UK Student visa (2026): Requirements, costs, working hours, and extensions

The UK Student visa is the route for international students entering British higher education. As of 8 January 2026, B2-level English is now mandatory; eligibility also requires a licensed sponsor’s Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), sufficient maintenance funds, and valid identity documents. This guide explains the UK Student visa requirements for 2026, including eligibility, visa fees, working restrictions, dependant sponsorship, extensions, and post-study transitions. If you’re switching visas, have prior refusals, or bringing dependants, consult a regulated immigration solicitor specialising in Student visa sponsorship compliance; they identify refusal risks before submission.

Continue reading to verify sponsor eligibility and understand your working rights.

Does your institution hold an active student sponsorship licence?

Your UK Student visa sponsorship institution must appear on UKVI’s Register of Licensed Sponsors to issue a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Without this, your application is refused automatically; no exceptions.

Key verification steps:

• Check UKVI’s live Register of Licensed Sponsors before applying.
• Request proof of licence directly from your institution.
• Verify within one month of application; licences can be revoked mid-course.

A CAS cannot be transferred between institutions. If your sponsor loses its licence while you’re applying, your CAS becomes invalid. Once issued, your CAS remains valid for six months; apply within this window or request a reissue. The CAS shows your course start date, level, and duration; all must match your actual enrolment. UKVI cross-checks CAS details against institutional records; discrepancies trigger refusals or visa cancellations.

What maintenance funds must you currently show?

The Home Office sets UK Student visa cost thresholds annually based on course location and duration. You must prove sufficient funds for tuition and living expenses; exact amounts vary by circumstances, and shortfalls trigger refusals.

Current maintenance requirements (set by Home Office):

• Approximately £1,025 per month for London-based courses (currently).
• Approximately £819 per month for courses outside London (currently).
• Amount multiplied by actual course duration (verified against CAS).
• Must be held for 28 consecutive days; proof must be dated within 31 days of application.

In addition to maintenance funds, applicants must pay the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.

Funds can be held in your name, jointly, or gifted by family (with gift letter evidence). Student loans and scholarships count if documented. If applying from outside the UK with overseas funds, you must prove source legitimacy (bank statements, employment contracts). The Home Office verifies funds against your declared living standards; unusually large sums may trigger scrutiny. Dependants (partners, children) each require separate maintenance proof, unless they’ve been in the UK for 12+ months on valid visas.

Can you work full-time on a UK Student visa?

Working hours on a Student visa working hours are outcome-determinative and non-negotiable:

• Currently 20 hours per week maximum during term-time (degree-level students only).
• Full-time during official university vacations.
• Full-time during 60-day grace period after formal course completion.
• Research postgraduates have more flexible arrangements (verify with institution).

Work-based placements, internships, and clinical placements pre-approved by your institution and UKVI do not count toward the 20-hour limit. You can work for multiple employers simultaneously but combined hours must not exceed 20 per week during term. You cannot be self-employed, work as a professional sportsperson or coach, or claim public benefits.

Part-time students are prohibited from working entirely. Breaching these restrictions triggers visa cancellation, immigration penalties, and future visa refusals across all routes. Your employer is legally required to verify your right to work; illegal employment results in employer fines and your automatic visa cancellation.

Can you bring your partner and children as a Student dependent visa?

The UK Student dependent visa is restricted since January 2024 and remains strict in 2026. Only government-sponsored students (courses 6+ months) and full-time postgraduate research students (RQF level 8, 9+ months) can bring dependants. Undergraduate and taught postgraduate students cannot bring dependants under any circumstances.

Dependant eligibility (currently restricted):

• Your spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner (2+ years cohabitation)
• Your children under 18 (unmarried, living with you or in full-time education away from home)
• Each dependant requires separate maintenance proof; currently £845/month (London) or £680/month (outside London)
• Dependants with 12+ months UK visa history do not need to re-prove funds.

Dependants must apply either alongside your application or separately before their current visa expires. Each dependant pays £524 visa fee (current fee) plus healthcare surcharge. If applying jointly as a family, you must demonstrate combined maintenance funds covering yourself and all dependants. Children aged 18+ during your stay can extend as dependants if eligible. Dependants’ visas expire on the same date as yours. If your course ends early, their visa ends automatically 60 days after your course completion.

How to extend your Student visa in the UK

To extend Student visa UK permission, you must be in the UK on a valid Student visa, hold an unconditional CAS from a licensed sponsor, and demonstrate your new course is at a higher academic level than your previous one (academic progression requirement). Exceptions include resitting exams, repeating modules, intercalating into medicine/dentistry, or continuing a PhD begun under your previous Student visa.

