Visas and Immigration

International @Campuslife offer comprehensive visa advice for students

Which visa do I need?

Nationals of countries outside the UK usually require immigration (a visa) or travel authorisation (ETA) to travel to and study in the UK.

Studying a course that is longer than 6 months: you will need to apply for a Student Route Visa and we have helpful guidance to Making a visa application overseas or from within the UK. Please note: you cannot automatically make a Student Route visa from inside the UK, even if you have existing time on a visa you are holding. In particular, you cannot extend a Student visa where you studied previously at a different institution and you did not complete the course for which the visa was granted. If in doubt, please check with University staff as part of the Admissions process and they will refer you to ICL if necessary.
Studying a course for less than 6 months, or coming for a short visit as part of a distance learning course: you will probably need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa or ETA (if you're of an eligible nationality).
Studying an 11-month English Language Course: you will probably need to apply for a Short Term Student visa.
Visiting Researcher/Academic or exchange student: you will also be able to find information on the University's website. If you are a University Visitor, including a Researcher or Academic, please see our bespoke guidance found here.

You can check whether you need a visa or travel authorisation by entering your details in the Gov.UK website. It is very easy to check as you just enter your nationality, that you are studying and the length of your course. The site will then inform you about the permission you require.

EU/EEA nationals coming to study in the UK: you will need to apply for the correct immigration permission to allow your entry and study in the UK. Please look at the University information regarding EU students for more information. Do not assume your visa application can be made in the UK. If your course is more than 6 months in length, most likely you will need to make a Student visa application from home prior to travelling.

Hong Kong British National Overseas (HK BNO) you may be able to apply under the HK BNO route.

Already in the UK on a Student Route or other visa (e.g. PBS dependant, Skilled Worker etc.): you may already be eligible to study with us. If you would like help verifying your status, please send a copy of your visa to the International@Campuslife team via email and they will check your options with you.

Information on part-time study

Part-Time Study: Student Route Visa

Although Student Route visa regulations do not prohibit students from studying a part-time postgraduate degree course or equivalent (minimum of RQF Level 7) of more than 6 months, students are only able to study part-time on a UK course that has a designated, validated part-time route. Currently, Swansea University courses are only validated for Student visa sponsorship, as standard, if they are studied full-time. This means that if an international applicant needs a Student visa to study at the University, a CAS will not normally be issued for study on a part-time basis.

For those considering studying part-time in order to work for extended hours, it is important to understand that Part-Time Student visa holders are prohibited from all work (including work placements). In addition, Part-Time Student visa holders cannot bring Dependants to the UK with them, and cannot extend their visa from within the UK.

The Student Route also has time caps placed on the amount of time you can study in the UK at undergraduate degree level and below. Please see the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) for further information about eligibility and undergraduate time caps.

If you are hoping to bring Dependants to the UK with you, please see our comprehensive Families- International Students information.

Part-Time Study: Alternative Immigration Categories

If you are already resident in the UK under a different visa category (e.g. Skilled Worker, PBS Dependant, ILR etc.) then it may be possible for you study part-time. As per the information above, there must be a validated part-time route available for the course you are hoping to join.

You should also consider whether you have enough time within your current immigration leave to complete the course in its entirety. If you do not have enough time for the whole course, you will need to ensure that you are confident you can extend your current visa or "switch" into another visa category in order to complete. It is important to note that you would not normally be able to gain any subsequent Swansea University Student visa sponsorship for a part-time course, and should not presume that switching to a Part-Time Student visa would be a future option (though switching into the Student Route to continue your course on a full-time basis may be possible).

Please note: if you are coming as a Visiting Researcher/Academic, or for a short visit as part of an exchange programme, then the University will confirm the correct visa to apply for, though you may also like to look at our Visiting Academics and Researchers section.

If you need help verifying your immigration status, please send a copy of your visa to the International@Campuslife team via email and they will check your options with you.