United Kingdom:

Short Term

Student Visitor Visa

IMPORTANT:

If you are not a US Citizen, read

information for Non-US Citizens first.

For UK Summer programs

Overview

Where do I start?

Start gathering necessary documents at least a few weeks before departure.

Visit campus offices for some of the documents. Be aware of office closures for

holiday breaks and summer. Obtain documents before offices close.

When do I apply for

and get my visa?

You will get the visa stamped in your

passport upon arrival in the UK. Do not

apply for this visa before departure.

Are there any travel

restrictions?

Do Not Fly Through Ireland! You cannot

travel to (or through) Ireland on your way

to the United Kingdom or book with Aer

Lingus flights, which stop in Dublin on the

way to the UK.

Now that you know the basics, continue to the next page for

steps to apply for your Student Visitor Visa.

Step 1

Gather Documents

US Passport

Evidence of

Financial Support

Proof that you have enough

funds (“maintenance”) to cover

your expenses while in the UK.

See next 2 pages for details.

Host University

Acceptance

Letter

If you receive a hard copy

Acceptance Letter, you

must bring this document.

If you receive it as an

email, you may bring a

print out of the email.

Proof you will

depart the UK

before the visa

expires

This can be a flight or other

travel itinerary ticket.

Official UC

Transcript

Does not need to be in a

sealed envelope. Request

official transcripts before

the registrar office closes.

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IMPORTANT: Ensure that all information on your documents is correct!

This includes, but is not limited to: your name, dates of your program, country of

citizenship/nationality, birthday, etc. Remember, the UK format for birth dates is day/month/

year. If you notice an error, contact the provider of the document immediately.

Evidence of Financial Support

What is this?

Proof that you have enough funds to cover your expenses while in the UK, according to the

UKVI standard for “maintenance” funds.

How much money do I need to show I have?

UKVI estimates a minimum of £1265/month for London and £1015/month for any cities outside

London. Maintenance includes both housing fees and day-to-day living expenses.

How can I provide this proof?

Show one or more of the documents included below, as long as the total amount of the funds

you show reaches the minimum. If one document provides the total amount, you do not

need additional documents. (Stocks, bonds, market funds, etc. are not acceptable as the

value of such accounts can fluctuate.) Include a note (either separate or directly on each

document) showing the current currency conversion rate using www.oanda.com/convert/classic.

Financial Aid Award Letter *Request from your campus

Financial Aid Office*

Must be no more than one month old

Must state that you WILL receive $xx,xxx and NOT that you are eligible to receive

IMPORTANT — make sure you get this letter before your campus Financial Aid Office closes for breaks or school holidays!

Personal Bank Statement *Request from your bank*

Must show your name and account number (the account can be a joint account, but you must be listed as a joint account holder)

The amount needed must have been in the account for the full month, and the statement must be no more than one month old

Must be an original statement (not a

printout of your online account)

Parental Bank Statement Same requirements as Personal

Bank Statement, plus:

Letter from parent/account-holder confirming that they will provide the funds to support your stay

Documentation confirming the relationship (i.e. original birth certificate, adoption certificate, court document stating they are your legal guardians)

Bank Letter *Request from your bank*

Must be on official bank letterhead including bank’s logo

Includes: your name, account number, date of the letter, amount of money in the account, confirmation that the money has been in the account for a minimum of 28 days

An important note about housing payments

You have the option to subtract the amount you have paid for housing from the total amount

you must prove (up to £1265).

Students attending:

Sussex Summer,

East Anglia Summer,

St. Andrews Summer

Your acceptance letter will state your course

and accommodation fees are paid through

the University of California to your host

university. This letter is your proof of

payment of housing fees. Be sure to carry

this with you in your carry on luggage when

travelling abroad.

