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Visiting Student - 6 Months or Less
Short-term Study Visa - English Language 6-11 Months
Repeats Including Exams/Attend Viva
A Standard Visitor visa lets you do a short course of study that lasts no longer than 6 months, provided you meet eligibility requirements.
Please note that if you are registered on a collaborative programme of study that is jointly awarded by the University of Southampton, you will need a Student visa, even if your study on our campus is less than 6 months in duration.
You can check if you need a visa and what type you need using the GOV.UK self checker. Depending on your nationality, you might not need to apply for a visa before you travel.
In terms of study, a Standard Visitor can come to the UK to:
- study a course at an accredited institution (meaning one or more consecutive or concurrent programmes of study that will be completed within the validity period of the visitor permission)
- complete a period of research
- complete research tuition (for example, to learn about research)
- complete one or more elective courses linked to their overseas study, where
they are studying medicine, veterinary medicine and science, nursing, midwifery or dentistry as
their principal course of study equivalent to at least degree level study in the UK - complete a study-abroad programme in the UK as part of an overseas course,
where the programme is less than 6 months in length - sit an entrance exam
- re-sit an examination or retake a module
- take an oral (viva) examination for part of a PhD qualification at a UK institution
Conditions of a Standard Visitor Visa
Check your decision letter or email for full details of the conditions of your visa.
You cannot:
- do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person
- live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits
- usually extend this visa for study or switch from a Standard Visitor visa to another type of visa in the UK
- do a course of study that lasts longer than 6 months
Applying for a Standard Visitor Visa
When to Apply
When you need to apply for your visa will depend if you are a visa national or not.
If you are a visa national, you must apply for a visa before you travel to the UK. You can check if you need to apply for a UK visa. You can also find a list of visa nationals in the Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Visa national list.
If you are not a visa national, you must prepare the correct documents to show at the UK Border. If you have a criminal record or a complicated immigration history, it is advisable to apply for a visa before you travel, even if you are not a visa national.
Please note: Even if you don't need to apply for a visa before travelling, you are still subject to the Standard Visitor visa conditions once you enter the UK.
If you are eligible for an Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW), you can use this visa type to study a programme which will be completed in less than 6 months.
Documents Required
You must request a Standard Visitor visa letter from your Faculty Office, after you have been unconditionally accepted on your programme of study. This will be needed as proof of the course(s) you will be studying whilst you are in the UK. You will need this letter to support your visa application, or you may need to show it to a Border Officer on your arrival in the UK.
The documents you must provide include an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if you are applying for postgraduate study or research in one of the subjects listed in the Immigration Rules Appendix ATAS. If you are not sure if your programme requires ATAS, check your offer letter or contact your Faculty Admissions Team. You can find information about ATAS on our ATAS webpage.
You can find full information about the other documents you must provide on the UK Government webpage:
Standard Visitor visa
Enrolling for your Programme
When you arrive in Southampton you will need to attend a 'Right to Study Check' before you begin studying.
You can find more information on the University enrolment and registration webpage.
Upon Arrival
You must provide evidence of your Visitor visa to the VISAS team. You will need to provide a copy of your Visitor visa or entry stamp in your passport. If you were permitted to use the eGates, please provide evidence of your date of arrival in the UK, such as an e-ticket or boarding pass.
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Useful Internal Links
The information contained in this website is believed to be correct at the time of publication.
Please note: The University of Southampton is not responsible for the content of any external websites.
A Short-term study visa lets you come to the UK to study an English language course that is over 6 months and up to 11 months, provided you meet eligibility requirements. For courses less than 6 months, please see the Visiting Student - '6 months or Less' tab.
You can check if you need a visa and what type you need using the GOV.UK self checker. Depending on your nationality, you might not need to apply for a visa before you travel.
You will need to request a Short-Term study visa letter from your Faculty Office, after you have been unconditionally accepted on your programme of study. This will be required as proof of the course(s) you will be studying whilst you are in the UK. You will need this letter to support your visa application, or you may need to show it to a Border Officer on your arrival in the UK.
