Visa Information

It is important that you understand what kind of visa you require before coming to the UK.

Please use the information on this page to help you learn about visa requirements when coming to the UK to study.
The rules regarding visas will depend on the length of time you wish to study in the UK as well as your nationality.

Studying for Six Months or Less

If you are from a country where no visa is required to visit the UK, you do not need a visa to come to study English for up to six months.

Countries with no visa requirements include the members of the European Union, European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, but this also applies to many other countries. Please note that EU, EEA and Swiss students now require a passport for travel to the UK (a National Identity card is no longer sufficient).

If you are coming from a country where a standard visa is required to visit the UK, then you will still need the standard visa if coming to study English for up to six months, but no additional visa is required.

Studying for More Than Six Months

You will require a visa, regardless of which country you are coming from, if you wish to study in the UK for more than six months.

There are two types of visa, depending on the length of your study period:

• Short-term Study Visa – for English courses between 6-11 months
• Student Visa – for courses longer than 11 months.

You can find detailed information about visa requirements at the Study English UK website