Study is permitted on this visa. However this is only if your studies meet certain requirements. If you intend to study on a standard Visitor visa we strongly recommend discussing this with us.

As this university is an accredited institution, you are permitted certain types of short periods (up to 6 months) of study on a standard visitor visa. Some of the most common types of study permitted are listed below:

• Undertake short course of study for 6 months or less
• Complete short period of research
• Re-sit an exam or retake a module
• Take an oral (viva) examination for part of a PhD qualification
• Students on distance learning courses studying at an overseas institution for the majority of their course, are permitted to come to the UK on this visa, for short periods to undertake study such as – attending induction weeks, one to one progress checks, to sit exams etc.

You must satisfy the Entry Clearance Officer that you are a genuine student who will leave the UK at the end of your visit. Also, you do not plan to live in the UK for extended periods through successive or frequent visits and you must not take part in any prohibited activities. See GOV.UK - Immigration Rules for Visitors

There are a few things you cannot do on this visa. Some of the prohibitions are listed below:

• Studying a course where the minimum length of the course is more than 6 months in duration. The only exception is for distance learning courses, you should discuss this with a visa advisor at the university.
• Paid or unpaid work, including work placements and work experience. The only exception is a medical, veterinary or dentistry placement.
• Use the visa route as a means of living in the UK for long periods of time, through frequent and successive visits.

More details at  GOV.UK - Permitted Activities for Visitors

Visitors who intend to study in the UK must, where required to do so, provide a valid Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance certificate

Please note, at the University of Bedfordshire, this currently applies to some of our MSc by Research or PhD courses.

If your area of research requires an ATAS certificate the Research Graduate School will let you know. They will also provide the information you need to apply for the certificate.

If you are a visa national you must obtain entry clearance as a visitor before you travel to the UK.

If you are from a non-visa national country, this includes students from the EU/EEA, you can apply for the Visitor visa at the port in the UK when you arrive, you will need to speak to an immigration officer on the desks.

If you are an eligible national (have a passport with a biometric symbol on the cover) from the EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and United States of America also have the option to enter through the eGates.

If you enter through the eGates, you MUST make sure that you keep hold of your Electronic Ticket and boarding pass for your records. This will help you remember when your 6 month stay starts and if you need to study, you will be required to show this to us.

Please note: Nationals of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates have the option of applying for the Electronic Visa waiver at least 48 hours before travelling. When applying for this you must specify that you are coming to the UK for study reasons and keep a copy of your application form.

More about eGates here

Visitor rules do not allow visitors to be accompanied by their family members. The only exception to this is for academic visitors. Your partner or children can apply for a visa in their own right to join you, their application will be assessed on its own merits.

You will need to submit a completed application to the nearest UK Visa Application Centre

Follow the instructions on the visa application centres website.

You can find out how much a 6 month standard visitor visa will cost at GOV.UK -Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor

You will need the following:

• Completed Application Form.
• Application Fee.
• Valid Passport
• ATAS Certificate, if applicable.
• Letter from the university with details of the course.
• Financial evidence to show that you have the funds to support the travel costs and living costs throughout the whole duration of the trip. There are no specific requirements of the amount you need to maintain. As a guide, you can use the Student visa maintenance figure which is £1023.00 per month for studying outside London. This is to be used as a guide only. If you will be staying with friends or family you can show evidence of this to decrease costs.
• Any other evidence you feel necessary to support your reasons for the visit and to demonstrate you are a genuine visitor.

More information at GOV.UK - Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents

Yes, if you are a continuing student studying at the University you will need to email visaadvice@beds.ac.uk requesting the letter.

An International Student Adviser will assess your request and advise you accordingly.