New students
If you are beginning a new course but are currently in the UK on another visa type and intend to switch to the Student Visa, your CAS will be issued directly to the VISA team from Admissions. You will be notified when it has been released to VISA. Please note a CAS can only be used once.
For more information on the CAS process, please see the Obtaining a CAS for new studies information page.
Continuing students
If you are a continuing student and feel you require a Student Visa extension, please contact the VISA team for us to assess your eligibility. A VISA advisor will then provide you with details on how to apply for your CAS extension if required. There is a £80.00 CAS extension fee for students requiring a Student Visa extension to complete their course.
It takes between 15 to 20 working days for the CAS to be ready from the date you apply. We recommend you contact us at least three months before your visa expires to begin the process.
Students going through the CAS Extension Process can refer to our published CAS Extension Guidance for confirmation on the eligibility and initial advice process, as well as eligibility and documentation.
Please refer to the gov.uk Student Visa page for an overview.
If you're switching to the Student Visa from inside the UK or if you are extending a Student Visa to complete your studies, you should book a drop-in slot to speak with VISA to obtain a personalised checklist of required documents and payments required.
If you've recently been accepted onto and issued a CAS for a new course, you'll need to provide the original qualification documents named on your CAS with your application. These will most likely include degree certificates, academic transcripts, or other awards from previous studies.
If you're extending your Student Visa to complete your course, you'll not require qualification evidence. However, you'll still require your visa, passport, any previous passport used to travel to the UK, and other documents depending on your situation, for example, ATAS clearance, evidence of living costs, and dependent documents, if applicable.
When extending your visa in the UK, a VISA advisor will ensure you submit all the correct documents, and if you have any questions, please speak with an advisor.
All documents submitted must be:
- Original
- In English or if not in English, accompanied by an official translation by a certified translator. For more information on certified translation companies in Glasgow, contact a VISA advisor at visa@gcu.ac.uk or in GCU London visa@gculondon.ac.uk.
You'll also be required to make payment for the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). The visa application fee for switching to or extending the Student Visa in the UK can be found on the gov.uk Student Visa webpage.
More than six months but less than one year
Wherever you apply from, you’ll have to pay the cost of a full year.
Cost for more than one year
If your visa is for more than a year, you’ll have to pay:
The yearly cost plus half the yearly cost, if it’s for 18 months or lessThe cost of two full years, if it’s for more than 18 months but less than two years.The amount of Immigration Health Surcharge you need to pay depends on your course length. You can use the online calculator to find out what you will need to pay.
Your visa application is submitted online directly to the UKVI. You can find links to apply below:
If you feel you need additional assistance with the application, contact us at visa@gcu.ac.uk.
The online process includes the use of the UK Immigration ID Check App; those who can use the app will not require to attend an appointment to enrol biometrics. Please review the UK Immigration ID Check App guidance online.
If you're unable to use the app, you may be required to pay for your biometric enrolment as part of the online application fee, and you'll complete the biometric enrolment at your appointment. Although there are some free appointments available at times, these can be limited, and you may also be required to pay for your appointment, depending on availability, to ensure your biometrics are enrolled on time.
For Student visa applications submitted on or after 30 November 2026, the amount required for living costs will increase. Where you are required to demonstrate funds, the following amounts apply:
| Study location | Applications submitted before 30 November 2026 | Applications submitted on or after 30 November 2026 |
|---|
| Glasgow Campus (outside London) | £1,171 per month, up to £10,539 for nine months | £1,203 per month, up to £10,827 for nine months |
| London Campus | £1,529 per month, up to £13,761 for nine months | £1,570 per month, up to £14,130 for nine months |
You must have sufficient funds for each month of study covered by your CAS, up to a maximum of nine months, in addition to any outstanding tuition fees shown on your CAS.
If you are relying on funds held in a bank account, the required amount must be held for at least 28 consecutive days. The end of this period must fall within 31 days before you submit your visa application. Please plan ahead to ensure you meet the increased requirement if applying on or after 30 November 2026.
If you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application (with no absence exceeding three months), you likely will not require evidence that you meet the living cost requirement.
If you were previously financially sponsored, you'll need your previous sponsor's unconditional consent in writing to stay in or re-enter the UK, even if you have been in the UK for more than 12 months.
Money you need
If you've not been in the UK for at least 12 months, you must demonstrate you have enough money to pay for your course and support yourself in the UK.
How much money you need depends on your circumstances and what you’re applying for.
Course fee
You need enough money to pay for your course for one academic year: up to nine months. The amount you need to pay will be on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
If you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, you do not need to prove you have this money for your visa application.
Money to support yourself (‘financial requirement’)
All costs are subject to change and costs are correct at time of publication.
You’ll need to show you have enough money to support yourself, unless you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application.
How much money you need depends on where you will be studying. You’ll need either:
- £1,529 per month (for up to nine months) for courses in London (London Campus)
- £1,171 per month (for up to nine months) for courses outside London (Glasgow Campus)
You’ll need to prove you have extra money for each family member you bring with you.
You must have this money for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa.
When you do not need to prove you have money to support yourself
You do not need to prove the financial requirement if:
- You’ve had a UK visa for 12 months prior to the date of your Student Visa application. You must currently be in the UK.
- You’re applying as a student union sabbatical officer.
- If you’re from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’.
If you’re from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’ you don't need to prove you have enough money to support yourself, however, you might be asked to provide this evidence before you get a decision on your application. If you do need to provide it, you’ll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) after you’ve submitted your application. For this reason, the VISA Team will request financial documentation from you to ensure they meet the requirements for an in-country visa application.
Read the guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
All costs are subject to change and costs are correct at time of publication.
It currently costs £558 per person to extend or switch to a Student Visa from inside the UK. Applicants may be required to pay an additional fee to enroll biometrics if they are unable to use the UK Immigration ID Check App.
You must pay the visa fee for each person who is applying with you.
If you wish to use the priority service or super priority service, please check the fees at the time of submitting your application or with a VISA advisor as these may vary. Please note that priority service or super priority services may be suspended without notice.
Please note the fees are subject to change; please see the most up-to-date information on the UKVI online Student Visa information page.
The amount of Immigration Health Surcharge you need to pay depends on your course length. You can use the online calculator to find out what you will need to pay.
