Visa advice for EU and EEA students

We welcome students from all over the world, and offer specialist visa advice for EU and EEA students ahead of your arrival. Most international students will need a visa to study in the UK. The type of visa you apply for depends on many factors including your nationality (passport issuing country), age, course type and length. 

It is really easy to check if you need a visa on the UK Government website.

The UK Government have created a leaflet with key information, including required documentation and the application process.

We are a licensed education sponsor and we can issue you with documents to support your visa application such as Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS).

The table below is a guide that outlines and visa type you may need for our courses.

The list is not exhaustive and visa types may vary according to your individual circumstances.  If you are unsure please go to UK Government Visa and Immigration or contact us at complianceteam@stclares.ac.uk

If you apply for a Student Route Visa you will need to prove your knowledge of English through a SELT at an approved provider.  Please click on the link here for approved tests and testing centres.

Students from EU/EEA or Switzerland

Students travelling with nationality/passport issued from EU, EEA countries or Switzerland do not need visas to study in the UK for 6 months or less.

You must provide a valid passport. Your passport should be valid for the whole of your stay in the UK.

You may also be asked to prove that:

• you’ve been accepted on to a course by an accredited institution, for example, a letter of acceptance on official headed paper stating the course name, duration and cost
• you’re able to support yourself during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
• you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else)
• you’ve arranged accommodation for your stay
• you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit

If you’re under 18 and travelling alone. You may need to provide a letter from your parent or guardian, giving their contact details and consent for you to travel to the UK.

• the details of where you’re staying in the UK
• their consent for you to stay at the College or with the person named in the letter

Online immigration status (eVisa)

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital immigration system. This means they are replacing physical documents with an online record of your immigration status. This is known as an eVisa.

The documents being replaced are:

• biometric residence permits (BRP)
• biometric residence cards (BRC)
• passport endorsements, such as indefinite leave to enter wet ink stamps
• vignette stickers in passports, such as entry clearance or visa vignettes

From April 2024 BRP holders are being emailed directly with instructions on how to create UKVI account to access their eVisa. BRP holders should visit www.gov.uk/evisa for the latest information.

In the future you’ll be able to use an eVisa to travel to the UK – you will not need to carry a physical document, except for your current passport, which must be registered to your UKVI account. Until the end of 2024 you will need to continue to carry your physical document when you travel, if you have one. 

You need to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status and conditions, such as your right to work or rent in the UK.

What is an eVisa?