Conditions of a Short-term Study Visa
Check your decision letter or email for full details of the conditions of your visa.
You cannot:
- study on any other course or change your course while in the UK
- work or carry out any business (this includes paid or unpaid work, work experience or work placements)
- extend this visa
- bring family members ("dependants") with you on this visa
Applying for a Visa
Please apply for a Short-term study visa if you are coming to study an English language course for 6-11 months.
Documents Required for Application
In addition to the Short-term Study visa letter, you can find full information about the other documents you must provide on the UK Government webpages: Short-term study visa
Enrolling for your Programme
When you arrive in Southampton you will need to attend a Right to Study check before you begin studying.
You can find more information on the University enrolment and registration webpage.
Upon Arrival
You must provide evidence of your Visitor visa to the VISAS team. You will need to provide a copy of your Visitor visa or entry stamp in your passport. If you were permitted to use the eGates, please provide evidence of your date of arrival in the UK, such as an e-ticket or boarding pass.
Useful External Links
Useful Internal Links
Contact Us
You can contact us by email and through online chat. We also offer online 1 to 1 appointments
The information contained in this website is believed to be correct at the time of publication.
Please note: The University of Southampton is not responsible for the content of any external websites.
If you are attending an exam/viva, you may be able to come to the UK on a Standard Visitor visa. Please see the 'Visiting Student - 6 months or Less' tab.
Repeating your studies including exams
You should speak to your Faculty in the first instance to find out what type of repeat is most suitable in your situation.
There are two types of repeat available:
- Repeat in attendance (also known as internal repeat): this can mean repeating the whole year in full, including attending all lectures and re-submitting all assessed work. It also usually requires you to pay full tuition fees to the University. However, it can also mean that you may be repeating a module, such as your dissertation.
- Repeat non-attending (also known as external repeat): this means that you only repeat the assessments for the year, but are not required to physically attend on campus, and you are usually not required to pay tuition fees.
If you repeat in attendance, you will normally be able to keep your Student visa, or if you meet the requirements, you may be able to extend your Student visa for your repeat year or repeat module(s).
If you repeat the year non-attending (externally) and you still have time remaining on your current CAS, we will be required to remove sponsorship of your Student visa. This means that your visa will be cancelled and you will be expected to either leave the UK or switch into a different visa category. If there is no time remaining on your CAS, it will not be possible to obtain a new CAS to extend your Student visa as an external repeat student.
Re-sit Exam
If resitting an exam as part of a repeat in attendance:
- You should extend your visa to complete your current period of study. You will be exempt from the academic progress requirement.
If resitting an exam as a repeat non-attending student (repeating externally) and your Student visa has expired/or your visa has been cancelled and you have left the UK:
- You should apply for a Standard Visitor visa to re-sit any exams. Please note that those with a Standard Visitor visa will need to return to their home country following the last exam, as the course cannot be completed within the UK on the Standard Visitor visa. Students who need to return here to resume their course in attendance, will need to request a new CAS in order to apply for a new Student visa from their home country - they cannot apply for the Student visa inside the UK.
What Happens to my Visa?
Standard Visitor visas are not suitable for students repeating in attendance. Please see the 'changing programme or repeating a year' tab on our webpage for more information on the appropriate visa.
Viva
If you are unable to complete your viva within the time allocated by your initial Student visa and your Faculty agree for you to leave the UK to write up your thesis, it is possible to return for your viva on a Standard Visitor visa, as it allows students to take an oral (viva) examination for part of a PhD qualification at a UK institution. However, it is not possible to remain in the UK to complete your corrections on the Standard Visitor visa or to complete your course here. Following your viva, you would need to leave the UK.
Alternatively, if you would prefer to remain in the UK for your viva and correction period, you may be able to apply for an extension to your existing Student visa.
Useful External Links
Useful Internal Links
Contact Us
You can contact us by email and through online chat. We also offer online 1 to 1 appointments
The information contained in this website is believed to be correct at the time of publication.
Please note: The University of Southampton is not responsible for the content of any external websites.