Applying for a Student Visa from Outside the UK
You can find information relating to a Student visa application, including funds needed and Student visa responsibilities via the webpages linked below.
How can the University support you?
You can find guidance on various visa topics on the University’s webpages. These webpages include the most common visa related topics, questions and issues. If you require advice or guidance beyond what is covered on the webpages you can contact the Student Advice and Support Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to obtain a visa?
In general a decision should be made within 3 weeks of attending your visa appointment. During the summer the visa processing times can take longer.
In some countries a Visa Application Centre may offer services to ‘fast track’ the processing of your application for which there is an additional charge.
Will I have to attend a visa interview? (Genuine student checks)
UKVI no longer frequently interview students to check that they are genuine and not using the study visa route for some other purpose eg to work or join family. In some cases you may receive an email request to provide extra evidence to satisfy UKVI you are a genuine student, for example this could be where there has been a significant gap in education history and/or it is not apparent why you would undertake the studies in question. It is important to respond to such requests thoroughly and convincingly so that UKVI can be satisfied of your genuine study intentions. The caseworker guidance gives further explanation of the genuine student requirement, please contact us for individual advice if required.
If you are invited to interview it would be wise to prepare in advance, so you are confident in answering questions about your plans to study in the UK. The questions might include:
- What is the name of your university?
- What is the name of your course of study? Do you know what modules/topics you will be studying as part of this course?
- What are your reasons for wanting to study in the UK?
- What are your reasons for choosing Loughborough University and the course?
- What are your future career plans?
- What are your accommodation arrangements in the UK?
- How you can afford to pay for your studies?
- Do you intend to work in the UK during your studies? If so, do you know how many hours you are permitted to work as a Student?
- Have you ever studied in the UK or overseas before? If so, what did you study, did you complete the course; did you leave the country before your visa expired?
What visa permission can I expect?
You should be granted Student visa permission for your course at Loughborough University (Sponsor Licence Number G9M4TDXV1)
Check the dates of permission:
- Student permission can start up to 1 month before the course start date
- For courses at least 1 year long (eg a post graduate Masters) the permission should run for 4 months after the course end date
- For courses between 6-12 months the visa permission should run for 2 months beyond the course end date
- A Student visa for a pre-sessional course under 6 months should run for 1 month beyond the course end date
- If you are issued an initial vignette sticker in your passport this should run for 90 days and allow you to arrive on time
Check that your work conditions appear correct, typical work conditions are summarised in the student handbook, eg for degree level study the visa should allow 20 hours work per week in term-time.
If you are going to be issued a biometric residence permit (BRP) the decision details should confirm this and collection details.
If you notice an error check the decision details on how this can be corrected. Contact Student Advice if required.
Where can I collect my Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)?
EEA and Swiss nationals who are coming to the UK from 1 January 2021 under the Student route will be able to apply using the ID Check app. If you have a biometric passport and can use the app your immigration permission will be issued electronically, and your status can be checked online. You will not be issued a visa vignette in your passport or a BRP and must retain the UKVI decision e-mail as a record of the institution and programme for which your visa has been issued. You will be required to provide a copy of the e-mail to Student Records and Operations, the Doctoral College Office, or London Student Services so that your right to study at Loughborough can be confirmed.
Biometric Residence Permits are issued to anyone else coming to the UK for more than 6 months. Your initial Student visa will be issued for 90 days to allow you to travel (a visa sticker or ‘vignette’ is placed in your passport for this purpose). After arriving in the UK you must collect your BRP which confirms your full permission to stay longer. The visa application will ask if you have any contact details in the UK and details of where you are studying, a UK address is not necessary for a visa application but if you wish you can give the relevant University address below.
Towards the end of the visa application you will be asked where you wish to collect your BRP from, the suggestions are based on the contact details you have given. You can choose to have your BRP delivered to Student Records and Operations at the Loughborough campus by selecting the ‘alternative location’ and entering the ACL code ‘2HE857’ – this option is available to students and their dependants at the Loughborough campus only (including all pre-sessional students), it is not possible to collect BRPs at the London campus. Otherwise BRPs may be collected from participating Post Offices, the details of the nearest to each University campus are as follows:
| Campus address | Nearest Post Office for BRP collection |
|---|---|
| Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU | Loughborough Post Office, 10 High Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 2PY |
| Loughborough University London, 3 Lesney Avenue,The Broadcast Centre, Here East Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stratford, London, E20 3BS | Stratford Post Office, 26 – 28 The Broadway, Stratford. London, E15 4QS |
Please refer to details about when and how to collect your BRP from Student Records and Operations.
BRPs valid to 31 December 2024
Current BRP technology will only be valid to 31 December 2024. If your immigration permission is granted beyond this date the full duration will be recorded in the UKVI decision e-mail but your BRP will expire on 31 December 2024. UKVI explain:
If your BRP expires on 31 December 2024
You do not need to tell UKVI if your BRP expires on 31 December 2024 but your immigration status (for example, your visa) allows you to stay longer.
You will not need a BRP from 1 January 2025. You’ll be able to prove your immigration status online, without a BRP.
UKVI will update their information on how to prove your immigration status in early 2024. You do not need to do anything and your immigration status will not be affected.
You should retain the UKVI decision e-mail as a record of the full length of your permission as you may be required to provide a copy of it to Student Records and Operations, the Doctoral College Office, or London Student Services as appropriate so that the immigration permission on your student record is accurate. We expect UKVI will provide further information in 2024.
When can I travel to the UK?
You must travel to the UK after your Student visa permission begins so that it is activated on your first entry to the country. If you travel to the UK prior to the Student visa e.g. as a visitor (with or without a visa) you will not be able to enrol or study. You cannot switch from visitor to Student in the UK and will need to leave the UK and re-enter from anywhere outside the Common Travel Area using your Student permission.
Last Updated: 21st July 2023