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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
£1,164
Immigration Health Surcharge, 1.5 years at £776 a year; about ₹1,54,032
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Processing time from India
3 weeks
Priority 5 working days, super priority 1
Verified 8 October 2026
Sponsored study visas granted, Indian main applicants
82,523
YE June 2026; -16%
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Summary
In short
The UK Student visa fee is £558 for applications from 8 April 2026, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 a year. You need a CAS from a licensed sponsor and must hold the first-year tuition still owed plus £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month outside London for up to 9 months, for 28 consecutive days, rising to £1,570 and £1,203 for applications made from 30 November 2026. The standard decision from India takes 3 weeks from biometrics. The mistake Indian applicants make most is letting the balance dip below the required sum on one day inside the 28, or filing a bank statement that is more than 31 days old.
In practice
Worked example
Example: a Patiala graduate starting an MSc in Birmingham in January 2027. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Harpreet Kaur, 23, a fictional applicant, finished a BSc in Computer Science at a Patiala college in 2025 and then worked for a year at a Mohali IT firm. She holds an unconditional offer for a 12-month MSc in Data Science at a Birmingham university starting on 18 January 2027. Tuition on the CAS is £19,500, of which she paid a £5,000 deposit, so £14,500 is still owed. She submits the online form on 3 December 2026, after the maintenance uplift, so the new outside-London rate of £1,203 applies. Her father, a government schoolteacher, has an education loan sanction and a savings account in his own name. The university assessed her English itself and said so on the CAS, so no separate SELT was needed.
| 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 student rate: 12-month course plus a 4-month wrap-up is 16 months, charged as 1.5 years | £1,164, about ₹1,54,032 |
| Tuition still owed per the CAS | £14,500, about ₹19,18,785 |
| Living costs outside London for an application on 3 December 2026: 9 x £1,203 | £10,827, about ₹14,32,737 |
| The same living costs had she applied before 30 November 2026: 9 x £1,171 | £10,539, about ₹13,94,626 |
| Total to hold for 28 consecutive days | £25,327, about ₹33,51,522 |
| Education loan sanction letter from a nationalised bank, in her name | ₹25,00,000, about £18,892 |
| Father's savings account, lowest balance across the 28 days | ₹9,00,000, about £6,801 |
| Funds evidenced against the requirement | £25,693, a margin of £366 |
| Standard decision time from biometrics at VFS Chandigarh | 3 weeks; priority of 5 working days costs £500 extra |
Outcome
Harpreet's visa was granted 15 working days after biometrics and she flew on 10 January 2027. Had her father's balance dipped to ₹8,00,000 for a single day in the 28, a common wedding transfer, the total would have fallen below £25,327 and failed ST 12.3. Had the loan letter said she was eligible rather than sanctioned, the university's Basic Compliance Assessment screen would have stopped the CAS before the Home Office ever saw the file. Had she been unable to name three modules and her Birmingham accommodation cost at the credibility interview, ST 5.1 would have ended it.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the entry clearance officer checks on a Student file
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| That the CAS is valid, unused, issued within the last 6 months and matches every document you upload. | Appendix Student ST 7.1 to ST 7.6. The CAS is the sponsor's statement about you, and the officer tests it line by line against your papers. | The CAS statement from the university, the offer letter, fee receipts matching the fees-paid line, and the Class 10 and 12 marksheets, degree certificate and transcripts the CAS lists. |
| That the full sum, tuition owed plus up to 9 months of living costs, sat in the account for 28 consecutive days ending no more than 31 days before the application date. | Appendix Student ST 12.3 and ST 12.6, read with Appendix Finance. One day below the line fails the rule, and the officer checks the lowest balance, not the closing one. | Bank statements or a balance certificate on the bank's letterhead, a fixed deposit receipt with a letter confirming withdrawal, an education loan sanction letter from a bank regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, or a parent's statement with your birth certificate and a signed consent letter. |
| Whether you are a genuine student: the course fits your background, gaps are explained, and your plans after the course make sense. | Appendix Student ST 5.1. Where the officer has doubts you are called to a credibility interview and your answers are compared with the CAS and your bank papers. | A one-page study plan in your own words, employment letters or certificates covering any gap, knowledge of the fee, the modules and the city, and any previous refusal letter with a short note on what changed. |
| That your English is at B2 for degree level or B1 below it, in all four components, unless the sponsor assessed you itself. | Appendix Student ST 13.1 and Appendix English Language. A Higher Education Provider with a track record may assess English; any other sponsor needs a Secure English Language Test. | A SELT report (IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, LanguageCert SELT or Skills for English UKVI) showing 5.5 in each component for B2 or 4.0 for B1, or the CAS stating that the university assessed your English. |
