UK Student Visa Guide 2027 for Scholarship Holders

Visa Guide: What You Need to Know

A complete UK Student visa guide: the CAS letter, the deposit, the 28-day bank statement rule, the health surcharge and rising refusal rates.

The Visa in Five Steps

1. 1
   Get your CAS

   CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is a digital reference number your university sends to UKVI. Most universities ask for a £2,000–2,500 deposit before issuing it. The CAS is valid for six months.

2. 2
   Hold your funds for 28 days

   Show the required money for 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of applying: £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 elsewhere (up to nine months), plus unpaid tuition.

3. 3
   Apply online, up to six months before your course

   Pay the £558 application fee and the health surcharge for the full visa length.

4. 4
   Biometrics and decision

   Standard processing is about three weeks; priority and super priority services are faster.

5. 5
   Travel with your eVisa

   The UK no longer issues BRPs: your status is a digital eVisa in your UKVI account.

The CAS Letter Process

The CAS is the key to your application. Most universities require a £2,000–2,500 deposit before issuing it, it is valid for six months, and you can only apply for your visa up to six months before your course starts.

The 28-Day Bank Statement Rule

You must show that the required funds have been in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days before you apply. If the balance dips below the required amount even once during those 28 days, your visa can be refused. This catches out thousands of applicants every year. Plan ahead and don't touch that money.

£776 a year for students, paid in full before your visa application is processed. Your visa usually runs a few months past your course, so a 12-month master’s typically costs £1,164 (one and a half years) and a two-year course about £1,940. This is on top of all other costs. (Chevening scholars are exempt from both the fee and the surcharge.)

Processing Times and Refusal Rates

Refusal rates have been rising, particularly for applications from certain countries. The common reasons: insufficient funds, missing documents and inconsistencies in the application. More UK visa info.

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