Short-Term Study Visa UK (Student Visitor Visa) Solicitors in London
Expert help with UK Short-term study visa applications for English language courses of 6–11 months, from eligibility checks to refusals.
The UK Short-term study visa lets people aged 16 or over come to the UK to study an English language course lasting longer than 6 months and up to 11 months. It costs £228, plus a £776 healthcare surcharge, and you can stay for the length of your course plus 30 days. It used to be called the Student Visitor Visa, and many people still search for it under that name.
Adam Bernard Solicitors helps students, parents and English language schools get Short-term study visa applications right first time. Our SRA-regulated immigration solicitors in High Holborn and Upton Park check your course, your evidence and your finances before anything is submitted. Call 0207 100 2525 or book a free consultation.
Which UK study visa do you need?
The visa you need depends on how long your course is and what you are studying. The Short-term study visa is only for English language courses of more than 6 months and up to 11 months.
| Your course | Visa you need |
|---|---|
| Any course of 6 months or less | Standard Visitor visa (or an ETA if you’re a non-visa national) |
| English language course of more than 6 months and up to 11 months | Short-term study visa (this page) |
| Any course longer than 11 months, or a degree-level course | Student visa |
| Aged 4–17 at an independent school | Child Student visa |
Source: GOV.UK – Study English in the UK. If you’re still unsure, use GOV.UK’s check if you need a UK visa tool or ask our team.
Short-term study visa eligibility requirements
To qualify, you must be 16 or older, be accepted on an eligible English language course with an accredited institution, and show you can support yourself and pay for your journey home.
You must prove that:
- you’ve been accepted onto an English language course that lasts longer than 6 months and up to 11 months and includes no other subjects
- your course is with an accredited institution (see below)
- you have enough money to support yourself without working or using public funds, or that relatives or friends can support and house you
- you can pay for your return or onward journey
If you’re under 18, you must also have arranged your travel and accommodation in the UK, and have your parent’s or guardian’s consent to study here.
What counts as an accredited institution?
An accredited institution is a UK provider that either holds a student sponsor licence or has valid accreditation and is listed by an approved body. The approved bodies are:
- Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC)
- Accreditation UK (British Council)
- British Accreditation Council
- Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland)
- Estyn (Wales)
- Education Scotland
- Independent Schools Inspectorate
- Ofsted
- Office for Students
- Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Eligible overseas providers. You can also qualify if you’re studying at an overseas higher education institution and part of your English course takes place in the UK. Your institution must:
- hold its own national accreditation
- offer no more than half of its educational programme in the UK
- offer programmes equivalent to a UK degree
We regularly check course eligibility for students and language schools before they pay fees. If your school isn’t on one of these lists, your application will be refused, however strong the rest of it is.
Short-term study visa fee and costs (2026)
The Short-term study visa costs £228. You’ll also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is usually £776.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa application fee | £228 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £776 (usually) |
| Faster decision | Optional extra (where available) |
| TB test | Payable to the clinic, if you’re from a listed country |
You pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your online application. It gives you access to the NHS during your stay. See GOV.UK – healthcare surcharge.
How long can you stay?
You can stay in the UK for the length of your course plus an extra 30 days, as long as your total stay is no longer than 11 months. You can’t extend a Short-term study visa. If you want to keep studying, you must leave and apply for the right visa from outside the UK, usually a Student visa.
What you can’t do on a Short-term study visa
On this visa you cannot:
- study any other course, or change your course while in the UK
- study at a state-funded school
- work or carry out business. This covers paid or unpaid work, work experience and work placements.
- extend the visa
- bring family members (dependants) with you
- claim most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension
Documents required for a Short-term study visa
You’ll need your passport, proof of your course, proof of funds and details of where you’ll stay. In full:
- A current passport or other valid travel document
- Written proof of your course, such as a letter of acceptance from the institution stating the course name, duration and cost (including accommodation)
- Evidence that you can support yourself, such as bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months
- Evidence that you’ve paid your course fees, or have enough money to pay them
- Your accommodation and travel plans. GOV.UK advises you not to pay for accommodation or travel until your visa is granted.
- TB test results, if you’re from a country where the test is required
- Certified translations of any document not in English or Welsh
Depending on your situation, you may also need proof of your permission to be in the country you’re applying from, and evidence of a financial sponsor’s occupation, income or savings.
Our tip: most refusals we review come down to evidence, not eligibility. The usual problems are bank statements that don’t show funds held consistently, or a letter of acceptance that doesn’t state the course length. We check every document against the Home Office’s requirements before you submit.