| That the course qualifies and any ATAS certificate is attached. | Appendix Student ST 8.1 to ST 8.4. The course must be full time at the stated level, and certain postgraduate science and engineering subjects need an ATAS certificate before the visa can be granted. | The course level and hours on the CAS, and the ATAS certificate where the CAS says one is required. |
| That you hold a tuberculosis certificate from an approved clinic. | Appendix Tuberculosis. Any stay over 6 months from India needs a certificate, and it is valid for 6 months from the test date. | The TB certificate from a Home Office approved clinic, dated within 6 months of the application. |
| That nothing in your history triggers a suitability refusal. | Part 9 of the Immigration Rules, applied through ST 2.1. A false document or false statement under paragraph 9.7.1 brings a 10-year ban, and an undeclared refusal is treated as a false representation. | Every previous UK or other refusal declared on the form, documents the bank or college can verify on a phone call, and a clean match between the form, the CAS and the statements. |
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 balance dipped below the required sum for one or two days inside the 28, usually a transfer out for a wedding or a property instalment. | Refusal under ST 12.3 and ST 12.6, the £558 fee lost, and the university may decline a second CAS because the refusal counts against its Basic Compliance Assessment. | Ring-fence the money in one account with no debits, and if any dip happens restart the 28-day clock from the day the balance recovers. |
| The bank statement was more than 31 days old on the date the online form was submitted. | The funds are treated as not shown and the application is refused even if the money is still there. | Download or collect the statement after the 28 days end and submit the form within the same week, keeping the 31-day limit in view. |
| The education loan letter came from a lender the Home Office does not recognise, or said the applicant was eligible rather than sanctioned. | The loan is ignored, the funds fall short, and the file is refused under ST 12.3. | Get a sanction letter on the bank's letterhead from a bank regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, naming you, the course, the amount and the disbursement terms. |
| The CAS course has no link to the previous degree or work, and the file does not explain why. | A credibility interview, then a refusal under ST 5.1 as not a genuine student, and the university's own pre-CAS screen may now reject the same profile. | Write a study plan that connects the old subject, any work since, the new course and the job it leads to, and be ready to say it aloud at interview. |
| A template statement of purpose copied from an agent, often the same text seen on other files from the same town. | The interviewer asks a question the template does not cover, the answers collapse, and ST 5.1 is cited. | Write it yourself in plain English with specifics: module names, the fee, the city, the accommodation cost and who is paying. |
| A standard IELTS or an online test was used when the sponsor is not a track-record Higher Education Provider and a SELT was required. | Refusal under ST 13.1 even with a high score, because the test is not on the Home Office approved list. | Read the English line on the CAS first; if it does not say the university assessed you, book IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, LanguageCert SELT or Skills for English UKVI. |
| A previous refusal, from the UK or another country, was not declared on the form. | A false representation finding under Part 9, which can carry a 10-year ban and ends the study plan. | Declare every refusal with the date and country, attach the letter, and add two sentences on what has changed since. |
| The 28-day hold was done at the £1,171 rate but the form was submitted on or after 30 November 2026, when £1,203 applies. | The funds are £288 short for a 9-month course and the file is refused on arithmetic alone. | Run the maintenance calculator with your intended application date, not your course start date, and hold the higher figure if you are near the line. |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Unconditional offer and deposit
July to September 2026Accept the offer and pay the deposit the university asks for, keeping the receipt because the CAS will show it as fees paid. Ask the university now whether it will assess your English itself or needs a SELT.
Step 2: University pre-CAS screening
October 2026Since 1 June 2026 universities check funds and credibility before issuing a CAS to protect their Basic Compliance Assessment score. Expect a financial questionnaire or a short video interview; our CAS-readiness check mirrors it.
Step 3: Tuberculosis test
October or November 2026Book an approved clinic in Chandigarh or Delhi and keep the certificate, which is valid for 6 months. Do it before the funds window so a delay here does not push the statement past 31 days.
Step 4: Start the 28-day funds window
Early November 2026Move the tuition balance plus 9 months of living costs into one account and do not touch it. If you will apply on or after 30 November 2026, hold the £1,203 or £1,570 monthly rate from day one.
Step 5: CAS issued
Mid to late November 2026Check the course dates, fees paid, English assessment line and your passport number against your documents before you file. A CAS is valid for 6 months and cannot be reused after a refusal.
Step 6: Online application and fees
Early December 2026Submit the form, pay the £558 fee and the health surcharge for the full grant, and upload the statement that ends within the last 31 days. Apply up to 6 months before the course start date on the CAS.
