FAQS UK Visas

You can stay in the UK as a student in an accredited institution (like Nacel English School London) without needing a visa for up to 6 months.

You need a valid passport, which has to be valid for the whole time you are in the UK.

If you are under 18 and travelling alone, you may need a letter from your parent or your guardian telling their contact details and consent for you to travel to the UK.

You also need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation, unless you are an Irish citizen. Further information about eligibility can be found here: Visiting the UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen – GOV.UK. A factsheet about ETAs can also be found here: Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) factsheet – 2 April 2025 – Home Office in the media. In addition, here is a useful video about how to apply for an ETA: How to Apply For a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – YouTube.

You will not be able to do paid or unpaid work (this includes work experience or work placements).

You have to apply for a Short-term study visa for English language courses lasting longer than 6 months and up to 11 months.

You can stay in the UK for the length of the course plus an extra 30 days if your stay is no longer than 11 months.

If you are under 18, you can apply for a Child Student visa.

You will have to prove that:

• You will study in an accredited institution for up to 11 months;
• You have enough money to support your trip;
• You can pay for your return journey.

If you are under 18, you will need the consent of your parent or guardian to study in the UK.

Once in the UK, you will not be able to:

• do paid or unpaid work (this includes work experience or work placements);
• extend your visa ;
• bring family members (dependents) with you on this visa.

You can apply online before coming to the UK. Find a visa application centre here.

You need a Student Visa.

For information about the student visa, please see the following link: Student visa : Overview – GOV.UK.

Whether you need a visa or not depends on your country of origin.

You can quickly check if you need a visa here.

If you need a visa, the type of visa you need depends on the length of your course:

• Less than 6 months: Standard Visitor Visa
• More than 6 and less than 11 months : Short-Term Study Visa
• More than 11 months: Student Visa 

If you do not need a visa, you will need to apply for an ETA instead. A factsheet about ETAs can also be found here: Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) factsheet – 2 April 2025 – Home Office in the media. In addition, here is a useful video about how to apply for an ETA: How to Apply For a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – YouTube.

To check if people of your nationality can apply for an ETA now, please see the following webpage: Check if you can get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) – GOV.UK.

Yes.

If you need to apply for a visa, please follow the process below:

1) Complete the enrolment form, making sure you read the conditions of enrolment carefully.

2) Please send us a copy of the following documents:

• Passport (we need your passport to issue you an accurate visa letter): with a blank page for your visa
• For Student visas: Proof of your English Level showing that you are currently at a B1 Level of English (on the Common European Framework of Reference) and that you can start a course at the B2 level. Consult official information here about the recognized Secure English language Test and test centres 

3) For Student Visas, once we have received the above documents we will need to evaluate them and then arrange a Skype interview in order to ensure the course of your choice is suitable for your needs.

4) We will send you an invoice and then you will be required to pay your programme fees. You must pay all your fees in advance. We cannot issue any visa-supporting documentation until you have done this.

5) Depending on your required visa, we will issue you with a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies CAS Statement or a letter to support your visa application.

6) Once you have received your visa and booked your flights, please inform us of your arrival date and flight details.

We look forward to welcoming you to Nacel English School London.

Yes.

If the visa application is refused, providing we receive the full official documentation from the British Embassy, including the last page with the signature of the clearance officer & date of refusal, we will refund the student in full with the exception of £290 administration fee. The course registration fee is non-refundable. For students that have been issued with a CAS an additional £420 administration fee will be charged – the CAS fee is non-refundable. All bank charges incurred are to be paid by the student. Refunds will only be considered if applied for before the starting date of the course and within a maximum of 12 weeks of the visa refusal date.

Please note that, for students who require a visa to the UK, once documentation has been issued to support their visa application, no refund will be given without official documentation confirming that the application has been unsuccessful.

You need to consider the cost of your visa application, which depends on the type of visa you apply for.

For information on visa application fees depending on your country and visa type, please use the following link: Visa Application Fees.

Provided you supply the correct documentation at the correct time, you may be able to receive a faster decision on your visa (usually within 5 working days) using the ‘priority service’ or a decision by the end of the next working day using the ‘super priority service’. For more information on prices for this and other details, please see the following page: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision – GOV.UK.

Please apply early enough to start your course on time. For information about how long a decision usually takes for visa applications, please see the following webpage: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK – GOV.UK.

It depends on the visa you apply for.

• There is usually financial evidence you need to provide: you will need to prove that you have enough financial resources to support yourself while in the UK. You may also have to prove that you already paid your course fees in full.
• You may also need to prove your student accommodation while in England.
• Depending on your country of origin, you may also have to take a Tuberculosis test.
• If you are under 18, your parents will need to prove that they agree with your trip.

Depending on your situation, there can be a variety of documentation required. Inquire early to have the time to collect them and translate them into English.

Please check the following link for specific documents you need for your situation: Check if you need a UK visa – GOV.UK.

It is recommended that you start the process at least 3 months before your intended course start date.