UK Child Student Visa

Child students must demonstrate they have sufficient funds to be supported throughout their course. No child in the UK the student is permitted to work until the age of 16, and then they may do so under certain conditions.

If they’re living in an independent school boarding facility, they need enough funds to pay for the course fees and boarding costs for an entire year.

If the student intends to live with a private foster carer or close relative who is a British citizen or has settled status, that person must have at least £570/ month of the course.

If the student lives with their parent,  the parent needs £1,560 per month which must be available for at least nine months. If there are other children being cared for by the parent in the UK, £625 per month must be available for each child.

Child Student Visa holders aged 16 or 17 who are living independently will require £1,334 for each month of the course up to a max of nine months if studying in the city of London. Visa holders will need £1,023 for each month up to nine months if studying outside London.

If the child student is going to the UK via a student loan of government grant or scholarship, they are required to have held the funds required for 28 days.

The Child Student Visa application is as follows:

1. Apply to the school of your choice, so long it’s private and independent.
2. Receive an unconditional offer from the school
3. Submit a request for your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies number
4. Book a tuberculosis test (when applicable)
5. Complete the Child Visa application form online
6. Pay the application fee and immigration health surcharge
7. Book your biometrics appointment at your visa application centre (where applicable)
8. Attend your visa interview (where applicable)
9. Submit your information to get your biometric residence permit (where applicable)

When applying for your child’s student visa, you will need to provide the applying child’s current passport, their unique CAS number, written consent from the parent/guardian, and proof of relationship. Please note, a visa interview is not typically required unless it’s considered very complex.

If you are successful in obtaining a child student visa, the visa will be valid in line with the time frame of your studies. This depends on the age you are and the length of your course, if you are under 16 you can stay up for 6 year years plus 4 months afterward. 16-17-year-olds can stay up to 3 years plus 4 months thereafter.

It costs £348 to apply for a Child Student Visa from outside the UK and £475 to extend or switch to a Child Student Visa from inside the UK. As part of the visa application, child students also need to pay the healthcare surcharge.

The Parent and/or legal guardian of children are not permitted to go to the UK unless they hold a separate visa of their own. Other family members are not permitted to come to the UK unless they had a separate visa that is in no way connected to the child’s student visa.

As such,  parents who wish to join the child, have to apply for a Parent of a Child Visa.

If  parents want to apply for a Parent of a Child Visa, the following must be true:

• Your child is should be between four and eleven years old
• Your child is attending an independent school in the UK
• You are the only (1) parent of your child accompanying them in the UK
• You continue to maintain your primary residence in your country of residence
• You can provide concrete plans that you intend to leave the UK when your visa expires
• You are permitted to stay in the UK until the expiration of your child’s visa, or until they turn 12 years old (whichever happens first). It may be possible to extend the visa if you meet the criteria.

If your child wishes to continue to study in the UK after 12 years old, parents must make ensure that arrangements are in place to facilitate their ongoing care.

While in the UK on a Parent of a Child visa, parents can not obtain a full-time permanent job, study, start a business, apply for benefits, bring any other family member to the UK or make the UK your primary residence.