Can I work part time while studying?

Yes. Up to 20 hours a week during term time at degree level, 10 hours below degree level, and full-time during official vacations, as long as your sponsor's own rules allow it.

Can I bring dependants?

Only in two situations. Postgraduate research courses lasting nine months or more allow dependants, and so does government sponsorship on a course of six months or more. Everyone else on the Student Route applies alone.

What happens after I graduate?

You can move onto the Graduate Route and stay in the UK for two years, or three after a PhD, working or looking for work without a sponsor. We handle that transition too.

How much maintenance funds do I need to show?

It depends on whether your institution sits inside or outside London. We confirm the exact figure during your assessment, taken from the current gov.uk guidance rather than from memory.

Will I need to attend a credibility interview?

Some applicants are called in so the officer can test whether the intent to study is genuine. If you are called, we go through what gets asked and what the officer is actually listening for.

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🇬🇧

United Kingdom

Student

UK Student Visa

The UK Student Route is the main visa pathway for Pakistani applicants who want to study at degree level in the UK. We handle the CAS, the maintenance evidence, the English test, and the application itself, from first shortlist to decision.

Check your eligibility Talk to a consultant

Content last reviewed 15 April 2026

Overview

Who this visa is for

The Student Route, formerly Tier 4, is issued by UK Visas & Immigration for courses longer than six months at an institution the Home Office has licensed to sponsor students. It allows limited work during term, full-time work during official vacations, and progression onto the Graduate Route afterwards.

The route is sponsored, so you need an unconditional offer from a licensed Student Sponsor before you can apply. That offer becomes your CAS. We help you choose where to apply, chase the CAS through the sponsor's deposit conditions, build the maintenance evidence, and walk you through the online form and the biometrics appointment.

Subtypes

Choose the right route

Student Route

The standard route for degree-level study, covering HND, undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD courses.

Child Student Route

For students aged 4 to 17 attending an independent fee-paying school.

Requirements

What you'll need to bring

Essential documents

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed UK sponsor
Valid Pakistani passport covering the course duration
Approved IELTS UKVI / SELT certificate at the required CEFR level
Bank statements showing 28 consecutive days of maintenance funds
Academic transcripts and degree certificates
Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate from an approved clinic
ATAS certificate, required only for certain science and technology postgraduate courses
Sponsorship letter if an official body is funding you

Eligibility criteria

Unconditional offer from a UKVI-licensed Student Sponsor
English at B2 for degree-level study, or B1 below degree level
Maintenance funds covering tuition plus monthly living costs, which differ inside and outside London
Genuine intent to study, assessed at a credibility interview where one is requested
No prior immigration breach that would attract a refusal under the Immigration Rules
Aged 16 or over for the Student Route; separate rules cover the Child Student Route

Process

The application step by step

1
Choose institution & secure offer
4–12 weeks
Shortlist two or three universities, write the statements of purpose, and apply through UCAS or direct admissions. We work on the personal statement and the application strategy with you.
2
Issue of CAS
2–4 weeks
Once you accept the unconditional offer and clear the deposit and pre-CAS conditions, the institution issues your CAS. That is the digital record UKVI checks to verify sponsorship.
3
Document preparation
2–3 weeks
Maintenance evidence across 28 consecutive days, IELTS UKVI, the TB test, academic documents, and an ATAS certificate where the course needs one.
4
Online application & fees
1 day
Submit the Student Visa application on gov.uk and pay the visa fee plus the Immigration Health Surcharge.
5
Biometrics & document submission
1–2 weeks
Attend a biometrics appointment at your nearest VFS centre and upload the supporting documents.
6
Decision
3 weeks standard / 5 working days priority
The decision arrives in your account, or as a vignette in your passport. Priority and Super Priority services are available where you qualify.

Processing time

Standard processing runs about three weeks from biometrics. The Priority Service cuts that to five working days, and Super Priority targets one working day where you qualify. Expect slower turnarounds during the August and September intake peak.

Fees

The visa fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and any priority service fee are paid directly to UKVI. Our own fee depends on the route, whether dependants are included, and how complex your case turns out to be. We tell you the number during the eligibility assessment, before you commit to anything.

FAQ

Questions specific to this route

Talk to a consultant

Interested in the UK Student Visa?

Send us a quick note and we'll reply on WhatsApp within one business day. Prefer to self-screen first? Run the eligibility calculator. Six minutes, no account required.