Please be aware that UKVI visa policy is subject to change, and changes often. You should also check the UK Government’s Visas and Immigration page for the most up-to-date information.
Generally speaking, if you are normally resident outside of the UK, and you do not hold UK citizenship you will require a Student Visa in order to enter the UK as a student. You will need to have made an application for a visa and be granted entry clearance as a student before travelling to the UK.
Further to this:
- You must hold an Unconditional Offer to study a Full-Time course
- You must be able to demonstrate your ability to follow the course (via your academic record and command of the English language)
- You must be able to demonstrate that you have enough money to meet the total costs of your study.
If you believe this may apply to you and hold an offer to study here at The Courtauld, you will need to undertake take the following steps in order to apply for visa outside of the UK, though further, detailed information will be provided upon receipt of your CAS.
EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals
Students with Pre-Settled or Settled Status
If you hold a relevant status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) you will be able to continue to live, work and study in the UK without restrictions whilst you hold valid Pre-Settled/Settled Status.
Presuming you hold valid Pre-settled/Settled status, you will not be required to take any further action to regulate your immigration permission to be in the UK, though be aware that we will require evidence of your status at enrolment.
Full information on your rights as a Pre-Settled/Settled student can be found on the UKCISA website. It is extremely important that you are familiar with the rules governing Pre-Settled and Settled Status so as not to forfeit your rights to live and study in the UK.
Applying for a Student Visa
Please consult the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website for full information on the student route visa application process.
The process can be summarised as follows:
1. Receive an unconditional offer from The Courtauld, pay your deposit and (where applicable) submit all required financial and English language documents.
2. Receive your unique CAS letter (including CAS number) from the Courtauld.
3. Apply for the student route visa.
Unconditional Offer
Once you have met all conditions of your offer to study with us, paid your deposit and had your place on one of our courses confirmed, you will be made an unconditional offer to study at the Courtauld.
Please note that although an unconditional offer confirms you have met the academic requirements of your chosen course, it does not guarantee that you will be issued a CAS – this is a separate process that may require additional documentation, in line with the UKVI’s requirements.
If you don’t meet the requirements for a CAS you will be unable to apply for a student route visa.
Academic conditions
Your offer email will include details of the academic conditions you must meet before we can consider your place as unconditional. Please ensure that you submit all required documentation to us by no later than 14th August. Without these documents we are unable to make you an unconditional offer or issue your CAS letter.
English language conditions
We may have asked you to prove your English language ability through a Secure English Language Test (SELT) as part of our offer conditions. These results should be submitted to the Courtauld once they have been achieved.
The UKVI may also ask to see evidence of your English language ability when you apply for your visa, so make sure your SELT results are available once you begin the application process.
Please note that the new IELTS Online test is not suitable for immigration purposes. If you intend to use an IELTS qualification to prove your English language ability, please ensure you register for the IELTS for UKVI test.
Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
Once you have received an unconditional offer to study at the Courtauld, we will begin the process of issuing your CAS letter. As part of this process, we may ask you for further information that was not supplied as part of your application to our programmes.
Financial evidence
We may ask you to prove that you are able to afford the tuition fees for your course, and the living expenses to study in London. Please see the UKVI website for more information.
UKVI calculates the London living costs to be £1,483 per month for up to 9 months, totalling £13,347. This includes all costs; rent, food, transport and entertainment.
You will only need to show evidence of funds for your first year of study.
If you have already been in the UK on a visa for more than 1 year you do not need to provide financial evidence.
You may be asked to provide:
- Bank statements showing enough funds to cover living costs and tuition fees (excluding payments already made, i.e. your £1,000 deposit). These funds must be in account for 28 consecutive days, with end of this period being within 31 days of your visa application.
- The funds must be in an account that you have access to. Accounts that hold funds to a certain date (prior to your joining us) or don’t allow immediate withdrawals are not accepted.
- If the account is in your parent/legal guardian’s name, your birth certificate or official documentation confirming your relationship will be required. A letter from the account holder confirming that you have access to their funds for your study will also be required.
The UKVI may also ask to see proof of funds, so make sure your financial evidence is available once you begin the application process.
Please see the UKVI website for more information.
CAS number
Once all documents have been approved and you hold an unconditional offer, the Courtauld will issue a CAS letter including your CAS number.
You will need to include your CAS number in the application for your student visa.
CAS issuance typically commences from the month of May onwards, for that year’s respective intake.
Application Process
Applications must be made via the UKVI website.
You can apply for your visa up to 6 months prior to the start of your course if you are applying from outside the UK, or up to 3 months if applying from inside the UK.
