How to apply for a Student Route Visa overseas after your CAS has been assigned

On this page you will find general information to help you complete your Student Visa application plus clarification on answers for the application form. Please contact us if you have further questions about how to apply for a Student Visa.

You will need to enter a personal email address on the Visa application. Please do not use a QQ email address. The Home Office will use the email you put on your application form to contact you if necessary and a QQ email is not reliable.

If you are starting a new course at Kingston University, you will be able to request your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) after you accept an unconditional offer. The admissions team will provide you with the relevant login and password details.

Please send any queries relating to your CAS to the CAS team at cas@kingston.ac.uk

If you have taken a break in studies, you must re-enrol on your course before you are able to request a CAS via OSIS.

Proving your identity

As part of your application, you'll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you're from and the type of passport or resident permit you have.

You'll either:

  • Use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check' app to scan your identity document - you'll also create or sign in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. Follow the instructions listed on the Using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check' app webpage.
  • Give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point - this is to get a biometric residence permit.

You'll be told what you need to do when you apply for your student visa.

Do all my supporting documents have to be originals?

Your supporting documents should be scanned copies of the original documents. You are required to have all your original supporting documents in date when you submit your Student Route Visa application and upload scanned copies of the originals. If you qualify under differential evidence, the Home Office caseworker can ask to see this evidence at any time during the application process. If you are asked to provide any evidence and fail to provide it by the deadline, your student visa application may be refused. If you are asked to scan and upload supporting documents these must be clear copies of the original documents.

Nationals who hold a passport which shows they are registered as a British National (Overseas), or which was issued by the competent authorities of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR or Taiwan (which includes the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan), or nationals from the countries on the list below do not have to upload evidence of their qualifications, or finances at the time they submit their student visa application.

  • Australia, Austria
  • Bahrain Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria
  • Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic
  • Denmark, The Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France
  • Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan
  • Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
  • Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico
  • Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman
  • Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania
  • Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
  • Thailand, Tunisia
  • United Arab Emirates, United States of America

* Those who hold a passport issued by Taiwan that includes the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan.

What original documents do I need?

  • Current passport personal page
  • ATAS certificate if applicable (certain Science and Engineering courses only) (if applicable)
  • All documents listed on your CAS, e.g., Academic and/or English qualifications, Financial sponsor/educational loan letter (if applicable) and ATAS certificate (if applicable)
  • If you are officially financially sponsored by your Government, an up-to-date Financial Sponsor letter
  • If you are receiving an Educational Loan (the loan must be provided by your national government, state or regional government, or by a government sponsored student loan company or be part of an academic or educational loans scheme you will need a Loan letter that confirms it is regulated by the appropriate body, there are no conditions on release of funds and the funds will be made available to you before you travel to the UK.
  • If you are self-funded, you can show your personal bank statement/letter, or a bank statement/letter in your parents' bank account or in a joint bank account showing your name and another name. The required funds must be held in the account for 28 consecutive days prior to submitting your student route visa application. The balance must not fall below the required amount on any day in the 28-day period. The date of the closing balance must not be earlier than 31 days from the date you submit your student route visa application.
  • If you use your parents' bank statement/letter, you will also be required to show your original Birth Certificate and a consent letter from your parents confirming you can use their funds for your tuition fees and living costs.
  • You must show maintenance of £1,334 per month up to 9 months (£12,006*) plus any unpaid tuition fees for the next academic year. You can look up the course fees on our website. (Click on either undergraduate or postgraduate, whichever is relevant to you, and find your course. Click on fees and check the tuition fees for overseas students. If you are repeating modules only, check with the finance team what your tuition fees are.)
    *From 2 January 2025, this amount will increase to £13,347.
  • If you are using an overseas currency, you will need to provide a currency conversion from OANDA and convert the money into (GBP£). Please upload the conversion page to show the lowest balance in the 28-day period and also the closing balance of your bank statement converted into (GBP£) on the day you submit your Student Visa application.
  • A debit/credit card to pay for your Immigration Health Charge and Student Visa application fee.

Translations

If any documents are not in English, you are required to have the documents officially translated into English.

The original must be accompanied by a fully certified translation by a professional translator/translation company. This translation must include:

  1. Details of the translator/translation company's credentials; and
  2. Confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document; and the
  3. Translator/translation company's contact details.
  4. It must also be dated and include the original signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company.