Step 7: Biometrics at VFS
Within a few days of submittingAttend VFS Chandigarh or Jalandhar with your passport and the appointment letter. The 3-week clock starts here, not on the day you paid.
Step 8: Decision
3 weeks from biometrics, by late December 2026Standard service is 3 weeks; priority at £500 aims for 5 working days when VFS offers it. Do not book flights until the passport comes back with the vignette.
Step 9: Travel and eVisa
January 2027, inside the vignette datesFly within the entry window printed on the vignette and arrive before the course start date on the CAS. Create your UKVI account for the eVisa, since biometric residence permit cards are withdrawn as evidence of status from 9 December 2026.
Step 10: Plan the Graduate route
Before you leave PatialaA January 2027 start means any Graduate application falls after 1 January 2027 and gets 18 months, not 24. Use the Graduate planner so the surcharge and the timing hold no surprises later.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
Indian nationals received 82,523 sponsored study visas in the year ending June 2026, second only to China. The refusal rate for Indian applicants was 4.2 percent over the year, up from 2.9 percent, and 9.1 percent in April to June 2026. The jump follows the Basic Compliance Assessment change of 1 June 2026, which now penalises a university if more than 5 percent of its CAS holders are refused. Universities therefore screen Indian files harder before they issue a CAS, and credibility interviews are back for profiles with gaps, weak funds or a course that does not fit. Our student filing is ₹24,999 and starts with a CAS-readiness check so you do not pay a visa fee on a file that will fail.
The rules
Eligibility
- An unconditional offer and a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a sponsor on the Home Office register, issued within the last 6 months
- Money for the first year of tuition still owed on the CAS, plus living costs of £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month outside London for up to 9 months, held for 28 consecutive days
- From 30 November 2026 the monthly figures rise to £1,570 in London and £1,203 outside London, as reported by law-firm sources; the official instrument does not print them, so re-check before you file
- English at CEFR B2 for degree-level courses or B1 below degree level, by a Secure English Language Test or a university assessment where the sponsor is a Higher Education Provider with a track record
- Age 16 or over; under 18 needs written parental consent and arrangements for care in the UK
- A genuine student: your study history, gaps, the course and your plans after it must make sense together, tested at a credibility interview where the officer has doubts
- ATAS certificate for certain science and engineering postgraduate courses
- Dependants only if you are on a PhD or other doctoral course, a research-based postgraduate course, or a government-sponsored student on a course of 6 months or more
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Passport valid for the whole course
- CAS number and the CAS statement from the university, listing the tuition already paid
- Bank statements or a balance certificate covering 28 days, no more than 31 days old on the date you apply, from your own account or a parent's account with a birth certificate and consent letter
- Education loan sanction letter from a bank regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, on the bank's letterhead, stating the amount, the applicant and that the loan is approved, not merely eligible
- Fixed deposit receipts if the money is in an FD, with a letter confirming it can be withdrawn
- Class 10 and 12 marksheets, degree certificates and transcripts as listed on the CAS
- English test report (IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, LanguageCert, Skills for English UKVI) or the university's own assessment noted on the CAS
- Tuberculosis test certificate from a clinic approved for UK visas, dated within 6 months
- ATAS certificate where the CAS says it is required
- Parental consent letter and parents' passports if you are under 18
- Previous UK refusal letters, if any, with a short explanation of what changed
- Marriage certificate and your spouse's documents if you qualify to bring dependants
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa, main applicant application fee | £558 | ₹73,840 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 1.5 years at £776 a yearCharged for the full grant length up front; refunded only if the visa is refused. | £1,164 | ₹1,54,032 |
| 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 | £1,722 | ₹2,52,871 |
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
- Maintenance not held for 28 days or statement older than 31 days on the application date (Appendix Finance, 28-day rule)
- Loan sanction letter that only shows eligibility, has conditions attached, or comes from a lender the Home Office does not accept
- Large unexplained deposits shortly before the statement period, treated as borrowed money
- Credibility interview failed: the applicant could not describe the course, the university, the cost or why the UK rather than India (Appendix Student, genuine student requirement)
- CAS withdrawn by the sponsor after the university's own checks, or CAS used for a course the applicant does not progress to academically
- English evidence not at the level on the CAS, or a test not taken at a UKVI-approved centre when a SELT was required
- False document or false statement found in the academic or financial papers, which brings a 10-year ban under Part 9 of the Immigration Rules
Genuine student requirement
The credibility refusal. After the interview or on paper, the officer doubts you really intend to study this course: weak knowledge of the course or university, a course that does not fit your background, a gap you cannot explain, or signs that work or settlement is the real aim.
