A ‘special’ visa is available to study in Britain, know how Indian students can avail the benefit.

What is UK Child Student Visa: British universities are famous all over the world for their studies. People from India have been going to study in Britain for the last 100 years. Many great freedom fighters of India had obtained degrees from British universities. Just as the education of British universities dominates the world, similarly the schools here are also very popular. There are some of the best schools in Britain, where Indian students can also take admission and study.
However, a visa is also required to study in school. There is a golden opportunity for Indian or foreign students in the age group of 4 to 17 years studying in school to study in Britain. The British government grants child student visas to students of this age to study in the country. To obtain this visa, certain conditions have to be followed. Let us know how to get this UK visa and what are the eligibility criteria for it.

What are the conditions for child visa?

• For Child Student Visa, the applicant must have an unconditional offer letter from a UK private school.
• The applicant will also have to prove that he/she has enough money to pay the fees and stay during his/her studies in Britain.
• The applicant will have to prove approval from his/her/her parents or guardian to study in Britain. This will be considered during the application process.
• If the age of the applicant is more than 18 years, then he/she should apply for student visa again, because it is only for children between 4 to 17 years.

What is the application timeline?

The time for approving the application and issuing the visa depends on the location of the applicant. People who are applying from outside Britain. They can apply for the visa six months before the start of their studies. A decision on their application will be given within three weeks. Similarly, students who are applying for visa while living in Britain should apply three months before the start of the course. It usually takes eight weeks for a visa to be issued.

How long can a child stay on a student visa?

The length of stay on a child student visa depends on the age of the applicant and the duration of the course. Those who are under 16 years of age have the opportunity to stay for the duration of the course (maximum 6 years) plus up to four additional months. Similarly, people who are 16 or 17 years of age can study in Britain for the duration of the course (maximum 3 years) plus up to four additional months.

Students can come to Britain only one month before the start of their studies. Those who want to stay for a longer period can also get their visa extended. The application fee for people applying for a visa from outside the UK is £490. Apart from this, they will also have to pay healthcare surcharge. Students coming on child student visa can study only in private schools. They are allowed to work part-time only for 10 hours a week.