Travelling to the UK

• Student visas

  If you have secured a student visa for entry to the UK, you must also check (if you are transiting through an EU airport) if you need an Airport Transit Visa (see Travel Advice information).

  Students entering the UK with a valid Student visa can choose to travel via the Republic of Ireland, but please be aware that your passport will not be date stamped on entry to the UK. You will be required to submit evidence of your travel to the UK (ie. your boarding pass) at matriculation.   

  Students (and their dependants over the age of 12) who are registered travellers, or who are from EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America can use the automated eGates on arrival into the UK. Find out more about eGates and who can use them.  

  If you enter the UK on or after the date your Student visa becomes valid, your visa will self-activate without the requirement for a Border Force officer’s stamp at the border.

  You should keep copies of evidence of your travel in case your date of entry ever becomes important or relevant.

  If you do travel out of and re-enter the UK later (for example, after a short trip elsewhere in Europe), your entry clearance will simply be date-stamped on re-entry.

• Standard visitor visa for short-term study

  If you are coming to the UK to study for less than six month, you will need a standard visitor visa.

  Students from some countries are able to apply for immigration permission to enter as a visitor upon their arrival. Find out if you need a visa before your arrive. There are different options, depending on your nationality:

  Apply before arrival (visa nationals)

  Some nationalities have to apply for a Standard visitor visa prior to entering the UK. You must apply before you travel. Applications can be made online.

   

  Apply on arrival (non-visa nationals)

  Only some nationalities can apply for permission to enter as a visitor upon their arrival.

  If you choose not to apply for a visa before you travel, you may need to produce all the documents to support your application to enter the UK as a visitor to the Border Force Officer when you arrive at the port of entry to the UK. This includes evidence of the study that you wish to do in the UK as a visitor, an ATAS certificate if applicable and evidence of your finances in order to satisfy the genuineness requirement.

   

  Enter via e-gate 

  If you are permitted to use the automatic ePassport gates you do not have to see a border force officer on arrival and will automatically be registered as a visitor. The use of eGates to enter the UK as a visitor will mean that you do not receive a stamp endorsed in your passport as you do not have to see a Border Force Officer, this means that you need to retain evidence of your travel and arrival into the UK (ie boarding passes, itineraries etc.) to show at matriculation.

  You can normally use eGates if you:

  • have a biometric symbol on the cover of your passport
  • are aged 12+ (12 to 17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult)
  • are either:
    • a British citizen
    • a national of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA
    • a member of the Registered Traveller Service

   

  Enter via Republic of Ireland

  The Republic of Ireland and the UK form part of the Common Travel Area (CTA). There is no immigration control between the two countries, so if you transit to the UK through the ROI you will not meet with a Border Force official.

  If you have sought entry clearance permission as a Standard Visitor, either by obtaining a visa, or through the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme, you will not need to meet with Immigration Control, but you should keep a copy of your EVW and/or your boarding pass and flight itinerary to show when you entered the UK.

  If you are a non-visa national and enter the UK via the Republic of Ireland without having secured a visa, you will be given permission to be in the UK for six months . You will be able to study but employment (paid or unpaid) will not be permitted. We recommend that you keep your boarding passes or travel itinerary in a safe place as you will need to evidence your date of arrival in the UK.

   

  Transiting through EU airport (for non EU nationals)

  You must check (if you are transiting through an EU airport) if you need an Airport Transit Visa (see Travel Advice information).