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Child Student visa for Indian applicants
Direct answer
Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£558
about ₹73,840 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
£776
Immigration Health Surcharge, 1 year at £776 a year; about ₹1,02,688
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Processing time from India
3 weeks
Priority 5 working days, super priority 1
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
₹24,999
All-in, GST included
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
The Child Student visa costs £558 for applications from 8 April 2026, plus the under-18 health surcharge of £776 a year, and is for children aged 4 to 17 with a CAS from an independent fee-paying school. The core test is the CAS, one academic year of school and boarding fees held for 28 days, written consent from both parents, and a care arrangement the school has approved. The standard decision from India takes 3 weeks from biometrics. The mistake Punjab families make most is a consent letter signed by one parent only, with nothing to explain the other parent's absence.
In practice
Worked example
Example: a 14-year-old from Ludhiana starting Year 10 at a boarding school in Surrey in September 2027. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Arjun Singh Gill, 14, a fictional applicant from Ludhiana, passed the entrance test of an independent boarding school in Surrey for a two-year GCSE course starting in September 2027. The school holds a Student sponsor licence, boards him in term time, and has approved his father's brother in Slough as holiday guardian in writing. Annual fees including boarding on the CAS are £42,000, of which the parents paid a £5,000 registration deposit. Both parents run a hosiery unit and hold the money in a fixed deposit and a current account in their joint names. They apply in late June 2027 so the decision arrives before the school's arrival weekend.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee, Home Office table of 8 April 2026 | £558, about ₹73,840 at the Home Office rate of ₹132.33 per pound |
| Health surcharge at the under-18 rate: 2-year course plus the extra months the Home Office adds, charged as 2.5 years | £1,940, about ₹2,56,720 |
| Fees still owed for the first academic year per the CAS, including boarding | £37,000, about ₹48,96,210 |
| Fixed deposit in the parents' joint names, with a bank letter confirming early withdrawal | ₹50,00,000, about £37,784 |
| Parents' current account, lowest balance across the 28 days | ₹8,00,000, about £6,045 |
| Funds evidenced against the requirement | £43,829, a margin of £6,829 |
| Hold period and statement age | 28 consecutive days, statement no more than 31 days old on the application date |
| Tuberculosis certificate from an approved clinic | Required for a stay over 6 months, valid for 6 months from the test |
| Standard decision time from biometrics at VFS Chandigarh | 3 weeks; priority of 5 working days costs £500 extra |
Outcome
The visa was granted in 3 weeks and Arjun travelled with his mother, who entered on a Standard Visitor visa to settle him in. The file would have failed had the fixed deposit letter not confirmed that the money could be withdrawn before maturity, because locked funds do not count. It would also have failed had only the father signed the consent letter, since both parents appear on the birth certificate and the second signature was required. The school's written approval of the uncle as holiday guardian was the care evidence; without it the application fails the Appendix Child Student care requirement.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the entry clearance officer checks on a Child Student file
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| That the child is aged 4 to 17 and the CAS comes from an independent school that holds a Student sponsor licence. | Appendix Child Student, age and CAS requirements. State schools cannot sponsor, and the CAS must be issued within 6 months of the application. | The child's passport, the birth certificate naming both parents, the CAS and the school's offer letter. |
| Who will look after the child in the UK, in term time and in the holidays. | Appendix Child Student, care requirement. The child must board, live with a parent holding a Parent of a Child Student visa, or live with a foster carer or close relative aged 18 or over whom the school has approved. | The school's boarding confirmation, or the guardian's name, address, status and the school's written approval, or the parent's Parent of a Child Student application reference. |
| That one academic year of fees and boarding, or living costs where the child lives with a parent, was held for 28 consecutive days. | Appendix Child Student financial requirement read with Appendix Finance. The money must be the parents' or the child's, held for 28 days and shown on a statement no more than 31 days old. | Parents' bank statements or balance certificate, a fixed deposit receipt with a withdrawal letter, and receipts for any fees already paid that the CAS records. |
| That both parents, or the legal guardian, consent to the application, the travel and the care arrangement. | Appendix Child Student, parental consent requirement. A single signature is accepted only where the other parent is dead, absent by court order or has no parental responsibility. | A consent letter signed by both parents with copies of their passports or Aadhaar cards, or the court order or death certificate that explains a single signature. |
| Where a parent will accompany the child, that the parent qualifies and the child is under 12. | Appendix Parent of a Child Student. The parent must show separate funds of £1,560 a month for up to 9 months plus £625 a month per additional child, and cannot work. | The parent's own application, bank evidence for the parent's living costs, and confirmation the child is under 12 on the date of application. |
| That the child holds a tuberculosis certificate for a stay over 6 months. | Appendix Tuberculosis. Children under 11 usually have a clinical assessment at the approved clinic rather than a chest X-ray. | The TB certificate from an approved clinic dated within 6 months of the application. |
| That nothing in the family's history triggers a suitability refusal. | Part 9 of the Immigration Rules. A false fee receipt or an undeclared earlier refusal is treated as a false representation and taints the child's record for years. | Genuine school and bank documents the officer can verify, and every previous refusal for the child or the parents declared on the form. |
From the desk
Mistakes we see
From files Indian applicants have brought to the desk after a refusal, most frequent first.