UKVI Checklist
As part of your application process, UKVI will ask for:
Passport:
- Should ideally be valid for entire duration of course.
- Must be valid for at least six months from the course start date. E.g. if your course starts in September 2026, the passport you use to apply for your visa must be valid until at least March 2027.
- You may be required to post to a visa office. The average turnaround time is 3 weeks but please check local guidance as this can vary. We recommend using tracked/recorded delivery if posting your passport.
Visa application fee:
- The cost to apply for a student visa is £524.
Immigration health surcharge (IHS):
- The cost of the IHS is £776 per year.
- Entitles you to use the UK healthcare system (NHS).
- More information can be found here.
SELT:
- If required, see exceptions here.
Academic qualifications:
- You may need to show proof of the academic qualifications used to apply to the Courtauld.
Proof of finance:
- See CAS section above for the types of documents you may be asked to provide as part of your visa application.
Confirmation letter if financially sponsored:
- Proof of any educational loans you are receiving to study from an external body.
- Note: Courtauld scholarships do not count as sponsorship.
Letter from parents/guardians:
- If you are receiving financial support from parents/guardians, you may need to prove you have access to the required funds – see CAS section above.
Parent/guardian consent if under-18:
- A letter confirming you have the permission of your parent/guardian to study if you are under 18.
Tuberculosis test:
- Depending on the country you are from, or live/have lived in.
- This is subject to exceptions – please see the UKVI website for a list of countries that require a tuberculosis test.
CAS:
- Issued by the Courtauld – see CAS section above for required documents.
Additional requirements
Biometric information
- You may be asked to visit a local visa office to have biometric information recorded.
- Staff may take a digital photograph of your face, scan your fingerprints, and ask you to provide a signature.
Additional ID photo
- You may be asked to provide an extra passport-style photo.
UKVI interview
- UKVI may ask you to attend a ‘spot check’ interview – this does not signify that there is an issue with your application.
- The purpose of the interview is to assess the genuineness of applicants, so the process usually involves questions about your immigration history, educational background, financial situation, and reasons for choosing the UK and your specific programme.
| TYPE OF COURSE | LENGTH OF COURSE | LENGTH OF VISA |
|---|---|---|
| Degree level and above | 12 months or more | Full course duration plus four months |
| 6 to 12 months | Full course duration plus two months |
Key Deadlines
CAS issuance – commencing from May 2026.
Offer condition submission deadline – 14th August 2026.
Welcome Week – TBC
Semester 1 – TBC
Graduate Visa (Post-Study)
Permission to stay under the Graduate route will enable international students to work or look for work after their studies for 2 years (18 months for those applying for a Graduate visa after 1 January 2027), or 3 years for PhD students. The work can be in any sector and at any level without any minimum salary requirements or the need for visa sponsorship.
Students studying on a Student visa will need to make an application in the UK to be granted permission under the route after successful completion of their degree. A Graduate Visa is not an entitlement for all students on a Student visa but students will need to become eligible to apply.
Please find the guidance on the UKCISA website.
Graduate Visa Guidance
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to apply for a Graduate visa, you will need to:
- hold a current Student visa;
Not all courses at the Courtauld are eligible for student visa sponsorship and therefore will not be eligible for the Graduate route. PhD graduates with permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme are not eligible to apply for a Graduate visa.
- have studied a Bachelors, Masters or PhD at The Courtauld;
The Courtauld Graduate Diploma in the History of Art course is not eligible to apply for a Graduate visa.
- have successfully completed your degree;
You are considered to have successfully completed your degree for the purpose of applying for the Graduate visa once you have received your final results by email (‘Confirmation of Results’ email sent from assessment.no-reply@courtauld.ac.uk email address) and forwarded the confirmation email to Admissions Team (pgadmissions@courtauld.ac.uk). It does not mean you need to have attended a graduation ceremony.
You need to have completed the degree for which your Student visa was granted.
After forwarding the confirmation email to Admissions Team, you will need to wait until you have received a reply from the Team confirming we have notified UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) of your successful completion before you can apply for the Graduate visa. See the section on ‘When can I apply?’.
Please contact Admissions Office if you are eligible to apply for the Graduate Visa before you request an extension of your submission deadline.
- have studied for a minimum period of time in the UK on a Student visa;
The minimum period of study for the Graduate visa is at least 12 months OR the full length of your course, whichever is shorter. Time spent overseas during permitted breaks from study such as outside of our published term dates or at the weekend can be included in the minimum period.
- provide a letter of consent if financially sponsored by a Government or international scholarship agency;
If in the 12 months before the date of application you have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship by a Government or international scholarship agency covering fees and living costs for study in the UK, you must provide a letter of consent from the sponsor organisation to support the application.
