Congratulations! After much hard work, you have secured a seat at a university in the UK.

Before you start preparing for the UK, you must ensure you have a UK study visa before entering the country.

Are you looking to learn how to apply for a UK study visa as an Indian student? Here is your complete guide by BNPS International.

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Introduction

The UK is a popular destination for Indian students, with over 100,000 students enrolled in UK universities in 2022-23. The UK offers many high-quality courses and programs, a multicultural environment, world-class education, and a vibrant student life.

The following article is a complete guide to making your visa application process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

You will learn about the requirements, fees, new rules for 2024, processing time, eligibility criteria, post-study work visa, and how BNPS International will help you secure your UK Study Visa.

Why study in the UK?

The UK has a long history of welcoming Indian students and is today one of the most popular destinations for them.

There are many reasons why Indian students choose the UK over other countries. The UK offers a world-renowned education system, with many of its universities ranked among the best in the world.

Here are some benefits of studying in the UK for Indian students:

The UK offers a high-quality education system, with many of its universities ranked among the best in the world in the QS World Rankings 2024.
The UK universities also offer various courses and programs, from undergraduate to postgraduate level. You have a lot of options to choose from.
Indian students who graduate from a UK university have post-study work opportunities with a post-study work visa. Only then you will be allowed to work in the UK post-study.

There are more benefits to studying in the UK, to learn more about that click here (internal link for our UK universities blog).

What is a UK study visa for Indian students?

As the British Council states, every International student needs a student visa to enter the country and continue their studies. For more details, you can check the UK government website.

Here are some benefits of a UK study visa for the Indian students:

You can study at a world-renowned university or college.
You can choose any course or program of your choice.
You can experience a vibrant student life.
You become eligible to work part-time while you study.
After you graduate, you can apply for a post-study work visa, which allows you to work in the UK for up to two years. Ph.D. Students are eligible for up to three years of post-study work visa.

Do you know?

According to the UK home office, there were 41,050 visa applications from Indian students in the year ending June 30, 2023.

This is a significant increase from the previous year when there were 29,946 visa applications from Indian students. It is a positive development, showing that Indian students are more interested in studying in the UK.

Types of UK student visas for Indian students.

Generally, there are three types of UK study visas for Indian students, and each of them has different policies and requirements that you need to see:

Short-term study visa: This visa is for students who want to take a short-term course in the UK, such as an English language course. The course must be no longer than 11 months long.
Student Visa (Tier-4 General): This visa is for those students who want to study at a higher education level and are 18 years old or older.
Child Student Visa: You can apply for this visa if you are between 4 and 17 years old and want to study at a recognised school in the UK.

So, you have to choose the visa for which you want to apply according to your chosen course or program. If you are still confused, connect with our experts today.

Eligibility For UK Study Visa For Indian Students

Now, let us discuss the eligibility criteria for each UK study visa we shared above, as each has different criteria.

Student Visa

You must have been offered a place on a full-time course at a recognised UK university or college.
You have sufficient financial resources to support yourself and pay for the course you have chosen to pursue- the amount will vary depending on the circumstances.
You can speak, read, and write the English language correctly. You can take IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL to prove your English language.
You must be 18 years old or older, and the most important thing is that you have your parents’ consent, which you must provide as evidence while applying for your student visa.

Child Student Visa

You must be between 4 and 17 years old and want to study at a recognised school in the UK.
You have an unconditional offer of a place or course at a recognised school in the UK.
Most importantly, you must have your parents’ or guardians’ consent to study in the UK, which you must attach to your documents when applying for a UK Study Visa.

Short-term study visa

You must be 16 years old or older.
You must have been accepted onto an English language course for at least 6 months and no longer than 11 months.

English language requirements for UK study visa

The English language requirements for a UK Study visa vary depending on your course level and your country of origin.

Most UK Universities require international students to have an IELTS band score of 6.5 out of 9, with no band score less than 5.5.

International students should have a PTE score 52 with no band score less than 42.

The above two scores are generally taken by most UK universities, some of the universities also require TOEFL scores, but very rare.