| The mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| The consent letter was signed by one parent only, with no court order or death certificate to explain the other parent's absence. | Refusal under the parental consent requirement, and a second CAS from the school is not automatic. | Both parents sign one letter in front of a notary, with passport or Aadhaar copies, or attach the document that shows why one signature suffices. |
| The fixed deposit receipt was filed without a bank letter confirming that the money can be withdrawn before maturity. | The deposit is treated as inaccessible and the funds fall short of the fees on the CAS. | Ask the branch for a letter on its letterhead stating the amount, the names, the date opened and that premature withdrawal is permitted. |
| The money sat in a grandparent's or uncle's account rather than the parents' or the child's. | Funds in the account of a relative other than a parent or legal guardian are not accepted, so the application fails on finance. | Move the money to the parents' account at least 28 days before the statement date, and expect the officer to ask where it came from. |
| The CAS came from a college or state school that does not hold a Student sponsor licence for children. | The CAS is invalid and the application is refused outright. | Check the school's name on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors before paying any deposit. |
| The care arrangement was described vaguely, for example a family friend will look after him, without the school's approval. | Refusal under the Appendix Child Student care requirement, the most common reason on Punjab files. | Get the school's written approval of the named guardian, with the guardian's address, immigration status and relationship to the child. |
| A parent applied on the Parent of a Child Student route for a child aged 12 or over. | The parent is refused, and if the child's file relied on the parent for care it fails too. | For a child of 12 or over arrange boarding or a school-approved guardian, and let the parent visit on a Standard Visitor visa instead. |
| The tuberculosis test was skipped because the child is young. | The application is refused or held until a certificate is produced, often missing the school start. | Book the approved clinic early; under-11s get a clinical assessment rather than an X-ray. |
| The fee receipts did not match the fees-paid figure on the CAS. | The officer treats the CAS as inaccurate and may refuse under the CAS requirement. | Ask the school to update the CAS so the deposit and any instalment match the receipts to the pound. |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Entrance test and offer
January to March 2027 for a September 2027 startMost independent schools test in English and maths and interview the child online. Pay the registration deposit and keep the receipt for the CAS.
Step 2: Care arrangement agreed in writing
April 2027Confirm boarding with the school and name a holiday guardian the school approves in writing. If the child is under 12 and a parent will go, start the Parent of a Child Student paperwork now.
Step 3: CAS issued by the school
May or June 2027Check the course dates, the fees, the fees-paid line and the child's passport details. The CAS must be used within 6 months.
Step 4: Tuberculosis test
May 2027Attend an approved clinic with the child; under-11s have a clinical assessment. The certificate lasts 6 months, so do not test too early.
Step 5: 28-day funds window
Late May to late June 2027Hold one academic year of fees and boarding as on the CAS in the parents' account with no dips. Get the fixed deposit withdrawal letter in the same visit to the bank.
Step 6: Consent letters and identity
June 2027Both parents sign the consent letter covering the application, travel and care. Attach passport or Aadhaar copies and the child's birth certificate.
Step 7: Online application, fee and surcharge
Late June 2027A parent completes the form on the child's behalf, pays £558 and the surcharge at £776 a year for the full grant, and uploads the statement within 31 days of its date.
Step 8: Biometrics at VFS
Early July 2027The child attends VFS Chandigarh or Jalandhar with a parent, since under-16s must be accompanied. The 3-week clock starts here.
Step 9: Decision
3 weeks from biometrics, by late July 2027Standard service is 3 weeks; priority at £500 aims for 5 working days. Book flights only when the passport is back.
Step 10: Travel and arrival
September 2027Fly inside the vignette dates and hand the school the passport and the eVisa details. Time on this visa does not count towards settlement, and at 18 the child switches to the Student visa for university.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
Punjab families use this route for boarding schools in England and Scotland, often from Class 9 onwards so the child finishes A-levels or the IB before applying to a UK university. The Home Office looks at who pays, who looks after the child, and whether any parent in the UK has the right status. A parent can only come along on the Parent of a Child Student visa if the child is under 12, and that parent cannot work.
