International Student Office

Study Abroad & Exchange students

This page will help you obtain the correct immigration permission for your period of study at the University of Leeds. Please read this information carefully so that you are well prepared.

It is important that you think about immigration before you make any travel plans.  The length of time you can stay in the UK depends on your visa (see below).

Types of immigration permission

If you apply for your visa before travelling to the UK it is known as ‘entry clearance’. This means that you have permission to enter the UK before you travel.

If you apply for a visa on arrival in the UK, it is known as ‘leave to enter’. This means that you don’t have permission to enter the UK before you travel and only apply for it when you reach the UK. Only certain nationalities have the right to apply for leave to enter on arrival in the UK. (See below).

There are 2 types of entry clearance that may be appropriate for you. These are Tier 4 (General) Student; and Student Visitor.

How long will my visa be valid for?

Main course of study

Length of course - 12 months or more
Visa start date - Up to one month before the start date of the course
Length of stay allowed - The full length of the course plus four months after the end of the course

Length of course - Six months or more, but less than 12 months
Visa start date - Up to one month before the start date of the course
Length of stay allowed - The full length of the course plus two months after the end of the course

Length of course  - Less than six months
Visa start date - Up to seven days before the start date of the course
Length of stay allowed - The full length of the course plus seven days after the end of the course

Please note that the duration of your visa may be different if you need to come to the UK for a pre-sessional language course before your main course of study.

Student Visitor visas are for a maximum of 6 months regardless of how long your course is.

It is not possible to apply for Tier 4 on arrival in the UK so you must obtain this type of visa before travelling. Certain nationalities can apply for Student Visitor permission on arrival and others must apply before travelling. (See below)

Students from the EEA / EU and Switzerland

If you are a national of the following countries, and are entering the UK using a passport from one of these countries, you do not need to apply for immigration permission to allow you to study in the UK:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Students from outside the EEA / EU

If you are not a national of the above countries, you will need immigration permission to study in the UK.

Visa nationals

If you are a visa national you must apply for a visa before travelling to the UK. Visa nationals are those with the following nationalities:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, People’s Republic of China (except those holding HKSAR or MSAR passports), Colombia,  Comoros,  Congo,  Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea (North), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tome e Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan (except those holding a passport containing the identification card number), Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (except those holding passports with a biometric information chip), Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, The territories formerly comprising the socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

You should either apply for a Tier 4 visa or Student Visitor Visa before travelling to the UK.

Non-visa national

If you are a national of a country not listed above or a British overseas territories citizen; British overseas citizen, British national (overseas), British protected persons, or British subject and want to apply for a Tier 4 visa, you should do so using your CAS at your nearest UK visa processing centre.

If you wish to apply as a Student Visitor, it is not necessary to apply for your visa before travelling to the UK. You still need immigration permission to study in the UK but it is possible to apply for permission on arrival in the UK. However as there is a risk that entry could be denied it is safest to arrange your immigration permission before travelling. If you arrive in the UK without a visa and are refused entry on arrival there is no general right of appeal and you will be returned home. For this reason, we recommend that all students apply for entry clearance prior to leaving home so that they do not have the inconvenience of being turned away at the border.

Which type of immigration permission to choose

If you are studying for a period of greater than 6 months, you must apply for a Tier 4 (General) Student Entry Clearance (visa) before travelling to the UK.  Tier 4 visas can be extended in the UK and allow most students to work during their studies. To apply under Tier 4 you will need to be issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). This should be provided automatically by the University of Leeds. If you haven’t received a CAS and wish to apply for a Tier 4 visa, please email the .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). There are also financial requirements which you will need to satisfy before you are granted a Tier 4 visa.

More information about applying for a Tier 4 (General) Student visa and the financial requirements is available here. 

More information on applying for a Student Visitor visa is available here.

If you are studying for a period of less than 6 months you can either apply for a Tier 4 visa using your CAS or apply for a Student Visitor Visa. It is your decision which option you choose. Student visitor visas are restrictive in that they are for a maximum of 6 months, cannot be extended, and prohibit you from taking any kind of paid or unpaid employment. You should not apply for a Student Visitor Visa if you think you might want to stay longer or work in the UK while you study.

If you choose to come to the UK as a student visitor without entry clearance, it is advisable to fly direct to the UK, and not to enter the UK via the Republic of Ireland. If you enter via the Republic of Ireland you will not go through UK immigration control and you will not be able to get the correct permission for study in the UK. You will be required to leave the UK and re-enter within 3 months of arrival.

All applications for entry clearance must be made overseas at your nearest UK visa processing centre. The visa application process may be slightly different in different countries. You can check how to make your application here. 

If you have any general questions about immigration and visas, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). If your visa application is refused or rejected, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)