If you arrived or will arrive in the UK from 1 January 2021, you will need to apply for a visa to study in the UK. View an outline of the process on the Information for EU/EEA and Swiss students.
The Student Route is for adult students who want to come to or remain in the UK for their post-16 education for more than six months.
These pages aim to identify some of the things you need to think about in preparation for making a student visa application. View full guidance from the UK Home Office.
The information provided on this page is meant as a guide only. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, the University shall not be responsible for errors, omissions or inaccuracies and accepts no liability for any loss resulting directly or indirectly from using this information or the information published on the linked websites.
If you are accepted unconditionally into one of our courses, ARU will become your licensed student sponsor for the duration of your time in the UK.
As your sponsor we are responsible, under immigration law, for you during your entire duration in the UK. We must tell the UKVI if you do not arrive for the start of your course, change the course you are studying, withdraw from your course, defer or suspend your studies, or if you do not attend classes.
A CAS is the only route to gaining a student visa. It is a unique 14 digit alphanumeric reference number, not a paper document. As a University, we will issue you with a ‘CAS statement’ which will be sent by email.
Your CAS will not be issued until you have met all the University conditions. You will not be issued a CAS if you cannot realistically obtain a visa before the start of your course. See visa processing times from the UK Home Office.
Check your CAS statement carefully and report any incorrect information to [email protected] immediately.
You will need to transfer some of the details on the CAS statement onto your visa application form. Any differences between the information on the CAS and what you provide on the visa application form could result in a visa refusal.
The CAS is valid for six months and can only be used for one visa application.
To obtain a student visa, students must meet the full requirement of the Student Route of the Immigration Rules.
If you are applying for a visa extension you must apply before your current visa ends. If you do not apply before then you become an over-stayer. Please note that overstaying is a criminal offence and Anglia Ruskin University will no longer sponsor you. Your future UK immigration applications may also be affected.
Please make an appointment with our International Student Advice Service (ISAS) who will be able to offer immigration advice and guidance.
You should apply for your student visa as soon as you meet the conditions but no earlier than six months before the start date of your course.
You must apply online.
Make sure that you apply in good time so that you can attend our Orientation & Welcome events. Check current visa application processing times in your home country.
If you wish to progress to a new course at ARU, for example a Masters following successful completion of your bachelors degree, your current previous student visa (or Tier 4 visa) will allow you to register on a new course before extending your visa.
You must extend your student visa for the new course within six weeks of the start date of the new course, or before the current visa expires, whichever is the earlier.
This provision is set annually at the discretion of the Home Office and may change in the future.
Some students will have to also provide:
Remember to retain copies of all the original documents you submit with your visa application.
Before you can apply for your visa, you will need to show that you have access to sufficient money to cover any unpaid tuition fees and a fixed amount of money for living expenses (maintenance).
Please note: These amounts change frequently and are correct at time the time of publication.
The UKVI maintenance amounts are:
Location of study: Cambridge, Chelmsford
Amount required for your maintenance: £ 1,023 for each month of the course or a maximum of £9,207 (9 months)
Examples of how to calculate your maintenance:
Length of course: More than 9 months (1 academic year)
Campus: Cambridge or Chelmsford
Maintenance (funds) needed: First year of fee and £9,207 to cover living costs for 9 months in the UK
Example: If your tuition fee for your first year of study is £10,000, you have paid a deposit of £4,000 and your scholarship is £500, then your remaining tuition fee to show will be £5,500. You must show £9,207 (living costs) + £5,500 = £14,707 in available funds.
If you have paid for University accommodation, a maximum of £1,334 can be deducted from the total maintenance fees you are required to have. This is the case even if you have paid more towards your accommodation. You cannot deduct any other advance payments you make to private accommodation providers. You have to meet the maintenance requirements even if you are going to live for free with relatives.
The Immigration Health Surcharge is a mandatory fee of £470 per year, charged to visa applicants who plan to stay in the UK for more than six months. Find out more by visiting our Immigration Health Surcharge page.
For bachelor degrees our requirement is IELTS 6.0 or equivalent, with no lower than 5.5 in any of the four elements (listening, speaking, reading and writing). For Masters degrees our requirement is IELTS 6.5 or equivalent, with no lower than 5.5 in any of the four elements.
You will need to include your certificate with your visa application.
If you are applying to study a pre-sessional English language course we must use a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to confirm your English language ability is CEFR B1 or above.
Students from countries listed on the Home Office website must include a TB certificate, from an approved test centre, with their visa application. This does not apply to visitors including student visitors who apply to come for six months or less. How to obtain a TB certificate in your country
Please be aware that you will need to book an appointment and at busy times you may have to wait ten days for an appointment especially during the UK student visa peak season between July-October. Therefore it is important that you plan for your visa application to make sure you have enough time to fulfil all of the requirements and still arrive for the start of your course.
In addition to meeting all the above requirements, the UKVI may also interview you. The purpose of the interview is for the entry clearance officers to assess whether a student is 'genuine' before granting their visa.
Separate guidance will be sent with your CAS.
In your home country:
Anglia Ruskin University has been allocated as an 'Alternative Collection Location' (ACL) for your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) when you reach the UK.
To ensure your smooth registration process we would advise that you enter the ACL code shown below when you make your visa application to ensure your BRP is sent to your study location. This is much easier than going to the Post Office.
Cambridge
Please use code: 2HE574
Chelmsford
Please use code: 2HE569
You have to travel to the UK before the deadline of registration stated on the CAS. You must also travel to UK during the validity of your vignette as otherwise you would have to pay again to obtain a new one. You may also miss the final deadline of registration and not be accepted on the course. If you experience any delays please email [email protected].
Think very carefully before choosing your course and University. If you apply for a course using a CAS provided by Anglia Ruskin University your visa will be issued to study at Anglia Ruskin University only.
In most cases it is not possible to change your course from within the UK.