are expensive and student housing in popular cities fills up months ahead.Organise a physical and digital document folder
MandatoryCarry in hand luggage: passport, CAS printout, admission/offer letter, proof-of-funds evidence used in the application, English test certificate, IHS payment confirmation, any ATAS certificate, and accommodation confirmation. Keep scanned copies in cloud storage as backup, and make sure the UKVI account (eVisa) is set up and checked before travel.
You get: A ready-to-present document set for UK Border Force and university enrolment.Time the arrival to the permitted window
MandatoryStudents on courses longer than 6 months may enter up to 1 month before the course start; those on courses of 6 months or less may enter up to 1 week before. Arriving earlier than permitted can lead to refusal of entry even with an approved visa.
When: Up to 1 month before (courses >6 months) or 1 week before (courses ≤6 months)Plan initial money access
RecommendedCarry enough accessible funds (card + some cash) to cover the first 1 to 2 weeks before a UK bank account is opened, since account opening can take time without a UK address and credit history. Notify the Indian bank/card provider of travel to avoid transaction blocks.
After you land
The UK front-loads less bureaucracy after arrival than some destinations, there is no local address-registration requirement like Germany's Anmeldung, but enrolment, banking, and (for some) a police registration step still need to happen promptly.
Collect the eVisa / confirm immigration status
MandatoryMost students now hold a digital eVisa rather than a physical card. Sign in to the UKVI account, confirm the immigration permission details are correct (dates, conditions, passport number), and generate a share code when a landlord, employer, or bank needs to check status.
You get: A verified UKVI account with an accurate eVisa record.Enrol at the university
MandatoryComplete in-person registration/enrolment, presenting the passport/eVisa, CAS, and (if required) original academic certificates. The university confirms attendance to the Home Office as part of its sponsor duties, missing this can jeopardise visa compliance.
You get: Confirmed enrolment and, usually, a student ID card.Open a UK bank account
RecommendedMost banks offer student accounts and will accept a university enrolment letter plus proof of address (sometimes a temporary university address is enough initially). Building a UK banking and credit history early makes later private renting significantly easier.
Register with a GP and, if required, the police
ConditionalRegister with a local NHS GP practice soon after arrival, this is free once IHS has been paid, but registering early avoids delays if care is needed. A small number of nationalities are required to register with the police within 7 days of arrival or of visa grant, as stated on the visa/BRP/eVisa conditions, check the specific condition, as India is not on the standard list but requirements can vary by individual case. Confirm on the visa/eVisa conditions whether police registration applies to the individual case.
Get a Railcard and a SIM
OptionalSee Living essentials in Working & staying on for the 16-25/26-30 Railcard, transport, and SIM details, these are quick wins that noticeably cut monthly costs.
Unlike Germany's Anmeldung, the UK does not require students to register their address with a local authority. However, the university (as the visa sponsor) is legally required to monitor attendance and report unexplained absences to the Home Office, so enrolling and attending promptly is the practical equivalent safeguard.
Working & staying on
Students can work meaningful part-time hours during term with full-time work in the holidays, and the UK's post-study offer, the Graduate Route, currently gives 2 years of unrestricted work rights (3 for PhDs), a figure that is being cut to 18 months for Bachelors/Masters graduates who apply from 1 January 2027 onward.
Work while studying
20 hrs/week in term (degree level, most sponsors); full-time in holidays
Below-degree-level courses: 10 hrs/week in term. No work allowed on short/pre-sessional courses or for those on certain restricted CAS conditions, check the individual visa condition.
Graduate Route duration (Bachelors/Masters)
2 years if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months if applying on/after 1 Jan 2027
This is a confirmed, legislated change (announced May 2025, now in the Immigration Rules), not merely a proposal, but it is date-gated by the APPLICATION date, not the graduation date. A student graduating in mid-2026 who applies for the Graduate Route before the cutover still gets 2 years.
Graduate Route duration (PhD/doctorate)
3 years
Unaffected by the 18-month change.
Graduate Route cost
Mandatory£937 application fee + IHS (usually £1,035/year for this route)
The Graduate Route uses the higher, non-student IHS rate (~£1,035/year), not the £776 student rate, budget accordingly.
Graduate Route eligibility
MandatoryIn the UK on a Student visa; sponsor confirms successful completion
Cannot be extended, a Graduate Route holder who wants to stay longer must switch to a route like Skilled Worker before it expires.
Work part-time within the permitted hours
MandatoryStay within the 20-hours-a-week (degree level) cap during term time, this is a hard visa condition, not a guideline, and breaching it risks future visa applications. Full-time work is allowed during official vacation periods and after course completion up to the visa's expiry (subject to the specific CAS conditions).
Apply for the Graduate Route promptly after completion
OptionalOnce the sponsor confirms successful completion to the Home Office, apply for the Graduate Route from inside the UK before the Student visa expires. It grants unrestricted work rights (any job, any salary) for its duration and cannot be extended or renewed, plan the next step (Skilled Worker sponsorship, another study route, or departure) well before it ends.
When: As soon as course completion is confirmed by the sponsor, before the Student visa expiresCost: £937 + IHS (~£1,035/year, non-student rate)Plan the Graduate Route application date carefully given the 2027 cutover
RecommendedFor a student graduating in late 2026, the choice of exactly when to submit the Graduate Route application can determine whether they get 2 years or 18 months, since the rule change gates on the APPLICATION date (from 1 Jan 2027), not the graduation date. Advise students finishing near that boundary to check the live Home Office guidance before timing their application.
Move onto Skilled Worker or another long-term route
OptionalTo stay beyond the Graduate Route, the standard path is Skilled Worker sponsorship from a UK Home Office-licensed employer sponsor, meeting the route's salary and skill-level thresholds (these are revised periodically, always confirm the current thresholds directly with the Home Office before advising a figure).