The rules
Eligibility
- Aged 4 to 17 on the date of application
- A CAS from an independent fee-paying school that holds a Student sponsor licence; state schools cannot sponsor
- Care arrangements in the UK: boarding at the school, living with a parent who holds a Parent of a Child Student visa, or a private foster carer or close relative aged 18 or over with the school's written approval
- Money for school fees for one academic year as shown on the CAS, plus boarding fees, or living costs if the child lives with a parent
- Written consent from both parents or the legal guardian to the application, the travel and the care arrangements
- No English test is required; the school satisfies itself that the child can follow lessons
- Tuberculosis test certificate if the stay is over 6 months
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Child's passport and birth certificate showing both parents' names
- CAS from the school and the offer letter
- Parents' bank statements or fixed deposits covering 28 days, no more than 31 days old
- Proof the school fees on the CAS have been paid, if any
- Consent letter signed by both parents, with their passports or Aadhaar as identity
- Care arrangement letter: boarding confirmation from the school, or the foster carer's details and the school's approval
- Parent's Parent of a Child Student application reference if applying together
- Court order or death certificate where only one parent gives consent
- Tuberculosis certificate from an approved clinic
- Previous school reports or transfer certificate as the school requests
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Child Student visa (age 4 to 17, independent school) application fee | £558 | ₹73,840 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 1 year at £776 a yearCharged for the full grant length up front; refunded only if the visa is refused. | £776 | ₹1,02,688 |
| UK Visa Desk all-in filing price, GST includedPaid to Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd. Home Office fees are paid by you on gov.uk. | ₹24,999 | |
| Required Home Office charges plus our filing price | £1,334 | ₹2,01,527 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- Care arrangements not shown or not approved by the school (Appendix Child Student, care requirement)
- Funds not held for 28 days, or in an account the parents cannot show they control
- Consent letter from one parent only without an explanation of the other parent's absence
- CAS issued by a school that does not hold the right licence or for a course that is not full-time
- Parent of a Child Student application refused, leaving a child under 12 with no approved carer
Exclusion or deportation order in force
A mandatory refusal: you were deported from the UK or formally excluded, and that order is still in force. No visa can be granted until the order is revoked.
What to fix: apply for revocation of the deportation order (normally after 10 years, earlier only in exceptional cases) with a UK regulated adviser; do not submit new visa applications while the order stands; each refusal adds to the record.
Decode 9.2.1Presence not conducive to the public good
The officer considers your behaviour, character or associations make you unsuitable, for example extremism, serious dishonesty not covered by other paragraphs, or a pattern of conduct abroad. Used rarely but it is mandatory.
What to fix: obtain the full reasons (ask for the decision notice and consider a Subject Access Request); character evidence and clearance certificates; this ground usually needs legal representation.
Decode 9.3.1Criminality: custodial sentence of 12 months or more, persistent offender, serious harm
A mandatory refusal for a prison sentence of 12 months or more anywhere in the world, or for repeat offending or serious-harm offences. Sentences under 12 months are considered under 9.4.2 to 9.4.5 (discretionary, with time limits for visitors).
What to fix: always declare convictions; non-disclosure leads to a 9.7.1 deception finding on top; for shorter sentences, show the time elapsed and rehabilitation evidence; get the court record and sentence length in English.
Decode 9.4.1Free tools
Tools for this route
Fee calculator in rupees
Every Home Office fee and the health surcharge, totalled in rupees at a dated rate.
Document checklist generator
A checklist for your route and situation, sent on WhatsApp.
Processing times tracker
Standard, priority and super priority times for Indian applicants, updated monthly.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
Can I go with my child to the UK?ShowHide
Yes if your child is under 12 and you apply for the Parent of a Child Student visa. You cannot work, you must show separate living funds, and you leave when the child turns 12 or finishes the course. For a child of 12 or over, boarding or an approved carer is the usual route.
Does my child need IELTS?ShowHide
No. There is no English test for the Child Student visa. The school decides whether the child's English is good enough, often with its own entrance test.
How much money do we need to show?ShowHide
One academic year of school fees as on the CAS, plus boarding fees where the child boards. If the child lives with a parent on a Parent of a Child Student visa, the parent must show £1,560 a month for up to 9 months plus £625 a month for each additional child. Check gov.uk for the current figures before you file.
Can my child work on this visa?ShowHide
A child aged 16 or 17 can work part-time up to 10 hours a week in term time and full-time in holidays. Under 16 cannot work at all.
What happens at 18?ShowHide
The child switches to the Student visa for university from inside the UK, with a new CAS. Time on the Child Student visa does not count towards settlement.
Is a tuberculosis test needed for a child?ShowHide
Yes for any stay over 6 months. Children under 11 usually have a clinical assessment rather than an X-ray at the approved clinic.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. No outcome is guaranteed.
Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Applicants outside the UK only; applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.