Students attending:

London School of Economics

Summer,

Pembroke/King’s Summer,

Glasgow Summer

Since you pay your housing directly to the

host university, you will need to obtain a

receipt showing the amount paid. This may

be included in your acceptance letter/e-mail

from the university. If it is not, you will need

to obtain proof of payment from the host

university (e-mail, statement from host

university billing account, etc.) This needs

to be printed and carried with you in your

carry on luggage when travelling abroad.

Step 2

Arrive & Present Documents

What happens when I arrive in the UK and go through

customs?

Upon arrival, you will go through Immigration and present the documents to the immigration officer so that they may determine your eligibility for a Student Visitor Visa.

When the Immigration officer asks you the purpose of your stay, tell them you are a student visitor. Be sure to mention that you are a short-term (less than 6 months) student.

Remember —

keep your

documents with you

in your carry-on

luggage so they are

easily accessible!

Good luck and happy travels!

If you have questions beyond these instructions, please contact UK Visa & Immigration.

Email: Follow this link https://ukvi-international.faq-help.com/

Telephone: Speaking directly to an advisor costs £1.37 per minute on top of the cost of the call. The phone number from within the United States is 1-888-683-9699, 7:00am - 4:00pm EDT (4:00am -1:00pm Pacific time).

More questions?

United Kingdom:

Non-US Citizens

For UK Summer programs

Non-US Citizens

Visa information for non-US citizens

The UKVI Visa Tool will put you into one of these categories:

You DO need a Visa

This means you are a “Visa National” and

you will need a visa prior to departure.

For those of you in this category, keep

reading….

You DO NOT need a Visa

This is misleading. You do need entry

clearance (visa), but you are considered a

“Non-Visa National” - so since you are only

in the UK for 6 months or less, you can

follow the Student Visitor Visa instructions

for US Citizens as listed earlier in this

document.

For Non-US Citizens, the next step is finding out if you need to apply BEFORE departure - or

- UPON ARRIVAL with the immigration officer. Check out this UKVI tool for non-US citizens to

see if there are any restrictions or additional requirements for your country of citizenship.

NOTE: Please DO NOT contact UCEAP to ask if there are additional requirements or

restrictions for your country of citizenship; UKVI policies can change frequently and

UCEAP can monitor only the requirements for US citizens.

If you do need a visa, then continue reading...

Non-US Citizens

Visa information for non-US citizens

If you are applying 1 month or less before your program starts, you need to

EXPEDITE your visa. You must pay for priority service online BEFORE you

submit your application. See here for information on the priority service.

1. Click only on the Visa4UK link to start the application process. Register an account.

2. Complete the registration process, referencing the sample screenshot below.

Continued on next page...

Non-US Citizens

Visa information for non-US citizens

Instructions for non-US citizens that must apply for a UK Student Visitor Visa prior to departure.

3. Click Go To Application and complete the sections as directed.

You will be taken to a new page that shows your application status (incomplete).

4. Schedule and attend your Biometric Screening. All UK visa applicants are required to provide

biometric data as part of the application process. This includes a 10-digit electronic finger scan

and a digital photograph.

IMPORTANT Before you schedule: Once your biometrics have been taken, you will receive a deadline to submit your application and all required supporting documents to the UK consulate in New York. This is typically a deadline of 5 to 10 days. Your biometrics confirmation letter will note your exact time frame. If you wait longer than the indicated time, you will have to begin the application process again (including fee payment). Read through the following instructions carefully and ensure you will have all required documents prepared by the time of your biometrics appointment to avoid repeating this process.

Two passport style

photographs

Print-out of your signed online application form If you made any errors on the form, you can correct them by hand on the print out.

Stamped confirmation

of your Biometrics

appointment

Required Documents: You must submit these with your visa application

Passport

Signed and valid for your entire

program length. Do not send a

photocopy of your passport as your

visa will be affixed to a page in your

actual passport.

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Self-addressed VFS Global

Envelope

The British Consulate will use this

envelope to return your passport

and any relevant documents to you.