UK study visa for checklist

To apply for a UK study visa, you require the following documents to proceed with your application:

Current passport or any other valid documentation.
A Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) from your university.
A valid Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate, if required.
Evidence of your financial resources.
Immigration Health Surcharge
Biometrics
Chest X-Ray

UK Student Visa Fee In Indian Rupees (INR)

As we have told you above, there are 3 types of UK study visas for Indian students, so each of the visas has to have different fees:

Student Visa (Tier 4 General)

If you apply for your UK study visa outside the UK, the UK student visa fee will be 490 GBP (Rs 43,018 approx.)
If you want to extend or switch your student visa from inside the UK, the UK student visa fee in Indian rupees will be 490 GBP (Rs 49,485 approx.).

Note: “You have to pay the visa fee for each person coming along with you”.

“You will also have to pay an immigration healthcare surcharge fee as part of your application. The amount will depend on the length of your visa.”

Child Student Visa

If you apply for your child’s student visa outside the UK, the UK student visa fee will be 490 GBP (Rs 43,018 approx.).
If you want to extend or switch your student visa from inside the UK, the UK student visa fee will be 490 GBP (Rs 49,485 approx.).
“You will also have to pay a healthcare surcharge fee as part of your application. The amount will depend on the length of your visa.”

Short-Term Study Visa

This visa is not conditional, such as being outside or inside the UK. The final cost is 200 GBP (Rs 17500 approx).
You will also have to pay a healthcare surcharge fee as part of your application: 470 GBP (Rs 41300 approx.). You can use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.

Also read: How to apply for a chevening scholarship in the UK?

UK Study visa processing time

Based on processing time, the UK Study Visa can be categorized into three types: standard, priority, and super priority.

Standard Processing Time: The standard processing time for a UK student visa is around 3 weeks (21 working days). This means you can expect a decision to come within three weeks of submitting your application.
Priority Processing Time: The priority processing time for a UK study visa is around 5 working days. This means you can expect a decision to come within 5 working days of submitting your application.
Super-Priority Processing Time: The super-priority processing time for a UK study visa is just 24 hours. This means you can expect a decision to come within 24 hours of submitting your application.

You can choose the processing time that best suits your needs. If you need your visa as quickly as possible, you can go with priority or super-priority processing time, and if you are not in a hurry, you can choose standard processing time.

Post-study work visa in the UK

The post-study work visa, also known as a Graduate Visa in the UK, allows you to stay and work in the UK for two years after you graduate from a UK university.

This visa is open to all international students who have completed a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD at a UK university.

Eligibility

It would be best if you were in the UK.
Your current visa must be a student visa (tier-4 general).
With your UK study visa, you must have completed a bachelor’s, master’s, or a PhD at a UK university for a minimum period of time.
I have applied for this visa within six months of graduating.

How to apply for a UK study visa?

You can apply for a UK study Visa in two ways:

You can apply for your visa online on the UK government website and submit your required documents there.
You can apply for your visa through agents. They will help you get your UK study visa by completing each step properly.

‍New rules for UK study visa for 2024‍

The UK government has announced new rules for student visas that will take effect in January 2024. These changes aim to make the student visa system smoother and more efficient.

Here are the new rules:

International students, except those studying postgraduate research programs, will no longer be able to bring dependents on their student visas.
International students must now demonstrate that they can support themselves and their dependents.
Now, you have to complete your graduation first before switching your visa to a work visa.
Now, the UK government will take action against international student agents who may be supporting inappropriate applications. This change was introduced to protect the integrity of the UK study visa system.

How can BNPS International help you to get a UK study visa for Indian students?

Our experts will help you complete your UK study visa from scratch until you have it in your hands.

We always ensure you are informed of every activity, including the latest visa requirements and conditions; we will also help you prepare the right documents for submission.

Our team of experts will ensure you have guidance at every step where you require it.

Conclusion

The UK is a popular choice among Indian students to pursue their bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD because of its high-quality programs, world-class education, and top universities ranked in the QS World Rankings 2024.

However, it would help if you had a UK study Visa to enter the country, study, and work for two years.

If you need more information regarding your UK study visa, our international education counsellors will gladly guide you through the process.

Walk into our BNPS International office or fill out the inquiry form, and we’ll contact you shortly.