Study
Short-term Study visa (English language course, 6 to 11 months) 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
£228
about ₹30,171 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
Not payable
This route is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge
Verified 8 October 2026
Processing time from India
3 weeks
Priority 5 working days, super priority 1
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
₹14,999
All-in, GST included
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
The UK Short-term Study visa costs £228 (fee table effective 8 April 2026) plus a £776 health surcharge and covers an English language course of more than 6 and up to 11 months at an accredited provider. The officer tests that you are a genuine student who can pay for the course and living costs without working and will leave at the end. Standard decisions from India take about 3 weeks. The common Indian mistake is treating it as a stepping stone: you cannot work, extend or switch to a Student visa from inside the UK.
In practice
Worked example
Example: Navdeep takes a 9-month English course in Brighton. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Navdeep, 22, from Patiala, finished a B.Com in 2025 and scored 5.5 in IELTS, below the 6.5 his chosen UK master's needs. He books a 9-month general English course at a British Council accredited school in Brighton starting January 2027 and applies from Chandigarh in October 2026. His father, who runs a wholesale cloth business, pays, with 3 years of ITR acknowledgements and GST returns. Navdeep has a conditional master's offer for September 2027 that he will take up from India after the course.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee, Short-term Study 6 to 11 months | £228 (₹30,171) |
| Health surcharge, 9-month visa charged as one year at the student rate | £776 (₹1,02,688) |
| Course fee for 9 months, paid in advance | £5,400 (₹7,14,582) |
| Living costs shown, 9 months at £1,000 outside London | £9,000 (₹11,90,970) |
| Return flights and TB test | about ₹85,000 |
| Home Office charges before add-ons | £1,004 (₹1,32,859) |
| Our all-in filing price | ₹24,999 |
| Standard decision time from biometrics | 3 weeks |
Outcome
The visa was granted in 14 working days for 11 months. The file worked because the course had a clear purpose, the conditional master's offer, and the father's income over 3 years covered the £15,400 total comfortably. Navdeep returned to Patiala in October 2027 and applied for his Student visa with a CAS from India, as the rules require.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the entry clearance officer checks on a Short-term Study file
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| A genuine intention to study English and leave | Appendix Short-term Student (English language) STS 5.1 and 5.2: the applicant must be a genuine student who will leave within 30 days of the course end or at 11 months | Acceptance letter, education record, employer or college letter about the plan after the course, and ties such as property papers and family |
| The course is an English language course of 6 to 11 months at an accredited provider | STS 4.1 to 4.3: the provider must be accredited by a recognised body and the course must be English language only | Provider letter stating the accreditation body (British Council, ISI, QAA or BAC), course title, dates and hours per week |
| Funds for the course, living costs and return travel | STS 6.1 and 6.2: the applicant must be able to maintain and accommodate themselves without working or public funds | 6 months of bank statements, course fee receipt, sponsor's ITR acknowledgements and Form 16 or business registration |
| Age 16 or over, with parental consent if under 18 | STS 3.1 and 3.2: minimum age and care arrangements for a minor | Passport, and for 16 and 17 year olds a notarised consent letter from both parents and UK guardian details |
| No intention to work, switch or settle | STS 5.3 and the conditions in STS 9: no work, no study at a state school, no extension and no switching | A plan after the course in India, a return reservation and no pending UK applications |
| Tuberculosis screening | Appendix Tuberculosis: applicants from India staying more than 6 months need a certificate | TB certificate from an approved clinic, within 6 months |
| Suitability | Part 9 paragraphs 9.2 to 9.8: previous refusals, overstays and false documents | Full declaration of past refusals, old passports with travel history |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing an 11-month course with no reason linked to your future | Refusal on the genuine student test, with no appeal | Tie the course to a concrete next step: a conditional university offer, a job that needs English, or a professional exam |
| Booking a course at a school that is not accredited by a recognised body | Refusal because the provider does not meet Appendix Short-term Student | Ask the school for its accreditation body and reference and check it on the gov.uk list before paying |
| A large deposit into the account two weeks before applying | The officer doubts the funds are genuinely available and refuses | Use the sponsoring parent's main account with 6 months of normal activity, and explain any large credit with a sale deed or FD maturity letter |
| Planning to work part-time like a Student visa holder | Working breaches the conditions and leads to removal and a ban on future visas | Budget for the full stay with no work income and show that money up front |
| Applying for a course of under 6 months on this visa | Refusal; the course needs a Standard Visitor visa | Courses up to 6 months go on the £135 Standard Visitor visa; this visa is only for 6 to 11 month English courses |
| Expecting to switch to a Student visa at the end | No switch is allowed; applying in the UK is refused and the stay becomes a breach | Return to India after the course and apply for the Student visa with a CAS from here |
| Skipping the TB certificate | Refusal or a delay while the certificate is requested | Book the test at an approved clinic before biometrics |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Choose and confirm the course
Month 0Get the acceptance letter with the accreditation body, dates, hours and fees; pay a deposit or the full fee
Step 2: Build the funds evidence
Months 0 to 16 months of statements for the paying account, ITR acknowledgements and business or salary proof for the sponsor
Step 3: TB test
Month 1Approved clinic in Chandigarh, Jalandhar or New Delhi; valid for 6 months
Step 4: Submit online and pay
Month 1, up to 3 months before the coursePay the £228 fee and the £776 surcharge; upload documents to the VFS portal
Step 5: Biometrics at VFS
Month 1 to 2Attend with passport and appointment letter; keep a copy of every uploaded document
Step 6: Decision
About 3 weeks after biometricsPriority at £500 aims for 5 working days where offered; the refusal letter, if any, cannot be appealed
Step 7: Passport returned with the vignette
Within a week of the decisionThe visa starts up to 7 days before the course; check the dates before booking flights
Step 8: Arrival and the end of the course
Course months 1 to 9Register with the school, do not work, and leave within 30 days of the course end or at 11 months
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
This visa suits an Indian applicant who wants to spend up to 11 months in the UK improving English, usually before a degree or a career move. It is not a route into UK study or work: there is no switching to a Student visa, no part-time work, and no extension. Officers test credibility hard because the course is cheap next to a degree and the applicant pays no tuition deposit of note. An applicant with a weak reason for an 11-month English course, or funds that appeared last month, is refused under the genuine student test, with no appeal. Courses shorter than 6 months need only a Standard Visitor visa. Decisions from India take about 3 weeks.
