Find out more about life as a student in the UK at British Council Canada.

Your full student visa will allow you to pursue a first class education at some of the world’s best schools.  The UK student visa allows you to work part-time during term and full-time during the holidays.  If you are an undergraduate or graduate student, the visa also gives you the chance to live and work in the UK after your degree

If you want to work in the UK during your studies or if you think that you may want to extend your studies in the UK beyond six months you must get a full student visa  .You may not work in the UK or extend your visa if you enter without a visa or using a student-visit visa.

If you are interested in studying in the United Kingdom, you can find out whether you need a visa and how to apply through our commercial partner, WorldBridge.

Important Notes for student visa applications:

• Applications submitted more than 3 months prior to the course start date cannot be processed by our office and will be returned (fees are not refundable). Also, entry to the UK cannot be more than 1 month prior to the course start date.
  
• One of the most important things you will need to send us is the original of your letter of acceptance from the school/college in the UK confirming the duration of your course and course fees. Exchange students should also submit a letter from their home university confirming their exchange.
  
• If you are following a certain type of postgraduate study, an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate  is also required.  Your school in the UK can tell you more about ATAS.
  
• Do not purchase a non-refundable air-ticket until you have your visa. We cannot accept responsibility for any financial loss, which may result from a missed travel date.
  
• Straightforward applications are normally processed within 5 working days from the date we receive all your documents in our office; however, in the busy summer period this target may slip - we will update this website if we experience significant processing delays;
  
• When you receive your visa, please check immediately that all of the details on it are correct.
  
• Student visas are valid for the total duration of your course in the UK and are valid for multiple entries.
  
•  Visas can be post-dated up to 3 months but your entry to the UK can be no more than 1 month prior to your course start date.

But I only want to study a few courses while I have a holiday and do a little work!

You may want to consider the Working Holidaymaker visa. This allows you to live in the UK for up to two years.  You can work for up to one year in total, and you can take short courses while you are there.  

You must be a commonwealth national between the ages of 17 and 31, and not married. All we ask is that your primary intention is to have a holiday, travel and get to know the UK.  If the main purpose of your travel is employment, then this is not the visa for you. But there may be other employment options available to you.

I am British (or a national a European Economic Area country)

You do not require a visa or other permission to study or live in the UK so long as you enter on a British  or EEA passport.