You may choose the level of service

you need, depending on how

quickly you need your visa

returned.

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Official UC transcript (does not

need to be in a sealed envelope)

Evidence of Financial Support

(see next page)

Not Required Unless Requested:

DO NOT submit these items unless

specifically requested (via email) by the

UKVI. However, be prepared to submit

them in case they are requested.

Submitting them without a request may

delay processing time.

Non-US Citizens Visa information for non-US citizens

5. Collect the required documents to mail to the UK Consulate in New York.

IMPORTANT: Ensure that all information on your documents is correct!

This includes, but is not limited to, your name, dates of your program, country of citizenship/

nationality, birthday, etc. Remember, the UK format for birth dates is day/month/year. If you notice

an error, contact the provider of the document immediately.

Host University

Acceptance Letter

If you receive a hard copy

Acceptance Letter, you must

bring this document. If you

receive it as an email, you

may bring a print out of the

email.

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Non-US Citizens Visa information for non-US citizens

Evidence of Financial Support

Remember: Evidence of Financial Support is NOT required unless requested.

If requested, submit one or more of the documents below, as long as the total amount of the

funds reaches the minimum you must show. If one document provides the total, you do

not need additional documents. Include a note showing the current currency conversion

rate using www.oanda.com/convert/classic.

UKVI lists the minimum amount for maintenance to be £1265/month if studying in London

and £1015/month if studying outside London.

Financial Aid Award Letter

*Request from your financial aid office*

Must be no more than one month old

Must state that you WILL receive $xx,xxx

and NOT that you are eligible to receive

IMPORTANT—make sure you get this

letter before your campus Financial Aid

Office closes for breaks or school

holidays!

Personal Bank Statement

*Request from your bank*

Must show your name and account

number (the account can be a joint

account, but you must be listed as a joint

account holder)

The amount needed must have been

in the account for 28 days, and the

statement must be no more than one

month old

Must be an original statement (not

a printout of your online account)

Parental Bank Statement

Same requirements as

Personal Bank Statement, plus:

Letter from parent/account-holder

confirming that they will provide the funds

to support your stay

Documentation confirming the relationship

(i.e. original birth certificate, adoption

certificate, court document stating they

are your legal guardians)

Bank Letter

*Request from your bank*

Must be on official bank letterhead

including bank logo

Includes: your name, account number,

date of the letter, amount of money

in the account, confirmation that the

money has been in the account for

a minimum of 28 days

6. Mail all of your documents to the UK Consulate in New York.

Non-US Citizens Visa information for non-US citizens

Mail your passport, application, and other

documents to the UK Consulate in New

York with VFS Global.

Do NOT use FedEx or USPS! The

consulate will not accept these and it will

delay visa processing.

VFS Waybill Options Price

Return courier $34

Round trip courier

(recommended if applying 4 weeks

or less before departure date)

$53

When the consulate opens your documents, they will email you confirming receipt.

When the consulate makes a decision about your visa application, they will email you the

decision.

Check that all the information on your visa is correct, especially your name and birthday (the

UK uses a Day/Month/Year format). If there are any errors, contact the consulate immediately.

How do I mail my documents to the UK Consulate in New York?

How do I know when the consulate has received my documents and made a

decision?

What do I do once I receive my passport with the visa back in the mail?

More Questions?

For questions regarding these instructions, please contact your UCEAP program advisor.

These instructions are written by UCEAP staff and are not offered in place of information

provided by the UK Visa & Immigration. UCEAP is not able to advise beyond these

instructions.

If you have questions beyond these instructions, please contact UK Visa & Immigration.

They can be reached through email, webchat, and telephone.

Email and Webchat: go to the UK Visa & Immigration contact us page.

Telephone: Speaking directly to an advisor costs £1.37 per minute on top of the cost of

the call. The phone number from within the United States is 1-888-683-9699, 7:00am -

4:00pm EDT (4:00am -1:00pm Pacific time).