Other Visa routes & info
Standard Visitor visa
If your course lasts less than 6 months, you may be able to study on a Standard Visitor visa. However, it comes with significant restrictions:
- You cannot work — paid or unpaid
- You cannot extend your stay from inside the UK
- You cannot switch to a Student visa from inside the UK
- You must have private health insurance — there is no IHS or NHS access
⚠ Important: If your course is 6 months or longer, you must apply for a full Student visa — a Standard Visitor visa will not be accepted.
Graduate Route
The Graduate Route lets you stay in the UK after finishing your degree to work or look for work. There is no job offer required.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 years (3 years for PhD). From January 2027, non-PhD graduates will receive 18 months instead of 2 years. |
| Job offer needed? | No |
| Self-employment | Allowed — unlike the Student visa |
| Application fee | £822 |
| IHS | £1,035 per year of the visa |
| When to apply | After your degree is awarded, before your Student visa expires, from inside the UK |
| Can you extend it? | No — it is a one-time visa |
| Can you apply twice? | No — one Graduate Route visa per person, ever |
⚠ Watch out: Graduate Route eligibility can be affected by interrupting your studies, deferring modules without timetabled attendance, or spending too much time outside the UK during your course.
EU/EEA/Swiss nationals
Since January 2021, EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals follow the same Student visa rules as everyone else for courses lasting 6 months or longer. You use the UK Immigration: ID Check app and receive a digital eVisa — there is no separate process.
Postgraduate students (Masters or PhD, on a course of 9 months or longer) may be able to bring a partner and/or children under 18 to the UK.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Eligible courses | Postgraduate only, 9 months or longer. Undergraduate students generally cannot bring dependants. |
| Extra funds required | £1,024/month for the first dependant, £680/month for each additional dependant (Inner London 2025/26 rates). The same 28-day rule applies. |
| Application | Dependants apply separately but at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Work rights | Dependants of postgraduate students can usually work full time in the UK. |
| IHS | Each dependant must also pay the IHS (£776/year). |
| Bringing children | Consider schooling, childcare costs, and whether your accommodation is suitable for a family. |
Note: Dependant rules change regularly. Always check with the LSBU Immigration & Compliance team before you apply.