The Student route enables EEA, Swiss and non-EEA nationals aged 16 and over to study at a licensed UK university, college or other higher education provider.

Key features

• Work: in some instances, Student migrants may work while in the UK. Where permitted, this right is restricted to a specified number of hours per week during term time, while full-time employment may be allowed out of term time (subject to limitations and exceptions). In most cases, neither permanent employment nor self-employment is allowed.
• Dependants: provided they meet certain criteria, Student migrants may bring dependent partners and/or children to live with them while they study in the UK.
• Switching: applicants can switch into the Student route from any immigration category, unless the applicant is in the UK as a visitor, Short-term Student, a Parent of a Child Student, a Seasonal Worker, a Domestic Worker in a Private Household, or was granted leave outside the Immigration Rules.
• Settlement: the Student route does not lead to settlement in the UK, but time spent under the category can count towards ten years lawful residence for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) purposes.

We assist prospective students with obtaining their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the licensed sponsor and manage the entire immigration application process. Once the application is approved, we provide advice on the criteria students would be expected to meet on future applications.

Fixed fees
We work on a fixed fee basis. Our fees for individual Student applications typically range between £4,000 – £15,000+ plus VAT and disbursements depending upon the issues, urgencies and complexities involved.

Disbursements
You can expect the main disbursements to include:

• Home Office filing fees (click here for the government’s visa/entry clearance fee calculator and here for a list of all Home Office fees);
• Immigration Health Surcharge fees, if applicable;
• Optional premium service fees for in-country and out-of-country applications; and
• other ancillary disbursements such as UK National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC), biometric enrolment, translations, courier and postage charges, etc.

Dependants
For our fees on advising on dependant applications, please refer to our Dependants section. Dependants typically incur the same disbursements as main applicants.