Child Student visa in UK and how to get it:
The Child Student Visa is for children who are not from the UK or Ireland and want to study in the UK.
For applicants to be chosen, they must:
- Have a firm offer to take a course from a private school that qualifies
- Show that they have enough money to pay for the course and take care of themselves while they are taking it.
- Have their parent or legal guardian’s written permission to study in the UK.
- The Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa no longer exists. The Child Student Visa has taken its place.
You can apply for the visa outside of the UK six months before the start of your course, and you will likely hear back in three weeks.
If you live in the UK and want to apply, you can do so three months before the course starts, and you should hear back in about eight weeks.
Those with a Child Student Visa who are under 16 years old can stay in the UK for the length of their course plus four months, which can be up to six years.
Visa holders who are 16 or 17 years old can stay for the course length (up to three years) plus four months after the course ends.
If you are eligible, you may be able to extend the visa so that you can keep studying in the UK.
Who can apply for the UK Child Student Visa?
Children aged between 4 and 17 years old can apply for the Child Student Visa. There are strict eligibility requirements involved in this immigration category to obtain entry clearance.
Applicants must ensure that the following applies to their situation:
- Must be a genuine student with a confirmed place at an independent fee-paying school
- Application is submitted within the required timeframe
- Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) has been issued
- Parental or guardian written consent has been confirmed
- No record of overstaying a visa or breaching immigration rules
- Adequate finances to pay fees and maintain themselves throughout the duration of the course
- English language skills to the required level
- Evidence of required qualifications
- Evidence that the child will return to their home country when their course is finished
There are several requirements related to the types of eligible courses, and only specified educational institutes may be issue a Certificate of Sponsorship to the visa applicant.
What is the points requirement?
In order to be eligible to come to the UK as a Child Student, the child must obtain the following points:
| Points type | Requirements | Number of points |
| Study (all criteria must be met) | – Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies – Eligible course – Eligible independent school – Aged between 4 and 17 years old – Parental consent confirmed | 50 |
| Financial | – Met financial requirements | 20 |
Financial requirements
Child students must be able to demonstrate on their application that they have enough funds to be supported throughout their course.
The child student is not allowed to work until the age of 16, and then they may only work under certain conditions.
According to the Home Office (UK government department in charge of immigration), this includes the requirements below (where the child has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the time of application):
| Living arrangements | Required funds |
| Residential independent school boarding | Enough funds to pay the course fees and boarding fee for one academic year |
| Living with a private foster carer or close relative who is a British citizen or has settled status | Enough funds to pay the fees for one academic year -The carer or relative must have funds of at least £570 per month of the course (max. nine months) |
| Living with the child’s parent of legal guardian | Sufficient funds to pay the course fees for one academic year -If there are no other children to be cared by the parent, £1,560 per month must be available for max. nine monthsIf there are other children being cared for by the parent in the UK, £625 per month must be available for each child |
| Aged 16 or 17 and living independently | Sufficient funds to pay the school fees for one year -£1,334 for each month of the course up to a max nine months (if studying in London) – £1,023 for each month to a max. nine months where studying outside London |
If the child student is using a student loan of government grant/ scholarship, they are required to have held the funds requirement for a period of 28 days.
How to apply for the UK Child Student Visa
To get the best chance of getting your Child Student Visa, you should carefully prepare before you send in your application.
If you aren’t sure how to apply, you should talk to an experienced immigration lawyer who can help you.
Follow the steps below to get a Child Student Visa:
- Apply to the most appropriate educational institute based on your situation
- Receive an unconditional offer from the school
- Submit a request for your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies number
- Identify your nearest visa application centre
- Book a TB test (where relevant) and identify the coronavirus public health requirements (e.g., PCR tests, quarantining, etc.)
- Ensure that you have the relevant supporting documents
- Fill out the application form
- Pay the application fee and immigration health surcharge (where relevant) to the Home Office
- Book your biometrics appointment at your visa application centre (where relevant)
- Attend your visa interview (where relevant)
- Submit your information to get your biometric residence permit (where relevant)
- Wait for a decision to be issued on your visa application
To maximise your chance of a successful application, you should ensure:
- Ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements
- Gather your supporting information in plenty of time
- Ensure that your documents are presented in the appropriate format
- Complete each section of your application fully and truthfully
- Follow the advice of your sponsoring institution
Parent of a Child Student Visa
If your child holds or is applying for a Child Student Visa, you may be eligible to apply for the Parent of a Child Student Visa.
To be eligible, the following must apply to your case:
- Your child is aged between four and eleven years old
- Your child is attending an independent school in the UK
- You are the only parent of your child accompanying them in the UK
- You continue to maintain your primary residence in your country of residence
- You have concrete plans to leave the UK when your visa expires
You can stay in the UK until your child’s visa runs out or until they turn 12 years old, whichever comes first (whichever happens first). If you meet the requirements, you might be able to get the visa extended.
