Visas for travel to England
What is a visa?
A visa is an official permit to enter the country, which you may need to get if you want to study in England. Students who are not British Citizens or citizens of one of the EU or European Economic Area (EEA) countries may need a visa before travelling to the UK. The visa is placed in the passport or travel document. With a valid UK visa, entry to the UK is normally not refused unless circumstances have changed or false information has been given on application for the visa.
The visa tells the immigration officer at a UK port of arrival:
- The purpose of the travel
- How long the student can stay in the UK; and
- The latest date that the student can enter the UK
How to apply
Students can apply for visas at the nearest British mission (embassy, high commission or consulate) in the country where they are legally resident. The application can be made by post, by courier, in person or online. The visa section at the British mission will provide further information about the ways to apply.
More information and application forms are available from the British Government on the internet.
Visa types
Student Visitor Visa (SSV)
SSV cover studies for up to 6 months. Applications must be made from outside the UK. Students using a Student Visitor Visa have no right to work and must leave the country after a stay of less than 6 months and therefore any course studied must be less than 6 months. Any application for an additional visa must be made outside the UK. These students do not require a language test and are able to study any level of course.
Extended Student Visitor Visa (ESVV)
For bookings between 6 and 11 months (anyone wanting to study for less than 6 months needs to apply for a Student Visitor Visa - SVV)
No minimum level of English needed. Students are not allowed to work - if they want to work they must apply for General Student Visas. Students can only apply from outside the UK. Available for English language courses only.
General Student Visa (GSV) – Tier 4
Students wanting to study for more than 6 months.
Students using a General Student Visa (GSV) have the right to work a maximum of 10 hours per week and are able to extend their visa in the UK. However, all students (except overseas government-sponsored students) require a language test and must show on application for the visa that they are at level B1 or higher on the Common European Framework for Reference (CEFR). They are then allowed to study on courses of level B2 or higher. Overseas government-sponsored students are able to study English at any level.
Therefore students must test at Level B1 or higher to start the course. CEFR B1 states that students:
‘Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.’
How do we test your English level?
We accept the results from all internationally-recognised English examinations including Cambridge ESOL, TOEFL, TOIEC and IELTS.
Students who are applying for a General Student Visa (GSV) need to show us the above or sit an online level test in their own country. This secure test is supplied by us and produced and monitored by Oxford University. The test is supervised by the booking agent who must verify the identity of the student and ensure the rules of the test are followed.
Sponsor Status of LAL UK
LAL UK (which includes LAL Torbay, LAL London and LAL Summer Schools) has been licensed by the UK Border Agency to enrol international students under Tier 4 of the Points Based System. We are an A-rated sponsor and our sponsorship licence number is J4UOU37K5. You can confirm these details on the UKBA website here: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/pointsbasedsystem/registerofsponsorseducation (PDF file, will open in a new window).
