“Education is the passport to the future”. Studying in the UK can offer prospective international students a route to enhancing their existing education, by studying at world-class educational institutions. However, moving to the UK can be daunting without support of family. Read on to learn whether a family member in the UK can sponsor your Student visa.
What is a Student visa?
A Student visa allows international students to live, study and engage in limited types of work in the UK. To be eligible, a prospective applicant must be 16 years or older, have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor, have enough funds to pay for this course and also maintain themselves, have basic English speaking, reading and writing skills and have consent from their parents if they are 16 or 17.
What is a Student visa sponsor?
A Student visa sponsor isn’t actually an individual, it’s the licensed educational institution that provides prospective applicants an unconditional offer. You can find a list of licensed Student visa sponsors here.
You will have access to various full and part-time courses (including degree level and above), recognised foundation programmes for postgraduate doctors and dentists, and English language courses.
For more sensitive study and research topics, including subjects and research areas that could be utilised in Advanced Conventional Military Technology (“ACMT”) and weapons of mass destruction (“WMDs”), you may also require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (“ATAS”) certificate.
Once an educational institution has offered you a place on the course, your education provider will send you a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies number.
What about family sponsorship?
As part of your Student visa application, you will need to prove that you have enough money to pay for your course fee and to also support yourself while in the UK. It is worth keeping in mind that international students on a Student visa will not have access to public funds and will have to support themselves.
You must have access to enough money to pay for your course for one academic year, although this doesn’t apply if you have been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months.
When it comes to day-to-day expenditure, including living arrangements, food, recreation and more, you will need at least £1,334 per month for courses in London (for at least 9 months), and £1,023 per month (for at least 9 months) for courses outside of London.
To prove that you have the funds necessary to support both your course fee and your maintenance arrangements, you will need to provide evidence of the financial accounts relied upon. This can be bank accounts in your name, your parent’s or legal guardian’s, or other third parties (although the latter will require greater scrutiny and is more dependent on the discretion of a caseworker as outlined in the Home Office guidance released in 2024).
Any funds used as proof of your eligibility must be in the relevant account for a consecutive 28-day period. During this time, the funds cannot drop below the required amount for a single day, otherwise you risk contravening the Home Office requirements and having your application rejected. The 28-day period will be traced back from the closing balance of the account, and that closing balance cannot be more than 31 days old on the date of the application.
As part of your application, your parents, legal guardian or other family members in the UK may be able to help you demonstrate that you meet the financial requirements as outlined in the Immigration Rules for this Student visa route.
How Gherson can assist
Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an . Don’t forget to follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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