The Student visa application process is slightly different if you are an EEA or Swiss national.
Below, we have included information about what you might need to consider or what you might like to know before applying for your Student visa.
Application form and the Uk Immigration: ID Check App
You will need to complete an online application form.
As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity and you can do this using the UK Immigration: ID Check App if you have a passport with a biometric chip. The app will ask you to upload a scan of your passport and a photo of yourself. The app does not work on all phone types. If you cannot get the app to work and you cannot use a friend or family member’s phone, you can choose to confirm your identity another way, by visiting a Visa Application Centre. You will also need to do this if you don’t have a passport with a biometric chip. You can find further information on using the app, including which phones the app works for, on the Gov UK website.
Receiving a decision on your student visa
You will receive an email to the email address you listed in your application form confirming the outcome of your application.
If you used the UK Immigration: ID Check App, your visa will be available digitally and you can view this online using the verification ID app. You will not receive a BRP card – your Student visa will be digital.
If you did not use the app and instead visited a Visa Application Centre, you will be granted a visa vignette (entry clearance visa) if your visa is valid for six months or more. You can find further information on entering the UK with a visa vignette on our ‘Arriving in the UK’ page. You will be able to collect your BRP card once you arrive in the UK.
Whether you have a digital Student visa or a visa vignette and BRP card, you must make sure you check your Student visa thoroughly for any errors when you receive it.
- If you applied for a visa in the UK, you can find information about what you need to check, including visa end dates, on this page under ‘Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)’.
- If you applied for your visa outside the UK, you can find information about what you need to check, including visa end dates, on this page under ‘When your visa is issued’.