About

Find out how to apply for a Student Route Visa from Outside of the UK.

To make an application for Student Route entry clearance, you will need to apply in time so that you can gain entry for the start of your course and any welcome inductions. For your application to be processed you will need to provide the necessary evidence which confirms that you are able to meet the entry clearance immigration requirements for students.

How to make a Student Route entry clearance application

You must follow the steps below:

1. Obtain your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from Newcastle University.
2. Check if you need a Tuberculosis Test and provide this in your application, if necessary.
3. Provide your ATAS certificate if required. 
4. Obtain appropriate evidence to meet the Student Route maintenance requirement (PDF: 109KB)
5. Collect the original qualifications listed on your CAS letter. Please also include appropriate translations, if required. 
6. Complete the relevant visa application form online (Unless you are a national of North Korea). Please see our Student Route visa application guidance for help on filling out the visa application form: Overseas student route application guidance June 2024 (PDF: 1MB)
7. If you wish to bring an applicable family member or partner with you as a dependant, please remember to include them in your application form and that there is a separate fee. Please read the Dependant guidance on the additional maintenance requirements for dependants.

All applicants will be required to have their fingerprints taken as part of the application process. There may be special requirements in some countries, such as the need to take a tuberculosis test. 

Newcastle University is a Higher Education Provider with a Track Record of Compliance. You do not need to include the academic qualifications listed on your CAS to support the visa application. You should still include all other supporting evidence as required.

The current visa application fee for each applicant is the equivalent of £490. 

You are also required to make a payment for the Immigration Health Surcharge which is currently £776 per year of the visa granted. These fees may change so always check the UK visas website for the latest guidance.

Credibility assessment

If there are gaps between your prospective programme and the last time you were in education, please provide an explanation for these gaps.

For example, if you have been employed since you graduated from your most recent degree, then you are advised to state this on a document and upload this as part of the supporting documents for the visa application.

Additionally, if you have recently deposited funds into the bank account you are relying on for the visa application to demonstrate that you held the relevant funds for at least 28 days, please also state an explanation for the source of the funds on a document and upload this as part of the supporting document for the visa application. 

As part of your Student Route visa application, you may be asked to attend an interview with the UK Home Office. The visa application centre will notify you if this is a requirement of your application.

When you should make your application

You need to make sure that your application can be processed in time for you to attend the start of your course and any course inductions and welcome talks.

However, you may not make a Student Route application using a CAS more than six months before the start of your course. If you do so, your application may be rejected.

Where you should make an application

You should make your application through the visa application centre or your nearest British Diplomatic post (for example Embassy, High Commission Consulate in your Home country).

Find details of your nearest visa centre and further guidance on the application process.

CAS

A Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) is an electronic document produced by the University as confirmation that we are prepared to sponsor your stay in the UK for study purposes.

How do I get a CAS?

If you are a prospective student, your CAS will be sent to you automatically by e-mail from the relevant admissions department after your offer has been made unconditional. This may take a few weeks during the summer when the admissions departments are very busy.

What is on my CAS?

When you receive your CAS, you must check the details on the CAS carefully. If there are any errors, you should inform the University immediately. 

Your CAS will state your personal details and details of your programme of study, such as:

• programme title and level
• tuition fees charged and paid
• qualifications used for admissions
• Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate, if required

Qualifications listed on your CAS

You CAS will list the qualification documents used for your admission onto your programme of study. You do not need to submit these documents as part of your visa application because Newcastle University is a Student Visa sponsor with a track record of compliance. 

If you are submitting any documents which are not in English or Welsh, you should obtain appropriate translations. You must refer to the Home Office Student Route Guidance for further details on appropriate translations.

ATAS

For some undergraduate and postgraduate courses you will require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before you can study in the UK.

Programmes that require ATAS can include integrated undergraduate programmes, and taught and research postgraduate programmes. These programmes are predominantly in the science, engineering and medical subject areas. When you receive an offer for your programme of study, and if your programme requires ATAS, this will be stated on your offer letter.

Who will require an ATAS certificate

Nationals of EEA countries, Switzerland, USA, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and Australia do not require ATAS clearance.

All other nationals with limited leave to remain, including but not limited to the following visa categories:Student Route; dependants; Tier 1; Tier 2 or Skilled Worker; Tier 5; Short-term Study; Standard Visitor; ancestry visa; discretionary leave; asylum seekers leave; spouse visa.

Courses requiring an ATAS certificate

To find out whether your programme of study requires an ATAS certificate, you will first need to know the CAH3 code for that programme. This should be stated on your offer letter.

You can also complete the questionnaire on the ATAS website to check if your programme of study requires an ATAS certificate.

How to apply for an ATAS certificate

You will need to make the ATAS application in good time before applying for your visa if you intend to study on a Student Route visa; or prior to the start date of your course if you intend to study on a visa of a different category.

An ATAS application can take up to 30 working days to be processed.

Find more information on how to apply for an ATAS certificate.

If you are applying for a Student Route visa, you will not receive a CAS from the University before providing your ATAS certificate.

If you are not on a Student Route visa but studying on a programme which requires an ATAS certificate, then we will need to ensure that you have obtained it before starting your course of study.

When you will need a new ATAS certificate

If you change your programme or area of research, you may need to obtain a new ATAS certificate.

Biometric Residence Permit

The Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card is your visa and shows your immigration status and conditions while you are in the UK.

If you are a non-EU international student and have applied to come to the UK for a period of six months or more, you will normally be given a visa in your passport to allow you to enter the UK. You will need to collect your Biometric Residence Permit once you have arrived in the UK. 

Please follow this link to our webpage for further information on the collection of your Biometric Residence Permit. 

Dependants

If you are going to be a student here at Newcastle University you may be eligible to bring your family with you to the UK for the duration of your course of study as a dependant.

Dependants are:

• your husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner or same-sex partner
• your children aged under 18 years old.

On a student route visa, you can bring the above family members to the UK as your dependants if you are:

• studying at the University on a postgraduate course (NQF7 or above) for 9 months or longer; or
• a new government sponsored student following a course of at least six months.

If you are starting a programme of study from 1 January 2024, in addition to the criteria above, you can only have dependants in the UK if you will be studying on a programme which is classed as a PhD or other doctoral qualification; or a research-based higher degree.

For further guidance on whether you can bring your family with you to the UK as your dependant, please see the UKCISA website on Student Dependants.

How to apply

Dependants from outside the UK should ideally apply at the same time as you. Their application should make clear that they are accompanying you and that you will be here as a student. Dependants applying from outside the UK should complete the online form. Please refer to the full Dependant guidance for further information.

If you are already in the UK on a Student Route visa, dependants can apply separately to join you in the UK. They will need to use the online form, and will need to show that they have the necessary maintenance which meets the PBS dependant policy guidelines. If your dependants are applying separately from you sometimes you may be required to provide additional evidence of your relationship.

Once they have arrived in the UK, your dependants must collect their BRP card within 10 days of arrival. They will need to refer to their decision letter to determine where and when to go to collect the BRP card.

If you are collecting a BRP card for a dependant aged under 18, you must nominate a responsible adult to collect the BRP card. You can do so by sending an email to the Home Office, details of which can be found on the decision letter when the visa is granted.