Protecting yourself from scams

For all the latest information and advice to help protect yourself against possible frauds and scams, we recommend reading the guidance on the UKCISA website.

Completing the Student Route Visa application

Save each page as you complete the Visa application.

When you wish to leave the application click on, ‘return to this application later' and then tick the green email box. An email will be sent to your email address that you used on your Visa application form. When you want to go back into your Student Visa application you click on the link in the email.

Do not go past the page where it asks you to check your answers if you need help to complete the form. You will see the word ‘change' all down the right-hand side. At this point if you have questions for the Student Immigration Advisory Service, you can download a PDF copy of the application, for reference. Just click on your name on the top right-hand corner of the application where a dropdown will show 'download PDF' or 'sign out'. You can then contact us with any questions you have before submitting your visa application online.

If you do not require assistance you can complete and submit your application.

How much does the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) cost?

The Immigration Health Surcharge is currently £776 per year and £388 for any additional period up to 6 months.

How much is the Student Route Visa application fee?

This will depend on which service you use. The cost of a standard Student Route Visa application overseas is equivalent to £490 but if you use a fast-track service it will be more expensive.

 

Answers to questions on the Student Route Visa application

Your academic level

You will find the academic level on your CAS information.

If you are going to study:

  • an undergraduate degree course, choose RQF 6 / SCQF 9/10 from the drop-down menu.
  • a postgraduate degree course, choose RQF 7 / SCQF 11 from the drop-down menu.
  • a PhD programme, choose RQF 8 / SCQF 12 from the drop-down menu.

Type of Institution

Please select Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance.

English language

Check the information on your CAS and tick YES to the correct answer.

Tick NO to all the other questions about English.

Sponsor licence number and address

The Sponsor licence number is W31HWWPAX 

The Sponsor address is: 

River House
53-57 High Street
Kingston upon Thames
Surrey
KT1 1LQ

Your study address

Your study address is different, and it will be one of the following – please check your CAS and
insert the correct study address:

Knights Park Campus
Grange Road
Kingston upon Thames
Surrey
KT1 2QJ

Penrhyn Road Campus
Penrhyn Road
Kingston upon Thames
Surrey
KT1 2EE

Kingston Hill Campus
Kingston Hill Road
Kingston upon Thames
Surrey
KT2 7LB

Roehampton Vale Campus
Friars Avenue
Wandsworth
London
SW15 3DW

International identity card number

Details of your international identity card number from your home country (if you have one).

Authorising authority: Start and end dates.

You are not required to submit your international ID card with your Visa application.

National Insurance Number

If you have lived in the UK before and applied for one for work.

UCAS number

If you are an undergraduate student and applied through UCAS the number will be on your CAS.

Where you will be living in the UK

If you know where you will be living, write the full address and post code.

If you do not know where you will be living, tick NO and provide details of what you intend to do if asked.

There is also a box at the end of the application form to add more information if necessary.

Tuberculosis certificate

Do I need a tuberculosis certificate?

  • Yes – You will need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if you're coming to the UK for more than 6 months and are resident in any of these listed countries.
  • No – If you have lived for at least 6 months in a country where TB screening is not required by the UK, and you have not been away from that country for more than 6 months.

Collecting your BRP

Kingston University is an Alternative Collection Location (ACL) and therefore offers an on-campus BRP collection service.

When completing your student visa application form, please use our ACL code: 3HE437.

Your BRP will then be sent directly to us so that you can collect it on campus once you have arrived in the UK.

Please note:

  • Do not enter the University postcode as this will delay the delivery of your BRP.
  • If you wish to collect your BRP at a post office near where you will be staying when you first arrive in the UK, you can enter the postcode of your chosen post office instead of the ACL code.
  • Your visa 'decision letter' will state which location your BRP has been sent to. You will receive the decision letter before you leave for the UK.
  • You will need your passport and decision letter to collect your BRP.
  • Our online portal for booking your BRP collection will open in due course, further details will be updated on this page.

Contact us

You can email immigrationadvice@kingston.ac.uk if you have any questions about your Student Visa application. Remember to always include your full name and Kingston University student number.

Visa Application Centres

Please visit the following websites for information on Visa Application Centres overseas:

  • For Europe, Africa, and parts of the Middle East visit: TLScontact
  • For all other countries visit: VFS.Global

More information

For more information on applying for a Student Route Visa from overseas please see: