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How to apply for your student visa

International students may need a visa to study in the UK for a course lasting more than 6 months before they enrol with us. You’ll find answers here to questions you might have about Student visas.  We will guide you through the process of obtaining a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), which will then allow you to apply for a visa to study in the UK. You must have met all your conditions of entry and have an unconditional offer before you can request a CAS number and begin the visa application process.

First of all, you can check if you need a Student visa on the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website. If you do need a visa before you start your studies with us, please read the following information carefully. If there is anything you do not understand please contact the Admissions team at admissions@trinitylaban.ac.uk.

If you do not require a student visa you need to send documentary evidence to Admissions to show this. This includes Settled/Pre-settled status, an ancestry visa and Permanent Leave to Remain in the UK.

The information provided below is given in good faith and has been carefully checked. However, Trinity Laban accepts no legal responsibility for its accuracy. UK Visas and Immigration regulations are revised regularly and you must refer to the latest Student policy guidance available on the UKVI  website.

Can Trinity Laban sponsor me for a Visa?

Yes. Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is licensed to sponsor you for a Student visa. We are a Higher Education Provider (HEP) with a track record of compliance.

What sort of Visa do I need?

The type of visa you need to apply for will depend on the length of the course you are intending to study. In most cases, you will need a Student Visa. You can check if you need a visa here. The Home Office’s UK Visas and Immigration Department (UKVI) regularly makes changes to its immigration guidance and you are advised to check the latest advice on gov.uk before submitting any application.

How do I get my Student Visa?

You can find details of the application process on GOV.UK and UKCISA website. Please note that Trinity Laban is unable to send your application to the Home Office on your behalf.

What is a CAS?

Trinity Laban will issue you with a CAS, which is a number linked to an electronic record of your details, that can be seen by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

If you are currently on a Student (formerly Tier 4) visa on another programme of study, you will be required to apply for a Student visa for your new programme.

Please note we will not issue a CAS for part-time study unless there is a mitigating reason, which you should discuss with Admissions.

How to obtain your CAS from Trinity Laban

You must have met all your conditions of entry and have an unconditional offer before you can request a CAS number and begin the visa application process.

Step 1  

Complete the visa questionnaire

Step 2

Prepare the following documentation, where applicable:

Detailed information about acceptable English qualifications and language requirements can be found here.


Financial Evidence

The UK Government details Financial Evidence requirements. You may be required to hold sufficient funds in your bank account for 28-days before you apply for your visa. You will be required to send this to us, unless you are from an exempt country.

In some cases, you may have to prove that you are able to pay for your studies and your living costs without being employed in the UK. You will need to show that you have enough money to cover the course fees and living costs. The amount required for maintenance is £1,334 for each month of your course, up to a maximum of 9 months.

You must show evidence that:

  • you have paid all or part of your course fees and up to £1,334 towards accommodation fees to Trinity Laban; and/or

  • you have enough money to cover your remaining course fees and living costs, if any; and/or

  • you are receiving official financial sponsorship

The maximum amount to be deducted on your CAS for accommodation is £1,334; even if you have paid more than that amount in advance for accommodation.

Important: In most cases where students have their visa application refused, it is because there was a problem with their proof of finances. It is really important that you understand all the rules regarding maintenance funds. Your bank statements, if required as part of your application, need to show that the money has been in your account for at least 28 days prior to your application. Your account balance cannot drop below this amount for even one day. 

The UKVI has strict rules about what types of documents are acceptable as proof of money and from which institutions. You must always check your documents against the latest version of the Home Office Student policy guidance.

The documentation can be scanned and sent to admissions@trinitylaban.ac.uk. Please ensure that the documents are high resolution pictures and are sent as attachments, rather than in the body of the email.


Step 3

Once we have received all of your documentation, we will prepare a draft of your CAS which we will send to you to review and confirm is correct. We will then issue your CAS.

Please note that we will not begin processing CAS statements until early June at the very earliest. 

To note:

It is important that all your documentation is provided in a timely manner, labelled, and that the scans are clear and in focus. Failure to do so will result in a delay with the processing your documentation and consequently, the issuing of your CAS statement.

We will endeavour to issue your CAS within 14 working days of having submitted all the documents requested in the correct format.

If you are already studying in the UK, you must apply for a new Student visa before enrolment in September even if your current leave doesn’t expire until after enrolment.

Term dates for your programme can be found on our website.

Please note all communications from Trinity Laban relating to your Student visa will be directly with you (the student) via email.

Once you have your CAS

You can apply for your Student visa online.

UKCISA website contains useful information about the application process, whether you are applying outside the UK or in the UK. Please check the latest version of the Student Route Guidance for up-to-date UKVI requirements.

If you have any queries regarding your visa you can contact admissions@trinitylaban.ac.uk. Please state your full name and name of the programme you are applying for.

Should your visa application be unsuccessful because you did not submit all the required elements (for example,  the required financial documentation) we reserve the right to not issue a further CAS for your studies.

How long will it take to get my visa?

The length of time for a visa  application varies from country to country. You can find out more information about this on gov.uk.

We advise that you begin the process of application as soon as you are able but please note that we will not begin processing CAS statements until early June at the very earliest.

What will my visa look like?

For students enrolling before September 2024, you have applied outside the UK, and gave your biometric information at a visa application centre, you will receive a letter from the UKVI and a sticker or vignette in your passport, which is valid for 30 to 90 days, to travel to the UK. Once you’ve arrived you will need to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) at the Post Office indicated in your letter within 10 days of your arrival, or after your quarantine period has finished, if you had to self-isolate to follow UK governments guidelines. We can help you with this upon arrival if you have any concerns.

If you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, you will receive a digital immigration status which you can view and prove online.

Your Student visa will cover the full length of your programme plus an additional period after the end date:

  • if your course is more than 6 months, but less than 12 months – two months after the end of the course

  • if your course is 12 months or more – four months after the end of the course

If you decide to extend your studies, you can apply for a visa extension. If, for any reason, you have to interrupt your studies, you will normally need to leave the UK and apply for a new visa when you are ready to resume your programme.

Will I receive a BRP card or a digital visa? Do I need to switch to an eVisa?

If you are applying for a new Student visa from outside of the UK, the application process remains the same. Once you receive notification from UKVI that your visa has been granted, read the decision letter carefully. Depending on your nationality, you may receive an eVisa, a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), or both.

If you are advised to collect a BRP from the Post Office upon your arrival in the UK, do not be concerned if the visa expiry date on the BRP states 31-12-2024, as long as the expiry date on your visa letter is correct. You will receive further instructions from UKVI to switch to an eVisa once you are in the UK.

If you receive an eVisa, follow the instructions in the decision letter to create a UKVI account. Your eVisa will be linked to your passport in your UKVI account. Make sure to keep your passport or ID card details up to date in your UKVI account so that your immigration status can be easily identified at the UK border. You will still need to carry your current passport with you.

For more information, please refer to GOV.UK.

Applying for a visa inside the UK

You may be able to extend your Student visa to stay longer and continue your course or study a new one. This applies even if you currently hold a Tier 4 (General) student visa. Please check the details on GOV.UK and contact Admissions if you have any questions.

UKVI aims to process all visa applications submitted in the UK within eight weeks. You should not travel outside the Common Travel Area (United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) until you have received a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

What if my application for a visa is unsuccessful?

If you are refused a visa, you should contact admissions@trinitylaban.ac.uk immediately, with full details of the reasons for refusal and a copy of the letter from the Entry Clearance Officer.

In most cases (unless UKVI has made a mistake) you will need to make another application with a new CAS (and pay the fee and healthcare surcharge again).  Please make sure that you have addressed the problems which led to your first application being refused. Trinity Laban reserves the right to not issue a further CAS unless we are satisfied that the problem has been addressed and that a subsequent application is likely to be successful.

Do you offer student visa for part-time programmes?

Trinity Laban, alongside many other Higher Education Institutions, will not provide a CAS/Student Visa for Part-Time study unless there are exceptional reasons, which will be considered by Admissions on a case-by-case basis.

Part-time study includes a number of significant restrictions by UKVI:

  • Part-time students are not permitted to engage in any form of work in the UK, including unpaid work placements and internships.

  • Part-time students are required to pay the full Immigration Health Surcharge for the program’s entire duration.

Part-time students cannot bring dependents to the UK.

Can I bring family to the UK under a Student Visa?

Your partner and children (‘dependants’) may be able to apply to come to the UK or stay longer in the UK.

You must be one of the following:

If your postgraduate level course starts on or after 1 January 2024, it must be either:

  • a PhD or other doctorate (RQF level 8)

  • a research-based higher degree

Please note that at Trinity Laban, only our Research Degree Programme (RDP) is eligible for this requirement. No other postgraduate programmes (including MFA) are eligible for bringing dependents under a Student visa. More details can be found on GOV.UK.


Police Registration

The police registration scheme ended on 4 August 2022 and is no longer a requirement. Therefore, you no longer need to do this, even if you were previously instructed to do so.

Post Studies Visas: Graduate Route

A new immigration route opened on 1 July 2021 for international students who want to work after finishing their studies. The Graduate Route is a new work route for those who have successfully completed a course of study at UK bachelor’s degree-level or above with an approved UK Higher Education provider.

You can find more information about this immigration route on UKCISA website.

For any Student Visa Advice

If you have any further queries regarding your visa status, you can contact Admissions for assistance. We’re here to support you.