Extension requirements and process:

• Be in the UK on valid Student visa (including Tier 4 General visa holders).
• Hold unconditional CAS from licensed sponsor showing higher-level course.
• If in UK <12 months, re-prove maintenance funds (currently required).
• Apply 3 months before current visa expires; new course must begin within 28 days of expiry.
• Pay currently-set £524 fee plus renewed healthcare surcharge.

You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or Isle of Man while extension is being processed; doing so withdraws your application automatically. Alternatively, if your course has finished, you can switch to a Graduate visa: 2 years if applying by 31 December 2026, or 18 months if applying from 1 January 2027 onwards. Doctoral graduates receive 3 years regardless of application date.

Do I need a solicitor for a UK Student visa?

Self-application is reasonable for straightforward first-time applicants with standard financial profiles and no dependant plans. However, regulated immigration solicitors materially reduce refusal risk in specific circumstances.

When professional guidance is outcome-determinative:

• You are switching from another visa type within the UK, have prior visa refusals, or are extending after academic difficulties; solicitors identify compliance gaps and reframe applications to address earlier rejection reasons
• You are bringing dependants or your maintenance funds come from non-standard sources (family gifts, overseas accounts, informal loans); solicitors structure financial evidence to withstand UKVI scrutiny and confirm dependant eligibility
• You have a complex immigration history or are reapplying after refusal; professional guidance significantly reduces refusal risk and protects your immigration status long-term

For straightforward circumstances with institutional visa guidance available, self-application remains viable. For complex histories, dependant applications, or post-refusal reapplications, professional guidance is materially protective.

FAQs

How to extend Student visa in UK? Be in the UK on a valid Student visa, hold an unconditional CAS for a higher-level course, and apply 3 months before expiry. Pay currently-set £524 plus healthcare surcharge. Processing: approximately 8 weeks.

Can you work on a Student visa UK? Full-time degree-level students: maximum 20 hours per week during term-time only. Full-time work permitted during official vacations and after course completion (60-day grace period). Part-time students cannot work.

How to apply for Student visa UK? Obtain unconditional course offer from licensed sponsor (they issue your CAS). Apply online on GOV.UK with currently-set £524 fee plus healthcare surcharge. Apply 6 months before course (outside UK) or 3 months before (inside UK). Processing: 3 weeks (outside) or 8 weeks (inside).

Does the UK Student visa differ from the former Tier 4 (General) route? Student visa replaced Tier 4 (General) in 2021. From 8 January 2026, B2-level English is now mandatory (previously B1). Dependant sponsorship tightened: only government-sponsored students and postgraduate research students (RQF level 8, 9+ months) can bring dependants; undergraduates and taught postgraduates cannot.

What changed for UK Student visas in 2026? From 8 January 2026, English language requirements increased to B2 level. Dependant sponsorship remains restricted to government-sponsored students and postgraduate research students only. Financial evidence rules and sponsor compliance checks continue to be strictly enforced, with no relaxation for first-time applicants.

The UK student visa system requires a licensed sponsor’s CAS, proven maintenance funds currently set by the Home Office, B2-level English (from 8 January 2026), and valid identity documents. Working rights are restricted to 20 hours per week during term-time but allow full-time work during vacations. Dependant sponsorship is limited to government-sponsored and postgraduate research students. Extensions and graduate transitions are clearly defined; compliance with deadlines and academic progression requirements is mandatory.

This article provides general information only and is not legal advice. Immigration regulations change; consult a regulated immigration solicitor for advice tailored to your circumstances.

Verify your student visa path with Qredible!

Qredible’s network of regulated immigration solicitors specialises in Student visa verification, compliance review, and family sponsorship. A brief consultation clarifies your legal position and prevents costly mistakes. Connect with a Qredible-vetted solicitor today.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Verify your institution’s sponsorship licence on UKVI’s Register of Licensed Sponsors before applying; unlicensed sponsors result in automatic refusal, and licences can be revoked without notice.
• You can currently work maximum 20 hours per week during term-time if you’re a full-time degree-level student; breaching this restriction triggers visa cancellation and future refusals across all UK immigration routes.
• Dependants are restricted to government-sponsored students and full-time postgraduate research students (RQF level 8, 9+ months); undergraduate and taught postgraduate students cannot bring dependants under any circumstances.