Visas and immigration
Last updated: 01/06/2023 12:26
If you’re planning to travel to the UK to study, you may need to apply for a visa before you travel.
Potential changes to 2023 immigration regulations
On 23 May 2023, the Home Office issued a statement that included information about potential changes to immigration regulations. Several points would impact Student Visa holders if implemented.
Please note that these are currently proposed changes only. They have not been written into law at this time and the rules remain as outlined in our guidance pages. We do not currently have any further information about the proposed changes. We will update our pages to reflect any confirmed changes as soon as this becomes possible.
The full Home Office statement can be read on the UK Parliament website and an explanation of how this may affect you can be found on the UKCISA website.
Types of visa
Student route visa
Most International students, including EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who do not hold permission under the EU Settlement Scheme, will need to apply for a Student Route visa before travelling in order to study in the UK.
Information about the requirements for this route can be found in our downloadable guides on this page. We also recommend accessing the UKCISA information and Home Office guidance:
UKCISA - international student advice and guidance - Student route: eligibility and requirements
Student visa: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Standard Visitor visa
If you are coming to the UK to study on a programme of under 6 months, for example, you will complete 1 semester of study abroad at Cardiff University, then you are eligible to do so with a Standard Visitor visa.
If you are a non-visa national, then you can apply for this at the border on arrival. You can apply in advance if you prefer.
If you are a visa national, then you must apply for this in advance. You can find further information about this route and the requirements here:
Help with your fee status
If you need help determining your fee status as an international student, you can refer to the regulations governing fee classification.