This was announced in the government's May 2025 immigration white paper and implemented via a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules laid on 14 October 2025, it is a confirmed, legislated change, not merely a proposal, but it applies ONLY to Bachelors/Masters graduates who apply for the Graduate Route on or after 1 January 2027. Anyone who applies before that date still gets the full 2 years, and PhD graduates keep 3 years regardless. Because this is a live rule change, re-confirm the current position on gov.uk/graduate-visa before advising any student, especially those graduating in late 2026.
Sources
- Immigration Rules Appendix Student, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Graduate visa, Overview, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Student update: changes to the Student and Graduate routes (18-month Graduate Route from Jan 2027), UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
- Working during your studies, UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
Common mistakes applying to United Kingdom
The United Kingdom route fails in predictable places. These are the ones that cost applicants an intake.
- Under-budgeting the Immigration Health Surcharge. It is mandatory, paid upfront in one lump sum for the whole visa duration (£776/year, 2026 student rate), not a small add-on, and often the single biggest surprise cost in the visa budget.
- Getting the 28-day funds rule wrong. The balance must sit above the required threshold continuously for 28 days, ending within 31 days of the application, a single dip below the line resets the clock and can cause a refusal.
- Booking a standard IELTS instead of 'IELTS for UKVI' (or another approved SELT) when the visa route requires one, a university-accepted score is not automatically a visa-accepted score.
- Forgetting the TB test certificate. India is on the Home Office's list of countries requiring one for any stay of 6+ months (i.e. almost every degree course), it must be taken at an approved clinic and stays valid only 6 months, so book it early and time it against the expected visa decision date.
- Missing the ATAS certificate for a sensitive-subject research Masters or PhD (physics, most engineering, materials science, some AI/computing research), it is mandatory for the visa, has a 30-working-day-plus lead time, and for research degrees depends on a supervisor assigning the subject code, so it must be started early.
- Quoting the Graduate Route as a flat '2 years' without checking the application date, from 1 January 2027 it becomes 18 months for Bachelors/Masters graduates (PhDs stay at 3 years). This is a live, dated rule change, re-verify before advising.
- Assuming the higher IHS Graduate Route rate (~£1,035/year) is the same as the student rate (£776/year), it isn't, and students often carry forward the wrong figure from their study visa.
- Treating the visa fee and Home Office fee schedule as fixed, it rose from £524 to £558 on 8 April 2026 and is revised most years; always confirm the live figure before a family budgets around it.
- Assuming a physical BRP or visa sticker will arrive, since mid-2026 most successful applicants get a digital eVisa only, tied to a UKVI account; failing to set this up correctly can cause problems at the border or with a landlord/employer check.
- Not planning for the UK's private-rental credit-history gap, new arrivals have no UK credit file, so landlords may ask for a guarantor (usually UK-based) or a large sum of rent in advance; university halls sidestep this for at least the first year.
- Forgetting the 16-25/26-30 Railcard, a cheap, easy win (about £35/year for roughly a third off rail travel) that many students never claim simply because nobody mentioned it.
- Exceeding the 20-hours/week work cap during term, even a short-term breach is a visa-condition violation, not just a university policy issue, and can affect future visa applications.
Shortlist by course fit → apply (UCAS or direct) → get an offer → book the SELT and, if needed, start ATAS → accept + pay deposit → receive CAS → book the TB test (India) and fund the account, holding it for 28 days → apply online + pay visa fee & IHS → VFS biometrics → receive eVisa → set up UKVI account → book accommodation → fly within the permitted window → enrol → open a bank account → get a Railcard.
Official sources
Every figure above traces to one of these. Rules and fees change, so confirm anything you are about to act on at the source.
- Student visa, Overview, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Student visa, Money you need, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Student visa, Knowledge of English, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Student visa, Eligibility, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Student visa, Working while you study, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Student, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Visa fees, pay for a UK visa application, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Healthcare for visa applications, how much you pay (Immigration Health Surcharge), UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Apply for a health and care visa / Pay for UK healthcare as part of a visa application, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Prove your English language abilities with a Secure English Language Test (SELT), UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- IELTS for UKVI, tests for UK Visas and Immigration, British Council / IDP / Cambridge (IELTS SELT Consortium)
- Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS), guidance, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (gov.uk)
- Immigration Rules Appendix ATAS: Academic Technology Approval Scheme, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Graduate visa, Overview, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Graduate visa, Eligibility, UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration (gov.uk)
- Student update: changes to the Student and Graduate routes (18-month Graduate Route from Jan 2027), UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
- The Graduate Route, UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
- Updates on the move to eVisas, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- View and prove your immigration status (eVisa / UKVI account), UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- eVisas, advice for international students, UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
- Working during your studies, UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
- Accommodation for international students, UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
- 16-25 Railcard, eligibility and price, 16-25 Railcard (National Rail / Rail Delivery Group, government-regulated)
- 26-30 Railcard, National Rail (Rail Delivery Group)
- VFS Global, UK visa services in India, VFS Global (outsourced partner for UK Visas and Immigration in India)
- Tuberculosis (TB) test for a UK visa, who needs one, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- Countries where you need a TB test to enter the UK (India listed), UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- India: tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa, UK Home Office (gov.uk)
- UCAS, apply to UK undergraduate courses, UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)
- UK ENIC, statement of comparability for international qualifications, UK ENIC (operated by Ecctis, the UK's official National Recognition Information Centre)
Check where you actually qualify
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Other destinations
Bramica is independent and takes no commission from any university, recruiter or agency. This guide is information, not immigration advice. Rules, fees and thresholds change; confirm the current requirement on the official source before acting on it.