The UK has some of the world’s leading private education institutions, such as Eton College. You can empower your child to get their education through these schools with a Child Student visa. It is the essential document needed for your child to come to the UK to study.
To sustain your child’s academic journey, you will need to successfully apply for the visa on their behalf and ensure it remains valid during their entire stay in the UK.
Conditions of the Child Student Visa
Before you can use the Child Student visa to empower your child to a brighter future, you will need to make sure that they fit the strict eligibility criteria.
Your child will need to have an unconditional offer on a course with a British independent school that is allowed to sponsor foreign students. You will also need to show that you will be able to support your child’s upkeep and the cost of their education while they are in the country, and provide a letter confirming your parental consent.
Other key requirements to fulfill before submitting your child’s application include the following:
- Your child has been issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) by the school.
- They have the required level of English language skills.
- They have the necessary qualifications to study at the desired school and level.
- Your child will return to their home country after their studies are completed.
- They have no record of overstaying previous UK visas.
The British independent school that your child applies to will also have unique entrance requirements. They often require applicants to attend an interview or take an exam.
Once your child is in the UK, they can remain in the country for their entire course (up to six years) plus four months. This time cuts down to the length of the course (up to three years) plus four months for children who are 16 or 17 years old.
Application Process for the Child Student Visa
Meeting the requirements alone isn’t enough to empower your child with a Child Student visa and entrance into an elite independent school. Instead, you will need to succeed in the following application process. You can begin the process from six months in advance of the course’s start date if applying from outside the UK, or three months if your child is already legally within the UK:
- Receive an unconditional offer and a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies number from your desired independent school.
- Complete the online application form through the UK Visas and Immigration website.
- Upload your child’s supporting documentation.
- Submit the application and pay the application fee. This will usually be £558.
- Book your child a biometrics appointment with your nearest visa application centre. A visa interview may also be necessary if there are questions about your child’s application.
- Take your child to the biometrics appointment where their photograph and fingerprint will be taken. You may also arrange for a responsible adult to escort your child.
With the biometrics appointment and appointment attended, the Home Office will begin to process your child’s application. This processing time will usually be eight weeks. You may be able to pay extra for priority or super-priority processing to get a faster answer.
Joining your Child in the UK with a Parent of a Child Student Visa
Although coming to the UK will empower your child with an independent school education, it can be a scary process, especially if they are still very young. The Parent of a Child Student visa will reduce the stress of the transition.
Use this visa to join your child aged between four and eleven years old in the UK. You will be allowed to stay until their Child Student visa expires or they turn 12 years old, whichever happens first. You will then need to make arrangements for their ongoing care in the UK.
This visa is extremely restrictive. You won’t be allowed to work, start a business, or study. It is more suited to making multiple short-term visits to check in on your child, rather than making permanent arrangements to live with them in the UK. If you want to do this, it’s best to look for a suitable alternative visa type, such as the Skilled Worker visa.
Next Steps: UK Student Visa
Having completed their education in the UK, a natural next step is to go to one of Britain’s leading universities to benefit from the nation’s brilliant standard of higher education. For your child to remain in the UK to be empowered through higher education, they will need to get a Student visa.
The requirements for the Student visa are similar to the Child Student visa. It requires an unconditional offer from a university that can sponsor foreign students and a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies. Your child will also need to show that they are sufficiently qualified to study at the institution and have sufficient finances to support themselves.
There are also requirements that apply to the types of courses that they can participate in. It needs to be one of the following types of full-time courses:
- A course that leads to a qualification below degree level (RQF level 3-5) with a minimum of 15 weekly hours of daytime study.
- A course leading to a degree-level qualification (RQF 6-8) with no minimum studying hour requirements.
- A course leading to a degree-level qualification (RQF 6-8) delivered as part of an overseas course.
Other acceptable types of course include foundational programmes for aspiring doctors and dentists, English language courses at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), or a part-time course leading to a qualification above degree level.
Your child will need to follow the same application process as for the Child Student visa. This includes making an online application, uploading their supporting documentation, and attending a biometrics appointment. Applications will take three to eight weeks to process.
