UK Visa Information
UK Visa Information for Students
What is a visa?
A visa is a passport stamp or document that authorizes the passport holder to enter a country for a specific purpose and particular period of time. Every country has different visa policies and arrangements with every other country. Different types of visas are available for different purposes; common types include tourist visas, student visas, or business visas. Different visas last for different durations of time. Visas are issued through the embassy or consulate of the appropriate host country. The process is extensive and can take up to eight weeks (or more) to receive your visa. To avoid early expiration, the consulate will issue your visa no more than 90 days prior to your program's departure.
Do I need a visa?
Academic Year, Fall Only and Spring Only Programs:
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Academic Year:
- If you are a U.S. passport holder attending the London Academic Year program, you must obtain a Tier 4 UK Visa.
- If you are a non-U.S. passport holder (with the exception of UK citizens) attending the London Academic Year program, you must obtain a Tier 4 UK Visa.
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Fall Only or Spring Only:
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If you are a U.S. passport holder attending the London Fall Only or Spring Only programs, you do not need to obtain a visa before arrival.
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If you are a non-U.S. passport holder (with the exception of UK citizens) attending the London Fall Only or the London Spring Only program, you may be required to obtain a Short Term Study visa. To learn if you need a visa, check here.
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Summer Programs:
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If you are a U.S. passport holder attending a London summer program other than the London internship program, you do not need to obtain a visa before arrival. London internship program does require U.S. passport holders to obtain a visa before arrival.
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If you are a non-U.S. passport holder (with the exception of UK citizens) attending all other London summer programs, you may be required to obtain a Short Term Study visa. To learn if you need a visa, check here.