You can apply for a Child Student visa if you’re between 4 and 17 years old and you want to study at an independent school in the UK.

You must:

have an unconditional offer of a place on a course at an independent school

be able to show you’ll have access to enough money to support you in the UK and pay for your course

have the consent of your parent or guardian to study in the UK - you’ll need to prove this when you apply

If you’re 18 or over, apply for a Student visa instead.

This visa has replaced the Tier 4 (Child) student visa.

When to apply

When you can apply depends on whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.

Applying from outside the UK

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course.

You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.

Applying from inside the UK

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts.

You must apply before your current visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring.

You’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.

How long you can stay

How long you can stay depends on your age the date you apply and the length of your course.

How long you can stay

Under 16Course length (up to 6 years) plus 4 months afterwards

16 or 17Course length (up to 3 years) plus 4 months afterward

When you can travel to the UK

You can arrive up to 1 month before your course starts, but no earlier than the start date given on your visa.

Staying longer in the UK

You may be able to:

extend your visa if you’re eligible, for example, to continue your studies in the UK

switch to a Child Student visa from another visa if you’re already in the UK.

You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.

How much you pay depends on how long your visa lasts. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.

What you can and cannot do

You can study at an independent school.

If you’re 16 or over you can work:

part-time during term for up to 10 hours per week

full-time during vacations

on a work placement as part of your course (but not for more than 50% of your course)

You cannot:

study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school) or further or higher education institution

get public funds (benefits)

take a full-time permanent job or be self-employed

work as a professional sportsperson (for example a sports coach) or entertainer

apply for settlement

bring family members (‘dependants’) - if a parent wants to accompany you, they’ll need to apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa

If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Child Student visa.