If your child stays in the UK to study after this age, you must make sure that plans are in place to take care of them.
You can’t work, study, start a business, get benefits, or bring another family member to the UK while you’re there.
You are also not allowed to live in the UK as your main home.
What documents do you need to apply?
To apply for the Child Student Visa, you will be required to submit some of the following documents to the Home Office.
- Valid passport or travel document
- Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
- Health certifications (where relevant)
- Evidence of financial maintenance and proof of payment of course fees (e.g., bank statements or other financial evidence)
- Confirmation of consent from parent or guardian
- Proof of payment of tuition fees, accommodation costs, etc.
- Certified translations of documents in a language other than English or Welsh
There may be additional documents required depending on your circumstances. You will be required to demonstrate your eligibility for the visa with a comprehensive set of documents.
Can you extend the visa?
The Child Student Visa is given out based on how long the child will be in school and how old they are.
If the 16- or 17-year-old child is taking a course that lasts longer than the maximum of three years, they will have to apply again before the end of their stay.
Students from outside the UK who are at least 18 years old and want to continue their studies in the UK must apply through the Student Visa route.
Most of the time, the time you spend in the UK on a Student Visa or Child Student Visa does not count toward Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
FAQ on Child Student visa in UK from Bangladesh:
What is the Child Student Visa?
The Tier 4 Student (Child) Visa has been replaced by the Tier 4 Student (Child) Visa. The Tier 4 Student (Child) Visa was for international students between the ages of 4 and 17 who were not British or Irish citizens.
The visa lets children who qualify come to the UK to study for a certain amount of time. Visa holders can only study at private schools that charge a fee.
There are a number of requirements to meet in order to be eligible, such as having enough money to pay for school fees and living costs for the whole term.
About 25,000 international children from other countries study in the UK. For day students, the cost of an independent school is just over £15,000 per year, and for boarders, the cost is around £36,000 per year.
Can a child with a Visitor Visa go to school?
With a Visitor Visa, people can come to the UK for a short time to do certain things. The Short-term Study Visa is one type of Visit Visa.
This lets people take up to 11 months of short-term courses, which are usually English language classes. These courses can’t count toward a degree.
Most of the time, a child student from outside the UK who wants to study in the UK will need to apply for a Child Student Visa and apply to an independent fee-paying school.
Can my child study in the UK?
The applicant must show that they have been accepted onto a course at an independent, fee-paying school. They must also have written consent from their parent or legal guardian.
This visa will need to be applied for from the child’s country of residence.
Proof of sufficient funds, which cover the child’s study period in the UK must be provided. In addition, identification documents and a lengthy application form must also be submitted.
Which schools can I send my child to?
With this type of visa, a child can go to any independent school in the UK.
But the visa holder can’t go to an academy, a school run by the local government, or a state-funded school.
Our experts know a lot about the rules and regulations that the Home Office follows when giving out Child Study Visas. They will be able to tell you what you and your child can do with this visa.
How long can a child with a Child Study Visa stay in the UK?
Most of the time, the child can stay in the UK for the whole length of their course.
Then, after their course is over, they can stay for another four months. After that, they will have to leave the UK unless they have asked to stay longer or changed to a different type of immigration.
If your child is going to school for less than six months, you will need to apply for a Child Visitor Visa.
So overview:
Overview
You can apply for a Child Student visa if you’re between 4 and 17 years old and you want to study at an independent school in the UK.
You must:
- have an unconditional offer of a place on a course at an independent school
- be able to show you’ll have access to enough money to support you in the UK and pay for your course
- have the consent of your parent or guardian to study in the UK – you’ll need to prove this when you apply
If you’re 18 or over, apply for a Student visa instead.
This visa has replaced the Tier 4 (Child) student visa.
Points requirement
The Child student visa is part of the UK points-based system for immigration, hence applicants will only be considered if they score all of the following points:
| Requirements | Points awarded |
| A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies | 10 |
| Eligible course | 10 |
| Eligible independent school | 10 |
| Aged between 4 and 17 | 10 |
| Parental consent | 10 |
| Meet the financial requirements | 20 |
How can Tahmidur Rahman Remura Wahid help?
Tahmidur Rahman Remura Wahid specialises in all aspects of Child Student visas and Parent of a Child Student visa applications. If you engage our services, we can:
- Check if your child is eligible for a Child Student visa and provide further guidance
- Handle Child Student Visa application process from the outset to completion
- Handle visa refusal of a Child Student Visa application
- Advise on gaining ILR the UK for your child
For assistance with your child’s Child Student Visa application, please speak to our immigration lawyers for a free telephone consultation on 01847220062 or 01779127165 or by email at info@trfirm.com
References
1 GOV.UK: Exception to financial requirement for child study visa
2 GOV.UK: Applying from outside the UK
3 GOV.UK: Switch to a child study visa
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