What to fix: prepare a one-page study plan: why the course, why the UK, why this university, what job after, and how it connects to your previous study and work; know the course modules, fee, city, accommodation and how the money is arranged; explain gaps with employment letters or evidence.
Decode ST 5.1Financial requirement: funds, 28 days, London and outside London
Your bank evidence did not show the full amount for 28 consecutive days, or the statement was older than 31 days, or the amount was short (tuition balance plus living costs). A single dip below the required sum on any day of the 28 fails the rule. From 30 November 2026 the monthly figures rise.
What to fix: calculate the exact sum: tuition still owed per the CAS plus 9 months x the monthly rate for your city; hold it untouched for 28 days, then download the statement within 31 days before applying; parent's funds: parent's statement, your birth certificate, and a signed consent letter.
Decode ST 12.3 / ST 12.6Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) requirement
The CAS was expired, already used, withdrawn by the university, or its details (course, fees paid, English) did not match your documents. Universities withdraw a CAS when a refusal looks likely, to protect their compliance score.
What to fix: ask the university to reissue or update the CAS before you apply; match every figure on the CAS with your receipts and statements.
Decode ST 7.1 to ST 7.6Free tools
Tools for this route
Student maintenance calculator
The 28-day funds you must hold, now and from 30 November 2026.
CAS readiness check
Is your file ready for the CAS and the credibility interview.
English requirement lookup
The CEFR level for your route and the SELT centres near you.
Fee calculator in rupees
Every Home Office fee and the health surcharge, totalled in rupees at a dated rate.
Graduate route planner
Your apply-by date and whether you get 24 or 18 months.
Refusal reason decoder
Paste the paragraph from your refusal letter and read what it means.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
How much money do I need to show for a UK student visa from India in 2026?ShowHide
Tuition still owed for the first year, as shown on the CAS, plus £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months. That is £13,761 in London and £10,539 outside London for a 9-month course, on top of unpaid tuition. From 30 November 2026 the monthly figures are expected to be £1,570 and £1,203. Our maintenance calculator applies the right figure for your application date.
What is the 28-day rule?ShowHide
The closing balance must stay at or above the required amount for every one of the 28 days before the final balance date. One day below the line resets the clock. The statement must also be no more than 31 days old when you submit the online form.
Does an education loan sanction letter from an Indian bank count?ShowHide
Yes, if the loan is sanctioned, not just approved in principle, and the letter is from a bank regulated by the Reserve Bank of India. The letter should state your name, the amount, the course and that funds will be released. NBFC loans are accepted only where the lender meets the Home Office's definition of a regulated financial institution, so ask us before you rely on one.
Can I bring my wife or husband on a student visa?ShowHide
Only if you are on a PhD or other doctoral course, a research-based postgraduate course, or you are a government-sponsored student on a course of at least 6 months. Taught master's students have not been able to bring dependants since January 2024.
Why is my university asking for a financial interview before giving the CAS?ShowHide
Since 1 June 2026 a sponsor loses its licence if more than 5 percent of its CAS holders are refused a visa. Universities now run their own funds and credibility checks before issuing a CAS so that weak files never reach the Home Office. Pass the university's check and the visa itself becomes much safer.
What is asked in a UK student visa credibility interview?ShowHide
Why this course, why this university, why the UK, what the course costs, how you will fund it, what you studied before, what you did during any gap, and what you plan after graduating. Answers are compared with your CAS and your bank papers. We run a mock interview for ₹6,999 if you want practice.
What is the health surcharge for a student?ShowHide
£776 a year at the student rate, charged for the full length of the visa including the extra months after the course. A 1-year master's with a 4-month wrap-up period is charged as 18 months, so about £1,164. The fee calculator works this out for your course dates.
Can I still get the 2-year Graduate visa?ShowHide
Yes if you apply for the Graduate visa before 1 January 2027. Applications made on or after that date get 18 months, except PhD graduates who keep 3 years. Our Graduate planner shows which side of the line your course end date puts you on.
How long does a UK student visa take from India?ShowHide
The standard service is 3 weeks from biometrics. Priority of 5 working days is sold at VFS centres when it is available. Apply up to 6 months before the course starts and do not book flights until the decision arrives.
If I was refused, can I apply again?ShowHide
Yes, there is no appeal but there is no waiting period either. The refusal letter cites the paragraph that failed, usually funds or credibility. Paste it into our refusal decoder, fix the exact point, and reapply with a new CAS from the sponsor.
- 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.