UK Student Visa 2026: Complete Guide for International Students Coming to Manchester

The UK remains one of the most popular study destinations in the world, and the Student visa is the main route for anyone aged 16 or over who wants to study a full-time course at a UK college or university. The rules changed significantly during 2024 and 2025, and further changes take effect during 2026 and into 2027. This guide from the immigration team at MCR Solicitors in Manchester explains, in plain English, how the Student route works in 2026, what you need to prove, the common mistakes that lead to refusals, and what your options are after you graduate.

Immigration fees, maintenance amounts, processing times and English language thresholds change regularly. Throughout this guide we give you the framework and tell you exactly which figures to confirm on gov.uk before you apply. Always check the current published amounts, because applying on out-of-date information is one of the most common reasons visas are refused.

What is the UK Student visa?

The Student route (which replaced the old Tier 4 (General) route in 2020) allows you to come to, or stay in, the UK to study a full-time course with an approved education provider known as a licensed student sponsor. It applies to degree courses, foundation courses, some below-degree-level courses, and certain independent school study for children aged 16 and 17.

It is a points-based route. You must score 70 points in total, made up of three parts:

• Study (50 points): you have a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed student sponsor for a course at an acceptable level.
• Financial requirement (10 points): you can show you have enough money to cover your course fees and your living costs.
• English language (10 points): you can prove you meet the required standard of English.

If you only want to take a short English language course of between six and eleven months, you may need the separate Short-term study visa instead. Most academic courses are covered by the Student route.

Who can apply for a Student visa in 2026?

To apply from inside or outside the UK you must generally be able to show that you:

• are aged 16 or over;
• have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor, evidenced by a CAS;
• can speak, read, write and understand English to the required level;
• have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course; and
• have consent from a parent or guardian if you are 16 or 17.

You must also be a genuine student. Caseworkers can interview applicants and refuse cases where they are not satisfied the applicant genuinely intends to study, so your answers, your finances and your study history all need to be consistent.

The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

Your CAS is a unique reference number issued by your education provider once you have an unconditional offer and have usually paid any required deposit. It is not a document you upload; it is an electronic record. You cannot apply for a Student visa without one, and it is only valid for use within a set period after it is issued, so timing matters.

Check your CAS carefully before you apply. It should correctly state your name, date of birth, course, course dates, fees, any deposit already paid, and the documents the sponsor used to assess you. If anything is wrong, ask your sponsor to correct it before you submit, because your application will be checked against the CAS.

Academic progression

If you are extending your studies in the UK, you generally need to show academic progression - usually that your new course is at a higher level than your last, or a genuine continuation of it. There are exceptions, and your sponsor will normally confirm progression on the CAS.

ATAS certificates

Some postgraduate courses in sensitive science, engineering and technology subjects require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before you apply. Your offer letter or CAS will tell you if ATAS applies. Apply for it early, as it can take time to be granted.

The financial (maintenance) requirement

You must show you have enough money to pay for your course and to support yourself. In broad terms this means:

• Course fees: the outstanding fees for your first year of study (or the full fee if the course is shorter than a year), after deducting any deposit already paid, as shown on your CAS; plus
• Living costs (maintenance): a fixed monthly amount for up to nine months. There is a higher monthly rate for courses in London and a lower rate for courses outside London, including Manchester.

The exact monthly maintenance figures are set by the Home Office and are reviewed periodically. Do not rely on old figures - confirm the current London and outside-London monthly amounts on gov.uk before you calculate your total.

The 28-day rule and holding the funds

The money must usually have been held in your account (or your parents' account, with supporting documents) for a consecutive 28-day period, and the closing balance date on your evidence must be within 31 days of the date you apply. Your funds must not dip below the required amount at any point in that 28-day window. Getting this wrong - for example, a large deposit that was only in the account for a few days - is one of the most frequent causes of refusal.

When you may not need to show funds

You may be exempt from showing maintenance if, for example, you have been living lawfully in the UK for 12 months or more before you apply, or if you are fully financially sponsored by an official government or international sponsor. Check whether an exemption applies to you before gathering bank statements.

Meeting the English language requirement

You must prove your knowledge of English in reading, writing, speaking and listening. The level required depends on your course:

• Degree level and above: generally CEFR level B2.
• Below degree level: generally CEFR level B1.

You can usually meet this by passing an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, by holding a qualifying degree that was taught in English, or, for some applicants, by being a national of a majority English-speaking country. Universities can also assess your English themselves in certain cases and confirm this on your CAS. Note that the Home Office increased English requirements for some routes from early 2026, so confirm the current level for your situation.

How and when to apply

You apply online on gov.uk. As part of the process you will:

1. Complete the online application form for the Student route.
2. Pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which gives you access to the NHS during your stay. The IHS is charged per year of your visa and is a significant cost - budget for it separately.
3. Prove your identity, either by attending a visa application centre to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo) or by using the UK Immigration: ID Check smartphone app, depending on your nationality and document type.
4. Upload your supporting documents.

You can generally apply up to six months before your course starts if you are applying from outside the UK, and up to three months before if you are applying from inside the UK. Standard decision times are published by the Home Office and are typically around three weeks for applications from outside the UK, but these change - check the current guidance and consider priority services if you need a faster decision.

eVisas and proving your status

The UK has moved from physical Biometric Residence Permits to eVisas. Instead of a card, your immigration status is held digitally and you access it through a UKVI account online. You will need to create and check your account, and you can generate a share code to prove your right to study, work or rent to third parties. Keep your account details and contact information up to date.

