Visas for short-term study

Information on short-term study visas and how to apply.

Visitor visas for students on short courses of less than six months

If you're coming to the UK for a course that's less than six months long, you may use a standard visitor visa. You may consider using a visitor visa at NTU in the following circumstances.

• You're on an exchange or study abroad programme, and you're coming to NTU for one term or semester.
• You're repeating without attendance and returning to NTU to sit an exam.
• You're studying a distance learning course, and you must come to campus for a short study block or assessment.

If you're a visa national, you must make an application for entry clearance as a short-term student. You must make this application from your home country.

This application must be approved and a visa issued as a sticker in your passport before you can travel to the UK. Check if you need a UK visa.

Find out more about the visa application process in your country. This includes how to apply, and the location of visa application centres.

The documents you will need to provide with your application include the following.

• Your current passport, plus any previous passports.
• One passport-sized photograph.
• The correct fee — £115 in local currency.
• A letter from Nottingham Trent University confirming details of your course. This should include the length, cost, payments made, etc. If you're returning to complete specific academic requirements, the letter should instead include the exact date(s) of your resit exams or final submission. You need to request this letter from your Subject Administrator.
• Bank statements showing you have enough money to support yourself while you're in the UK.  You need to show you can pay any tuition fees, accommodation and living costs. There is no specified amount of money you need. You can, however, use the student visa financial requirement as a guide. It would be reasonable to have the equivalent of £1,023 per month for your living costs.
• Details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans. We advise you not to pay for accommodation or travel until you get your visa.
• Your tuberculosis (TB) test results if:
  • you're coming to the UK for more than six months, and
  • you're from a country where you have to take the test.

For a full list of the documents you need to support your application, please check the UKVI website.

You should also carry these documents with you when you travel to the UK. You can then present them if asked to do so by an Immigration Officer on arrival at the UK border.

Non-visa nationals

If you're a non-visa national, you're able to come to the UK as a visitor without needing to apply for a visa beforehand. Instead, you can be stamped in as a visitor on arrival at the UK border.

You won't have to fill in an application form, or pay the application fee. You will have to submit the same documents as above at the UK border.

Non-visa nationals aren't required to apply for a visitor visa before travelling to the UK. Some choose to do so anyway.

Applying for a visa in advance can save time at the UK border. It's a particularly good idea for those who:

• have previously been refused entry to the UK
• have breached the conditions of their UK visa
• have any unspent convictions.