UK Visas

It’s important to apply for the right kind of visa to enter the UK. This depends on the reasons for your trip and your personal circumstances.

Below, you’ll find some of the most common visas that we deal with as a school.

We hope you find this information useful, but if you have any questions related to visas, feel free to contact our Admin Team.

Ingla School of English is British Council accredited and can provide Course Confirmation Letter to apply for a Short-term Study Visa (STSV) and learn English for up to 11 months.

Examples of UK Visas

The UK offers several visa options for international students who want to study English, depending on the length and purpose of their stay. Popular choices include the Standard Visitor Visa (SVV) and Short-term Study Visa (STSV) for learners coming to the UK for short English courses, as well as family-related visas for students with eligible UK-based relatives.

In addition, some nationalities can travel to the UK using an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for short visits, including English language study where permitted.

Our team is happy to provide general guidance to help you understand which option may be suitable for your English studies, though visa decisions are always made by UK Visas and Immigration.

Standard Visitor Visa (SVV)

If you would like to study English in the UK for up to 6 months (180 days), you can use a Standard Visitor Visa. This is the same visa you would use to enter the country as a tourist.

In these 6 months, you can study English at an accredited language school, however, you are not allowed to work in the UK.

You must apply for the Standard Visitor Visa from outside the UK.

Click here to find out what documents you’ll need and how to apply. Ingla can issue a course confirmation letter to make the process easier, but it’s not necessary.

Before you apply, check here if you need a visa.

Short-term Study Visa (STSV)

The Short-term Study Visa is for you if you would like to study English in the UK for between 6 and 11 months.

To apply for this visa you must have a visa letter from an accredited school, like Ingla, showing that you are enrolled on a course.

We recommend a minimum of 15 hours per week of daytime study for students applying for a Short-term Study Visa, as part of our STSV admissions policy.

You must also prove that you have enough money to live in the UK for the length of your course because you can’t work with a Short-Term Study Visa. While in the UK you can only study on the course for which you applied. After your English course is finished, you can stay in the UK an extra 30 days, and then you must leave before the 11 month period ends.

An STSV Visa Application Fee is £228. You also have to pay a Healthcare Surcharge (£776) so you can use the National Health Service (NHS) while you’re living in the UK.

To understand the rules and regulations about STS visas click here.

Family Visa

Family Visas are for the spouse, partner, child or relative of somebody who is permanently settled in the UK. This visa is for people who plan on staying in the UK for more than 6 months. It must be renewed after 2 ½ years of living in the UK.

For this visa you must prove your income and provide the UK’s Border Agency with your documents. The full details of what you must do can be found here.

When you first apply for a Family Visa you must prove that your level of English is A1. When you renew this visa after 2 ½ years, you must show that your level of English is A2. To do this, you must take one of the UK Border Agency’s approved English-language tests. The Trinity GESE Speaking and Listening Exams are on the list of accepted tests.

At Ingla, we are an official Trinity Preparation Centre, and we have helped many people pass these exams and secure their visa.

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

If you are an EU citizen (not including Ireland) and you were living in the UK before 1 January 2021, you can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living and working here.

If you are an EU citizen or a non-visa national and you would like to come to the UK for 6 months or less you need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The purpose of your visit must be to study English, see the UK as a tourist, or go on a business trip.

You can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation on the UK ETA app.

Apply for a UK Visa

In most countries the visa application is submitted online through a visa application centre.

You can find visa application centres in your country here.

For full information on visa requirements please visit the UKVI website.