VISAS AND IMMIGRATION

Loughborough College is a government-approved Student Sponsor, allowing us to offer courses to international students aged 16 years and over. Most international students will need to apply for a visa before coming to the UK and we can help you with this process.

If you are not sure whether you will need a visa to come to the UK to study, please check here, or please contact us on international@loucoll.ac.uk for advice.

There are several different visas that permit study:

STUDENT VISA

This is the most appropriate visa route for international students coming to the UK to study for more than six months. Students must be at least 16 years old and must be studying on a full-time basis, on a course at Level 3 or above. Prior to 5th October 2020 this was known as the Tier 4 (General) Student Visa. More information about the Student Visa can be found here.

SHORT-TERM STUDY VISA

This is the most appropriate visa route for international students coming to the UK for the study of English language only, on a course between six and eleven months in duration. More information about the Short-term Study Visa can be found here.

STANDARD VISITOR VISA

This is the most appropriate visa route for international students coming to the UK to study on a short course of less than six months in duration. More information about the Standard Visitor Visa can be found here.

OTHER VISA CATEGORIES

Holders of certain other visas may be permitted to study, for example, if you are on a PBS Dependant Visa. If you have any questions about this, please contact us on international@loucoll.ac.uk and we will be pleased to advise you further. If you are already in the UK and would like to know if your immigration status permits study with us, please email a scanned copy of your passport and visa / BRP and we will be pleased to advise you.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A VISA

Most visa applications should be made online and more information can be found here. When we send your offer letter to you, we will also include information on applying for the most suitable visa for your chosen course.

EU/EEA/SWISS AND IRISH STUDENTS

You do not need a visa if you are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you came to the UK by 31st December 2020. If you started living in the UK by that date you should apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue to work, live or study in the UK.

If you will be arriving in the UK after this date, you will require a visa to study courses longer than six months in duration.

You do not need to apply for a visa if you are an Irish citizen.

More information specifically for citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland can be found here.