Applying for your visa

Useful resources: 

Student immigration rules

Finance immigration rules

Student visa eligibility and requirements

Currency converter

UKVI require you to evidence that you can afford to pay your tuition fees and support yourself while you are in the UK. Therefore, you will need to prove you have the following amount of money: 

(the amounts differ slightly based on when you will submit your visa application) 

Applications submitted & paid for before 2/Jan/2025: 

Tuition fee for 1st year of study minus any amount you have already paid towards your tuition fee minus any scholarship you have been awarded plus maintenance funds for 9 months (£1,023 x 9) minus money you have already paid to Keele University for on-campus accommodation (up to a maximum of £1334) 

Applications submitted & paid for on or after 2/Jan/2025: 

Tuition fee for 1st year of study minus any amount you have already paid towards your tuition fee minus any scholarship you have been awarded plus maintenance funds for 9 months (£1,136 x 9) minus money you have already paid to Keele University for on-campus accommodation (up to a maximum of £1483) 

Note: we will add your scholarship to the tuition fees you have already paid for the purposes of your CAS 

This money will need to be in your bank account or your parent/legal guardian’s bank account. The money can be in your spouse/civil partner/partner’s account, if they are applying for entry clearance or permission to stay at the same time or have already been granted a UK visa. 

You cannot use a business account.  

If you have an official financial sponsor or a student loan, you do not need to show the above amounts. 

The amount needs to have been in your account for at least 28 days. The balance must not have dropped below the amount you have calculated. Make sure to consider currency fluctuations might affect what your balance is in GBP. 

Be prepared to explain/evidence any large deposits.  

If you have been living in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, you will not have to provide any financial documentation. 

If you are a national of one of the countries listed in the UK Immigration Rules Appendix: student, paragraph ST22.1, it is unlikely you will be asked to provide these financial documents, but UKVI reserve the right to request them from anyone! 

When you receive your pre-CAS checklist, we will ask you to send in your finance documents to be checked by our team.

Useful resources:  

TB test 

UKCISA tuberculosis test

You’ll need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if all of the following are true: 

you’re coming to the UK for 6 months or more 

you’ve lived in any of these listed countries for 6 months or more 

you were living there (or another listed country) within the last 6 months 

You’ll be given a chest x-ray to test for TB. If the result of the x-ray is not clear you may also be asked to give a sputum sample (phlegm coughed up from your lungs). 

If your test shows that you do not have TB, you’ll be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months from the date of your x-ray. You must include this certificate with your UK visa application. 

Useful resources: 

Academic Technology Approval Scheme  

If you are entering the UK to study at postgraduate degree level or specific integrated undergraduate courses in certain subject areas, you may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance certificate.  At Keele University, this will mainly apply if you are undertaking a Research degree.  If you require an ATAS certificate, your research institute should inform you of this and the CAH3 code that you will need for the application during the admissions process. 

ATAS is a requirement for any student who is not a UK National, a national from the list of exempt countries or does not have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, regardless of tuition fee status. 

If you already have a visa to be in the UK, such as Skilled Worker, PBS Dependant or spouse visa, or you are planning to switch to one of these immigration routes, you will also need ATAS clearance before you can study at the University on one of these visas (please note, this is not an exhaustive list of immigration routes). 

Once the certificate is issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), the only time a student should need to submit a new ATAS application will be to support: a new visa application; changes to their studies or research during the study period; extending their studies by a period of more than three months; changes to their UK visa (Immigration status). 

UKVI recommend that you apply for a new ATAS certificate at least four months in advance of any visa application.  Once granted, an ATAS certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue and must be valid at the point of submission of a visa application. 

Valid passport 

Evidence of your qualifications listed on your CAS (if applicable).  

Evidence that you meet the English language requirement, or your exemption (if applicable).   

Parent or legal guardian’s consent to your study and living arrangements (if you are under 18 when you are applying).   

Proof of relationship with your parent/legal guardian (if you are under 18 when you are applying).   

Receipts for accommodation or tuition fees (if these payments are not listed on your CAS).   

Translations of any documents not in English or Welsh.

UKVI conduct online interviews for some applicants. Keele University may also request you attend a mock UKVI interview as part of your application process.  

You will be asked questions about: 

why you chose to study in the UK 

why you chose to study at Keele University 

why you chose the course you are going to study, including consideration given to the modules that you will be taking for the course 

how the course will benefit your career or future plans 

what your plans are after you finish your studies 

how you will be funding your studies.