Working on a Student visa

Whether you can work, and how much, is stated on your visa and depends on your course level and sponsor type:

• Students studying a full-time degree-level course at a higher education provider can usually work up to 20 hours per week during term time, and full-time during official holidays.
• Students on courses below degree level at a higher education provider are typically limited to 10 hours per week during term time.
• Certain conditions apply - you generally cannot be self-employed, work as a professional sportsperson, or fill a permanent full-time vacancy while studying.

Breaching your work conditions is a serious matter that can lead to curtailment of your visa and future refusals. Always check the exact wording of the conditions on your own grant.

Bringing dependants: the 2026 rules

The rules on bringing family members changed significantly and are now much more restrictive. In 2026, most students cannot bring dependants (a partner or children). You can generally only bring dependants if:

• you are studying a full-time postgraduate research course - a PhD, other doctoral qualification, or a research-based higher degree - of at least nine months; or
• you are a government-sponsored student on a course lasting longer than six months.

Crucially, students on taught master's degrees - previously the largest group bringing family - can no longer sponsor dependants under the Student route. If you already have dependants in the UK from a previous grant, transitional arrangements may apply, so take advice on your specific circumstances.

After your studies: the Graduate route

The Graduate route lets eligible students who have successfully completed a UK degree stay to work, or look for work, at any skill level after they finish - without needing a job offer or an employer sponsor. This is a major reason many students choose the UK.

The length of the Graduate route is currently:

• 2 years for those who have completed a bachelor's or master's degree; and
• 3 years for PhD and other doctoral graduates.

The government announced in the 2025 Immigration White Paper its intention to reduce the standard Graduate route from 2 years to 18 months. At the time of writing the exact start date for this change had not been confirmed, so check gov.uk for the current duration and any implementation date before you rely on it.

You must be in the UK and hold a valid Student visa when you apply for the Graduate route, and your university must have told the Home Office that you have completed your course. The Graduate route cannot be extended and does not itself lead to settlement, but you can switch into a work route such as the Skilled Worker visa if you find a qualifying job. Wider reforms to student and post-study migration were announced in the 2025 Immigration White Paper, so check gov.uk for the latest position before relying on any figure or timescale here.

Switching to a work visa

Many students move from the Student or Graduate route to the Skilled Worker visa. This requires a job offer from a licensed sponsor at the required skill level, paying at or above the relevant salary threshold. Salary thresholds and the list of eligible occupations have been rising and changing, so if this is your plan, take advice early and check the current thresholds on gov.uk. Time spent on the Graduate route does not count towards settlement, but time on the Skilled Worker route generally does.

Common reasons Student visas are refused

In our experience advising students, the most frequent problems are avoidable:

• Financial evidence errors: funds not held for the full 28 days, balances dipping below the required amount, statements that are too old, or the wrong maintenance figure.
• CAS problems: a CAS that has expired, contains incorrect details, or does not match the documents submitted.
• Missing ATAS certificate where one was required for the course.
• Credibility concerns: inconsistent answers about your course, finances or intentions, particularly at interview.
• Document formatting: statements or letters that do not meet the specified format or are not properly translated.
• Immigration history: previous breaches, overstaying or refusals that are not properly addressed.

If your application is refused, you may have a right to an administrative review where the decision contains a caseworking error, rather than a full appeal. Strict deadlines apply, so seek advice quickly.

How MCR Solicitors can help

Our immigration solicitors in Manchester advise students, universities and families across England and Wales on every stage of the Student route - from checking a CAS and structuring maintenance evidence correctly, to responding to refusals, requesting administrative reviews, applying for the Graduate route, and switching into work visas. We help you get the details right the first time, which is where most cases are won or lost.

If you need clear, practical advice on your UK Student visa, call MCR Solicitors on 0161 466 1280 to speak to our immigration team. We will explain your options, the likely costs and timescales, and the strongest way to present your application.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need to show for a UK Student visa in 2026?

You must show your outstanding first-year course fees plus living costs for up to nine months, at a fixed monthly rate that is higher for London and lower for outside London, including Manchester. The exact monthly figures are set by the Home Office and change, so confirm the current amounts on gov.uk before you calculate your total. The funds usually need to be held for 28 consecutive days.

Can I bring my husband, wife or children on my Student visa?

In most cases, no. Since the 2024 changes, only students on a PhD, doctoral or research-based higher degree of at least nine months, or government-sponsored students on courses longer than six months, can bring dependants. Students on taught master's or undergraduate courses generally cannot.

How many hours can I work as a student?

If you are on a full-time degree-level course at a higher education provider, you can usually work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time in the holidays. Below-degree-level students are usually limited to 10 hours per week in term time. Always check the exact conditions printed on your own visa.

How long does a UK Student visa take to process?

Applications from outside the UK are often decided within around three weeks, and in-country applications can take longer, but Home Office processing times change. Check the current published times on gov.uk, and consider a priority or super-priority service if you need a faster decision.

How long is the Graduate route after I finish my degree?

The Graduate route is currently granted for two years for bachelor's and master's graduates, and three years for PhD and doctoral graduates. The government has announced its intention to reduce the standard two-year period to 18 months, but the start date had not been confirmed at the time of writing, so check the current duration on gov.uk. The Graduate route cannot be extended, but you can switch to a Skilled Worker visa with a qualifying job offer.

What happens if my Student visa is refused?

You should read the refusal letter carefully to understand the reason. Where the decision contains a caseworking error you may be able to request an administrative review within a strict deadline; in other cases you may need to make a fresh, corrected application. It is best to take advice quickly. Call MCR Solicitors on 0161 466 1280 for help.