Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor
Visit to study
You can visit the UK for up to 6 months to:
- study at an accredited institution (this includes English language courses)
- do a short piece of research that’s relevant to your course overseas
- do an ‘elective’ - an optional additional placement, if you’re studying medicine, veterinary medicine and science, nursing, midwifery or dentistry
- sit an entrance exam, retake an exam or course module, or do a PhD oral exam (a viva)
- do an unpaid clinical attachment if you’re a graduate from a medical, dental or nursing school
- take the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) test or the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test
You should:
- check you meet the basic eligibility requirements for a Standard Visitor and any relevant extra eligibility requirements listed below
- prepare any required documents that prove your eligibility
- check if you need a visa to visit the UK
- apply for a Standard Visitor visa online - if you need one
To study or research certain subjects at postgraduate level or above, you may need to get an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before you start your course or research.
If you’re visiting to study at an accredited institution
You must prove that:
- you’ve been accepted onto a course provided by an accredited UK institution
- the course is no more than 6 months long (unless it’s a distance learning course)
The accredited UK institution cannot be an academy or state-funded school.
Distance learning courses
If you’re doing a distance learning course, your course can last longer than 6 months. This is because most of your study will happen outside of the UK.
You can visit the UK to do certain activities as part of your course, for example:
- attend induction weeks
- do face-to-face intensive learning
- have progress checks
- sit exams or assessments
If you want to study for more than 6 months
You’ll need to apply for either a:
- Short-term study visa - for English Language courses up to 11 months
- Student visa - for courses run by licensed student sponsors
- Child Student visa - to study at an independent school if you’re between 4 and 17 years old
If you’re visiting to do a short piece of research
You must prove that:
- you’re at least 16 years old
- you’re already enrolled on a course overseas that is the equivalent of a UK degree
- you’ve been accepted by a UK higher education institution to take part in research that’s relevant to the course you’re studying overseas
You can visit for up to 6 months to do your research.
Documents you must provide
You’ll need to provide confirmation from your overseas course provider that the research or research tuition is part of, or relevant to, the course you’re doing overseas.
If you’re visiting to do an elective
You must prove that you’re:
- at least 16 years old
- already enrolled on a course overseas that is the equivalent of a UK degree - the course must be in medicine, veterinary medicine and science, nursing, midwifery or dentistry
- doing an elective at a UK higher education institution as part of your course
You can visit for up to 6 months to do your elective.
Documents you must provide
Your UK higher education provider will need to give written confirmation that you will not be treating patients or being paid for the elective.
If you’re visiting to do an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post
If you’re an overseas graduate from a medical, dental or nursing school you can do an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post for up to 6 months.
If you want to stay longer than 6 months, you will need to pass the PLAB test and apply to stay in the UK.
You must not treat patients.
Documents you must provide
You must provide written confirmation:
- of your clinical attachment or dental observer post offer
- that you’ve not done a clinical attachment or dental observer post in the UK before
If you’re taking the OSCE or PLAB test
You can visit for up to 6 months to take the OSCE or PLAB test.
If you do not pass the PLAB test, you can apply to stay in the UK for a further 6 months to retake the test.
If you pass the PLAB test, you can apply to stay in the UK to do an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post. You can stay in the UK for up to 18 months in total.
Documents you must provide
You must provide a letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council confirming your OSCE test registration.
You’ll need a letter from the General Medical Council confirming your PLAB test registration.