Applying as a student under 18
Under-18s need written consent from both parents (or one parent with sole responsibility, or a legal guardian), plus proof of suitable accommodation and care in the UK.
The consent must cover:
- your visa application
- your travel to the UK
- your living arrangements and care in the UK
- the plan for when you arrive, including who will meet you and their name, date of birth and relationship to you
You’ll also need the name and date of birth of the person you’ll stay with, the address, and their written consent to look after you. If you travel with an adult, you can name up to 2 adults in your application. Your parent, guardian or school must tell the local authority if you’ll be in private foster care (looked after for more than 28 days by someone who isn’t a close relative), or if you have a disability. Your parents must also give contact details for at least one parent or guardian in your home country.
Carry a copy of the consent letter when you arrive. You can be refused entry if Border Force believes you’re at risk of harm.
How to apply and processing times
Apply online up to 3 months before you travel. You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks of your visa application centre appointment.
- Check your course and institution are eligible
- Gather your documents, including translations and a TB certificate if needed
- Apply online on GOV.UK and pay the £228 fee and the healthcare surcharge
- Attend a visa application centre to give your biometrics and documents. Take your passport; you can collect it on the day.
- Get your decision, usually within 3 weeks. You may be able to pay for a faster decision.
You can ask to cancel your application, but you’ll only get a refund if UK Visas and Immigration hasn’t started processing it.
Common reasons Short-term study visas are refused
Most refusals happen because the course or institution isn’t eligible, the funds evidence is weak, or the Home Office doubts you’re a genuine student. The most common grounds are:
- the institution isn’t accredited, or the course includes subjects other than English
- the course is 6 months or less, or longer than 11 months (wrong visa route)
- not enough funds, or unexplained large deposits in bank statements
- no evidence you can pay for your return journey
- signs you plan to work in the UK
- missing under-18 consent or care arrangements
- incomplete, inconsistent or false information
- previous breaches of UK immigration rules
What to do if your Short-term study visa is refused
Short-term study visa refusals can be challenged by administrative review, because the route is listed as eligible in Appendix AR of the Immigration Rules. Administrative review checks whether the Home Office made a caseworking error. If you applied from outside the UK, you normally have 28 days to apply.
If the refusal was correct on the evidence, a stronger fresh application is often quicker. In limited cases, judicial review may be possible. Read the refusal letter carefully with a solicitor before you decide. See GOV.UK – ask for an administrative review and the Immigration Rules, Appendix AR.
Why choose Adam Bernard Solicitors?
- 15 years’ experience and 15,000+ clients across UK immigration routes
- SRA-regulated solicitors, listed on the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor
- Two London offices: High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London)
- Free consultation by phone, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype, 24/7
- One team for your whole study journey, from a Short-term study visa to a Student visa and the Graduate visa
We check your course eligibility, review every document and flag weak points before you apply. Call 0207 100 2525 or book your free consultation.
Short-term study visa FAQs
What is the Short-term study visa?
It’s a UK visa for people aged 16 or over taking an English language course that lasts longer than 6 months and up to 11 months at an accredited institution.
Is the Student Visitor Visa the same as the Short-term study visa?
Yes, in effect. The Student Visitor Visa was replaced in 2015. Today, study of 6 months or less is done as a Standard Visitor, and English language courses of more than 6 months and up to 11 months need the Short-term study visa.
How much does a Short-term study visa cost in 2026?
The application fee is £228, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, which usually costs £776.
Can I work on a Short-term study visa?
No. You can’t do any paid or unpaid work, work experience or work placements.
Can I extend a Short-term study visa or switch to a Student visa?
No. The visa can’t be extended. To keep studying, you must apply for the right visa, usually a Student visa, from outside the UK.
Can I bring my family on a Short-term study visa?
No. You can’t bring dependants. Family members need their own visa, such as a Standard Visitor visa.
How long does a Short-term study visa take?
You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks of attending your visa application centre appointment. You can apply up to 3 months before you travel.
Can I study something other than English?
No. The course must be an English language course that includes no other subjects. For other courses of 6 months or less, use the Standard Visitor route.
Can a 16 or 17-year-old apply?
Yes. Applicants under 18 need written parental or guardian consent, arranged travel and accommodation, and contact details for a parent or guardian in their home country.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration rules and fees change. Figures checked against GOV.UK on 02 October 2026.
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