The rules
Eligibility
- You are 16 or over and have been accepted on an English language course lasting more than 6 months and up to 11 months
- The provider is accredited by a body recognised by the Home Office, such as the British Council, ISI, QAA or BAC, and the course has no other subject element
- You have enough money to pay for the course and to support yourself without working, and you can pay for your return journey
- You will leave the UK within 30 days of the course ending, or at 11 months, whichever is sooner
- You will not work, including unpaid work or work placements, and will not study at a state-funded school
- You will not extend, switch to another visa, or bring dependants, and you have a clear reason for learning English in the UK rather than in India
- A clear tuberculosis certificate from a Home Office approved clinic in India, because the stay is over 6 months
- No Part 9 suitability issues, and no plan to use the visa as a way of living in the UK
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Passport and old passports showing previous UK, Schengen, US, Canadian or Australian visas
- Acceptance letter from the accredited English language provider with the course title, start and end dates, hours per week and fees paid
- Receipt for any course fee paid in advance, and the provider's accreditation reference
- Last 6 months of bank statements for the account that pays, with every large credit explained, in your name or a parent's with a sponsorship letter
- Parent sponsor's ITR acknowledgements for 2 to 3 years, Form 16 or business registration, and the family relationship proof such as a birth certificate or ration card
- Your own education record: 10th and 12th marksheets, degree certificate and any English score such as IELTS or PTE, to show why this course makes sense
- Employer letter with approved leave and date of return, or a letter from your college confirming your place after the course
- Accommodation details in the UK: homestay or hall booking from the provider, or a relative's address with their status
- TB test certificate from an approved clinic in India, valid for 6 months
- Ties to India: property papers, fixed deposits, family dependants, and a statement of your plan after the course
- Parental consent letter and parent's ID if you are 16 or 17, with the UK guardian's details
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term Study visa, English language course over 6 and up to 11 months application fee | £228 | ₹30,171 |
| 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. | ₹14,999 | |
| Required Home Office charges plus our filing price | £228 | ₹45,170 |
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
- Genuine student doubt: the officer does not accept that an 11-month English course in the UK is a credible choice given your age, education and work history
- Funds not shown: statements do not cover the course and 11 months of living costs, or a large deposit landed just before applying
- Provider not accredited by a recognised body, or the course includes another subject so it is not an English language course
- Course shorter than 6 months, which needs a Standard Visitor visa instead, or longer than 11 months
- Intention doubted: the file suggests you plan to switch, work or stay, for example a partner already in the UK or a job search history
- TB certificate missing or from a clinic not on the approved list
- Part 9 suitability: a previous refusal not declared, or a document that could not be verified
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.
Refusal reason decoder
Paste the paragraph from your refusal letter and read what it means.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
How much does the Short-term Study visa cost from India in 2026?ShowHide
£228 for the visa plus £776 health surcharge for the 11-month stay, so £1,004 before the TB test, VFS add-ons and any priority fee. Our fee calculator converts the total at today's rate. Our filing fee for this route is ₹24,999.
Can I work part-time on this visa?ShowHide
No. No paid or unpaid work, no internship and no work placement. Working would breach the conditions and can lead to removal and a ban on future applications.
Can I switch to a Student visa after my English course?ShowHide
No. You must leave the UK and apply for the Student visa from India with a CAS. Plan the English course so the degree application fits the next intake after you return.
Is this visa cheaper than a Student visa for an English course?ShowHide
Yes. A Student visa costs £558 plus a higher surcharge and needs a CAS from a licensed sponsor. The Short-term Study visa is for courses up to 11 months at an accredited language school that is not a Student sponsor. It carries fewer rights, so choose by what you plan to do after.
Do I need to show a fixed amount of money?ShowHide
No fixed figure. You must show you can pay the course fee, your living costs for the full stay and your return travel without working. Officers compare the cost with your family's income over 6 months of statements.
Do I need an IELTS score to get this visa?ShowHide
No. There is no English test requirement, since the purpose is to learn English. A low score on an earlier test can even support your reason for the course.
Can I bring my spouse or child?ShowHide
No. This visa has no dependants. A partner could apply separately for a Standard Visitor visa for a short visit.
My course is 5 months. Which visa do I need?ShowHide
A Standard Visitor visa, which allows study of up to 6 months at an accredited provider and costs £135. The Short-term Study visa is only for English courses longer than 6 months.
- 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.