Apply outside the UK

When can I apply?

The earliest you can apply is six months before the start date of your course. Make sure you allow enough time for your application to be processed so that you can arrive in the UK in time for the start of your programme of studies. You cannot submit your application until you have been issued a CAS and meet all the visa requirements.  

The form 

You apply and pay for your immigration application online.  
 
Our  Guide to applying for student visa outside the UK 2024 [PDF 1,209KB] explains how to answer some of the most difficult questions on the visa application form, including how to answer the questions about your accommodation, if your accommodation has not yet been confirmed. 

EEA and Swiss Students

Most students will be able to apply with a smartphone, through the app ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’. To do this you will need a biometric passport and compatible smartphone. 

If you do not have a biometric passport or access to a compatible smartphone, or if ID verification through the app is not yet available for the route you are applying through, you will need to complete the form and attend a Visa Application Centre. 

The fee

£490 in the currency local to the Visa Application Centre.  

There may be additional fees from your local Visa Application Centre.  

Where to apply

You should apply in the country where you are living.  This might not be your country of nationality, and refers to the place where you normally live, for example for work or study purposes. Many countries issue overseas nationals with residency cards in these circumstances.  

Warning: You cannot apply in a country where you are visiting, unless you also hold a passport of that country or a residence permit that allows you to live there. 

Warning: If you are currently inside the UK and you are about to travel outside the UK to submit your immigration application, do not submit your online immigration application form until you have left the UK. 

You can find which British visa application centre you need to apply to by visiting the UK Government website.

Submitting your documents

You will usually submit your documents at your local UK Visa Application Centre. Depending on your Visa Application Centre, you may upload the documents in advance or submit your original documents and the staff in the Visa Application Centre will scan them and hand them back to you. Your original passport will normally be kept until a decision has been made on your application.  

The UK government have published helpful guidance about uploading your documents. 

Proving your identity

You will also record your biometric details (fingerprints and a photograph) at your appointment. They will take a scan of your fingerprints and a digital photograph of your face. Your Visa Application Centre will give you information on how and when you should do this. 

Alternatively, you may be told you can use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document - you will also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. 

You will be told what you need to do when you apply.

Contacting UK Visas and Immigration

If you need to contact UK Visas and Immigration from outside the UK, you will be charged for calls and emails. Queen Mary students and applicants can  contact a Welfare Adviser  if you have a query and you cannot find the answer on this website.

Credibility interviews

When you apply in your home country, it is common to be invited to a video or telephone interview as part of your Student application. It is nothing to worry about. You should answer the questions honestly, according to your situation and provide full, complete answers.  

If you are called for a second interview, it is a good idea to request a copy of the transcript of your interview. 

It is expected that, before accepting your offer to study at Queen Mary, you will have researched your choice of course carefully. It is also expected that you will have thought about the practicalities of studying in the UK (budgeting, finding somewhere to live, etc.). If you have done this, you shouldn’t have any problem answering any questions as part of a credibility interview or an interview with an Entry Clearance Officer. 

The Entry Clearance Officer may consider the following: 

• Your immigration history in the UK and other countries
• Have you previously been refused immigration permission for the UK or elsewhere
• How long and for what purpose have you spent time in the UK and other countries
• Have you complied with the conditions of previous immigration permission
• Your education history, study and post-study plans
• When and what were your most recent studies
• Why you have chosen to study in the UK
• Why you have chosen your subject and course
• Why you have chosen to study at Queen Mary
• What is your proposed career plan and how will your course at Queen Mary help you achieve that
• Your financial circumstances
• Where is the money for your studies in the UK coming from
• Have you prepared a budget for your studies
• How do you know that you will have enough money to cover your expenses
• If the Entry Clearance Officer is not convinced that you are genuine, you may be refused permission 

How long will my immigration application take?

The service standard for processing a Student visa application from overseas is 15 working days from the date that you enrolled your biometrics or provided your details on the IDV app.  

Check processing times for last month. 

Depending on the post you apply to, there may also be the option of making a priority application (decision within five working days) or a super priority application (decision within one working day).

When will I be able to come to the UK?

If your course is six months or longer, or you are doing a Pre-sessional course, you can come to the UK one month before your course start date, or seven days before your intended date of travel, whichever is later.