Once you have your visa

Mae'r cynnwys hwn ar gael yn Saesneg yn unig.

There are restrictions on the amount of time you can stay in the UK before and after your studies.

Arriving before your course starts

The start date of your course will be stated in the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) email you receive from us.

Courses lasting six months or more

You can travel to the UK up to one month before your course start date if your visa is for a course of six months or more (undergraduate or postgraduate courses) or for a pre-sessional English language course.

Courses lasting less than six months

You will only be able to come to the UK seven days before the course start date if you're coming for a course that is less than six months and is not a pre-sessional English language course.

Length of study

Students coming to the UK on a Student visa are limited to studying five years on courses at degree level.

There are some exceptions to this but most students will be subject to the 5-year limit. For more information please visit the UKCISA web pages.

If you're currently studying in the UK or have studied here in the past and you are worried about whether your visa application might be refused because it would result in going over the time limit, please contact the International Office at international@cardiff.ac.uk before you apply for your Student visa.

How long your visa will be valid

Type and length of course	Length of stay allowed	Example of course
12 months or more	The full length of the course + four months after the end of your course	Undergraduate or Master's
Six months or more but less than 12 months	The full length of the course + two months after the end of your course	International Foundation Programme
Pre-sessional course of less than six months	The full length of the course + one month after the end of your course	English Language Pre-sessional course
Course of less than six months that is not a pre-sessional course	The full length of the course + seven days after the end of your course	English for University Study (EfUS) Programme
Postgraduate doctor or dentist	The full length of the course + one month after the end of your course

If you think you are not given the correct length of time to complete your course, in the first instance you should contact the visa post at which your application was made. If you are already in the UK, our International Student Support Team (ISS) can contact the Home Office on your behalf to try and correct any mistakes. A request for an amendment should be submitted within 14 days of you receiving your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). Please contact studentconnect@cardiff.ac.uk as soon as possible after you arrive if you have a problem.