Eligibility Guide

UK Student Visa Requirements 2026

To get a UK Student visa you must score 70 points under the points-based system and meet a set of supporting requirements. This guide walks through every one of them for the 2026 academic year, in the order the Home Office assesses them.

The 70 points explained

All three are mandatory — you cannot trade one off against another. Miss any single component and the application is refused.

1. A licensed sponsor and a CAS (50 points)

Your course offer must come from an institution on the Home Office register of licensed student sponsors. This is the requirement students most often get wrong: a university can be excellent, accredited and well known, and still be unable to sponsor a visa if it does not hold a licence.

Check your institution on our searchable sponsor list or its university profile, both rebuilt daily from the official register. Once you accept an unconditional offer, the institution issues your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

2. An eligible course

Not every course qualifies. Your course must be one of the following:

• A full-time course leading to a qualification at RQF level 6 or above (bachelor's degree and higher)
• A full-time course at RQF level 3 to 5 with at least 15 hours of organised daytime study per week
• A part-time course at RQF level 7 or above (postgraduate)
• A recognised foundation programme for postgraduate doctors or dentists
• An English language course at CEFR level B2 or above

3. English language (10 points)

The level you need depends on your course:

• Degree level and above: CEFR B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
• Below degree level: CEFR B1 in all four components

You can prove it with a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, a UK GCSE/A level/Scottish National Qualification in English, or a degree taught in English (an Ecctis assessment is needed if it was awarded outside the UK). Nationals of a number of majority English-speaking countries — including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA — are exempt, as are applicants who already proved their English in an earlier successful visa application.

Universities with a track record of compliance may assess your English themselves rather than requiring a SELT. Ask your admissions team before you book an expensive test.

4. Money (10 points)

You must show one academic year of tuition fees plus living costs of £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London, for up to nine months. The funds must sit in a qualifying account for 28 consecutive days.

The detail here causes more refusals than any other requirement, so we cover it separately in the financial requirements guide, and you can total up your own costs with the visa fee calculator.

5. Additional requirements that apply to some applicants

• ATAS certificate — needed for certain sensitive science, engineering and technology subjects at postgraduate level. Your university will tell you if your course (identified by its CAH code on the CAS) requires one. Apply early: clearance can take several weeks and the visa cannot be granted without it.
• Tuberculosis test certificate — required if you have lived for six months or more in one of the listed countries. The test must be from a clinic approved by the Home Office.
• Parental consent — if you are 16 or 17 you need written consent from both parents or your legal guardian, plus evidence of your relationship to them.
• Academic progression — if you are extending inside the UK, your new course normally has to be at a higher level than the last one.

Document checklist

• Current passport or other valid travel document
• CAS reference number from your sponsor
• Financial evidence covering the 28-day rule (unless you are not asked for it)
• Proof of English language ability
• ATAS certificate, if your course needs one
• TB test certificate, if your country requires one
• Parental consent and birth certificate, if you are under 18
• Certified translations of any document not in English or Welsh

Depending on your nationality and sponsor, you may not have to submit financial evidence or qualification documents with the application. That is an evidential shortcut, not an exemption: you must still genuinely meet the requirement and the Home Office can ask for the documents at any point, so prepare them either way.

The most common reasons applications are refused

• The 28-day rule broken — the balance dipped below the required amount on one day during the period.
• The bank statement is too old — the closing balance date must be within 31 days of the application date.
• Wrong account type — funds held in shares, bonds, pensions, overdrafts or (in most cases) a third party's account do not count.
• CAS expired or already used — a CAS is valid for six months and for one application only.
• Missing ATAS — applying before clearance comes through.
• Credibility interview — being unable to explain your course, your choice of institution or how you will fund your studies.

What happens after you apply

You will verify your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre, then wait for a decision — typically three weeks from outside the UK. See the processing time guide for current timings and priority options. If you are approved, your permission is issued as a digital eVisa linked to your passport; physical BRP cards are no longer produced.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Figures on this page are taken from official GOV.UK guidance and were last reviewed on 31 July 2026. This is general information, not immigration advice — always confirm details on GOV.UK or with a regulated immigration adviser before applying.