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United Kingdom
Student visa (eVisa) — Standard Visitor for study may apply under 6 months
Verified 2026-02-19 · Primary source (gov.uk)
The UK is the odd one out in our coverage: not Schengen, not EU, and you have TWO possible visa routes. The Standard Visitor visa (GBP 135, no IHS) covers most exchange semesters up to 6 months, but only if your host issues a plain admission letter. If your host issues a CAS, you MUST use the Student visa (GBP 558 + IHS GBP 776/year). Ask them in writing before applying.
Visa fee
GBP 558 — + IHS GBP 776/year
≈ ₹71,558/yr
Proof of funds
GBP 1,136-1,483/mo
≈ ₹1,45,681 – ₹1,90,180/mo
Processing
3 weeks (standard)
Apply before
90 days
Live rate (ECB via frankfurter.app), as of 6 Aug 2026: £1 = ₹128.24
Consular jurisdiction · India
Which center covers your home state?
For a long-stay / national visa, you must apply through the center covering your home state — Schengen short-stay visas are more flexible, this rule applies specifically to the long-stay visa exchange students need.
Confirm your applicable center
United Kingdom consular jurisdictions vary — Delhi / Mumbai / Chennai / Kolkata / Bengaluru handle different Indian states, and the split is not centrally mirrored on a single Indian-side page. Check the country's own India consular website + your appointment booking flow to confirm which office covers your home state.
Consular jurisdiction depends on your home state — confirm your specific center when booking your appointment.
Book at this center Official checklist
What you need for United Kingdom
- Student visa online application (gov.uk)
- Passport valid entire stay
- CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from host
- Proof of funds. GBP 1,136/month (outside London) or GBP 1,483/month (London), held ≥ 28 days
- TB test certificate (some applicant categories)
- Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) if required for course
- Application fee GBP 490 + Immigration Health Surcharge GBP 776/year
- Enrol biometrics at VFS UK
Nikshala partner services
Services in scope for United Kingdom
Vetted partners for the practical parts of your move. Referral partners help fund Ministry of Exchange. Nikshala products are shipped in-house.
Accommodation
Temporary stay while you search
Partner links: Ministry of Exchange may earn a commission if you sign up through this partner. Official actions above are never re-ranked by fees.
Nikshala products: Provided by Nikshala.
First decision
Two possible routesWhich visa route applies to you?
Ask your host university before you start any application: are they issuing you a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies), or just a standard offer / admission letter? That single answer decides which of the two routes you use.
Decision criterion · Does the host university issue a CAS?
A
Standard Visitor visa (study)
Host issues a standard offer / admission letter (NO CAS). Programme ≤ 6 months.
Fee
GBP 135
Health surcharge
None required
Max duration
Up to 6 months
- Cannot switch to another visa route from inside the UK
- Cannot work
- No public-fund access; no NHS enrolment (carry travel insurance)
The right route for most exchange semesters that stay under 6 months and where the host institution isn't formally sponsoring you.
B
Student visa (with CAS)
Host issues a CAS — this is required for the Student route.
Fee
GBP 558
Health surcharge
GBP 776 / year (Immigration Health Surcharge)
Max duration
Length of the CAS course
- Full student route — more paperwork, more cost
- Grants access to NHS via the IHS
- May permit limited part-time work depending on level of study
Required if the host issues a CAS, even for a short exchange. If in doubt, ask the host's international office in writing.
Message you can send now
Message you can send to your host now: "For the exchange starting <date>, will you be issuing me a CAS, or a standard offer letter? I need to confirm whether to apply for the Student visa or the Standard Visitor visa."
Legal & identity
Set up your UKVI account & eVisa · Before or immediately on arrival
The UK no longer issues a physical BRP card. Both routes rely on an eVisa proven through your UKVI account — no digital account, no way to demonstrate status to a landlord, bank or employer.
- 1Create the UKVI account with the exact email you used for the visa application.
- 2Link your visa decision to the UKVI account (you'll get a share code you can pass to landlords / employers).
- 3Save your eVisa PDF and share code before flying — network reception at UK arrival is unreliable.
UKVI Account · eVisa
There is no physical residence card. Everything runs off the UKVI account and the share code it generates.
www.gov.uk/evisa Home & essentials
SIM, groceries, marketplace.
Supermarkets
TescoSainsbury'sASDALidl UKAldi UKMorrisonsWaitrose
SIM / Mobile
giffgaff (simplest no-contract SIM for a short stay)Lebara (short-stay-friendly, cheap international minutes)EEThreeO2Vodafone UK
Marketplace
GumtreeeBay UKFacebook Marketplace
Food delivery
DeliverooUber EatsJust Eat
Free / non-monetised · Rooms & short-let rentals
Money & digital
Bank, statutory health cover, doctor booking.
Banks
Monzo (fastest passport-only setup)Starling (fastest passport-only setup)BarclaysHSBCLloydsNatWest
Doctor booking
Doctify
Blocked account, forex and insurance partners → see Nikshala partner services above.
Mobility
Trains, rideshare, rentals, cross-Europe rail.
Trains & tickets
TrainlineNational Rail app
Rideshare
UberBolt
Car rental
EuropcarSixtHertzAvisEnterprise
Eurail / Interrail does NOT cover the UK
Interrail and Eurail passes are NOT valid on UK domestic rail (National Rail, TfL, Scotrail, etc.) and are NOT valid on Eurostar between London and the continent. If you're planning weekend trips to Paris/Brussels/Amsterdam, book Eurostar tickets separately.
Notable universities
London Business SchoolImperial College Business SchoolLSEUniversity of Cambridge — JudgeUniversity of Oxford — SaïdUniversity of Manchester (AMBS)Warwick Business SchoolUniversity of BirminghamUniversity of Edinburgh Business SchoolUniversity of Glasgow — Adam Smith
Major cities · train app
London (10 partners)Birmingham (4)Glasgow (3)Manchester (2)Huddersfield (2)Cardiff (2)Leeds (2)Sheffield (2)Hull (2)Loughborough (2)Bradford (1)Durham (1)Aberdeen (1)Keele (1)Bristol (1)
Trainline · National Rail app