- apply in the UK within the validity of your current Student visa.
Conditions of Graduate Visa
Permission under the Graduate route will be granted subject to the following conditions:
- any work in the UK (including paid and unpaid, self-employment, engaging in business or any professional activity) is permitted. The only restriction is a prohibition on working as a professional sportsperson or coach;
- study is restricted on this visa and is only permitted on courses that would not meet the requirements for student visa sponsorship. If you are continuing to further study at the Courtauld, or at another institution, and plan to apply for the Graduate visa, you should first check whether it will be possible for you to study on your chosen course under this visa;
- no access to public funds.
The permission granted under the Graduate route, 2 years for undergraduate and Masters students (18 months for those applying for a Graduate visa after 1 January 2027) and 3 years for PhD students, will start from when the decision is made on the application.
It is not possible to extend your permission under the Graduate route once granted. From the Graduate route, you would be able to switch to a Skilled Worker visa from within the UK if you are offered a suitable job with an employer who holds a sponsor licence.
It is only possible to be granted permission under the Graduate route once. You cannot apply again, for example, if you were to undertake another course of study.
Whilst an application for the Graduate visa is pending, the working conditions of your student visa will continue to apply.
If your student visa was granted after 6 April 2022, you can start work full time in a permanent role if you have:
- successfully completed your course; and
- made a Graduate Immigration Route visa application
When can I apply?
You should only make your application once Admissions Team has notified UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that you have successfully completed your degree. This is in accordance with the Graduate route visa policy. Admissions Team will make this report to UKVI after you have received your final ratified results and after you have forwarded the confirmation email to Admissions Team. This process is not automatic and Admissions Team will not be able to report your completion to UKVI unless you have forwarded the confirmation email. Admissions Office will confirm to you when the report has been made to UKVI. Do not submit your Graduate visa application until you have received this email. The Courtauld will not be responsible for any delay and rejection caused or losing your eligibility if this process has not been followed.
You will need to apply in the UK whilst your current Student visa is still valid and cannot travel overseas until you have received the outcome of your application, and your new BRP if applicable (see section below titled eVisa).
If your visa expires after you have applied to the Graduate route, you will be permitted to remain in the UK whilst your application is being considered under the conditions of your Tier 4/Student permission until you have received the outcome of your Graduate visa application.
Application Cost
The visa application fee is £880. In addition, the application will also require you to pay the immigration health surcharge and this is charged at £1,035 per year the visa will be granted.
Application Process
You make an application online.
As part of the process you will need to prove your identity by using a ‘UK Immigration ID Check’ app on your phone to scan your current Tier 4/Student Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or, if you are an EEA or Swiss national, your biometric passport. You will be given instructions on how to use the app in the application. If you do not own a compatible phone, you can use the app from a friend’s mobile phone as no information is stored on the phone or app after you close it.
If you cannot use the app, you will need to book an in-person appointment for biometric enrolment. This includes students who applied for their current student visa in the UK and it was issued as a digital status with no BRP (this does not apply to EEA and Swiss nationals who can use their passport with the app instead of a BRP).
As part of the application:
- You will need your passport and current Student visa to apply.
- You will need to know the CAS number you used to support your Tier 4/student visa application.
- You will need a letter of consent if you have been financially sponsored for your studies by a Government or international scholarship agency.
- There will be no requirement to provide financial evidence with the application.
The advertised decision timeframe is 8 weeks from when you submit your application.
Please note that once you have made your application, you cannot travel overseas until you have been notified of the decision.
eVisa
When granted, the visa will be issued as a digital status, also called an eVisa.
The digital status will enable you to prove your right to live and work in the UK online.
Dependants
Dependant family members in the UK who already have immigration permission as a Student dependant can apply for further permission to stay as a dependant under the Graduate route.
Children born in the UK do not need to have been granted a dependant visa under Tier 4 or the Student route but they must have been born in the UK during the student’s most recent Tier 4 or student visa.
Further information about dependant eligibility is outlined on the UKVI website.
More Information
Read the information on the UKCISA, UKVI webpages and their Graduate immigration route guide.
If you have any questions about the Graduate route contact Admissions Team.
Immigration rules and policy are subject to change. These webpages are updated as soon as possible following any changes but relevant pages of the Home Office website should be checked for the latest information. Admissions Team can only provide information and advise on current policy; it is not possible to speculate on future immigration changes or developments in relation to post-study visa options.
Useful Links
International Students – The Courtauld
Student Visas – British Council
Contact
International Office – international@courtauld.ac.uk