If you are coming to City for a short period of study, you need to enter the UK under the Standard Visitor route.
The Standard Visitor route allows students to come to the UK for a period of up to 6 months (per calendar year) in order to undertake a short course of study, or complete certain academic requirements of their course after their Student visa has expired. The Standard Visitor Route is the required route for the following City students:
- Visiting / Occasional students on courses of 6 months or less
- Undergraduate / Masters students who need to return to resit exams
- Some PhD students who need to re-enter the UK only to attend their viva
- Undertaking distance-learning programmes who need to come to the UK to attend a short induction or face-to-face module.
Not all nationalities are required to have been granted a visa before travelling to the UK. You can check if you need a visa and what type you need using the GOV.UK self checker. Depending on your nationality, you might not need to apply for a visa before you travel.
Visa nationals
- Anyone whose nationality is listed on the Government's Visa national list is classed as a ‘visa national’.
- Visa nationals must always have been granted a visa before coming to the UK. This is known as ‘entry clearance’.
- An application must be made online.
- Applications should not be submitted more than three months before the intended date of travel.
- An application can be submitted in any country where the applicant is legally present, and does not have to be made from the individual’s country of residence (source: UKVI guidance)
Non-Visa nationals
Citizens of certain countries are non-visa nationals (scroll to Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Visa national list - if your country is NOT on the list, then you are a non-visa national) are able to come to the UK as a Standard Visitor without first applying for Entry Clearance (a visa issued as a sticker in your passport).
Instead, these citizens can be stamped in on arrival as at the UK border, or enter the UK through eGates. If you enter the UK as a Standard Visitor you can remain for a maximum period of 6 months per calendar year.
What is an ETA?
An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a digital permission to travel that is part of the plans to transform and digitise the UK border.
An ETA will soon be a requirement for people who are entering the UK for less than 6 months. This will include international (and EU) students entering the UK as a Visitor to study and undertake research at UK universities. British and Irish nationals will not require an ETA.
When does the ETA scheme start?
The following countries will require an ETA from the dates listed below:
- Qatar – 15 November 2023
- Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates – 22 February 2024
The ETA scheme will replace Electronic Visa Waivers (EVW) for visitors to the UK who are nationals of: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates.
Throughout 2024 the ETA scheme will be rolled out in phases to different nationality groups.
How to apply?
Individuals should apply for an ETA before booking travel to the UK through the ‘UK ETA app’ or by searching for ‘apply for an ETA to come to the UK’ on GOV.UK.
To apply for an ETA, you will need to:
- Pay a fee
- Provide contact and passport details
- Provide a valid photo, complying with the rules for digital photos on GOV.UK
- Answer a set of questions
Cost and Validity
An ETA will cost £10 per applicant when the scheme opens for nationals from the Gulf states and Jordan, permit multiple journeys and will be valid for two years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.
If you are refused an ETA, you will need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa.
Further information
For official updates regarding the UK ETA scheme, please visit GOV.UK.