UK student visas: Child Student, Student and short-term study

If you are a Turkish citizen, you need a visa to study in the UK, whether the course lasts two weeks or five years. The system is logical once you know which visa matches your child's age, course and length of stay. This guide explains the four routes families from Türkiye usually meet and what each one involves.

All figures below were checked on GOV.UK in October 2026. Fees and requirements change from time to time, so confirm them on GOV.UK just before you apply. YES helps families plan; we do not give legal immigration advice.

Which visa fits which situation?

• Child Student visa: for students aged 4 to 17 with an unconditional offer from an independent school that holds a Child Student sponsor licence. This is the usual route for boarding school.
• Student visa: for students aged 16 or over who have a place with a licensed student sponsor, for example a university degree, a foundation programme or a full-time college course. A 16- or 17-year-old going to an independent school can use either visa.
• Short-term study visa: for students aged 16 or over on an English language course that lasts longer than 6 months but not more than 11 months. You cannot work, extend this visa or bring family members.
• Standard Visitor visa: for study of up to 6 months at an accredited institution, which covers most summer schools and short English courses. Turkish citizens need this visa even for a two-week course.

The CAS and when to apply

For the Child Student and Student visas, the school or university first issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), a reference number you enter on the application. You cannot apply without it, and you must apply within 6 months of receiving it.

From outside the UK, the earliest you can apply is 6 months before the course starts, and GOV.UK says a decision usually takes about 3 weeks. Apply as early as the rules allow, especially for September starts, when visa centres are busy. On a Student visa you can arrive up to 1 month before a course of more than 6 months begins, or 1 week before a shorter one. Successful applicants now receive an eVisa, a digital record of their status, rather than a physical card.

For a Standard Visitor visa, the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

Showing the money

For a Student visa you must show the first year's course fees, as stated on the CAS, plus living costs. As of October 2026, GOV.UK sets living costs at £1,529 a month for courses in London and £1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to 9 months. The money must have been held for at least 28 days in a row, and that 28-day period must end within 31 days of the date you apply.

For a Child Student at a boarding school there is no separate monthly figure: you show enough to pay the course and boarding fees for one academic year. Different amounts apply if the child will live with a parent, with a relative or independently, so check the GOV.UK money page for your arrangement.

A common pitfall is timing. Money is moved into the account too late, or the balance dips below the required amount for a single day. Plan the 28-day window before you book the visa appointment, and keep the statements exactly as the bank issues them.

Fees, the health surcharge and English

• Student and Child Student visa: £558 when applying from outside the UK.
• Short-term study visa: £228, plus the health surcharge, as this visa lasts more than 6 months.
• Standard Visitor visa: £135 for up to 6 months.
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £776 a year for students and for anyone under 18, paid upfront for the whole length of the visa. If you apply from outside the UK for 6 months or less, you do not pay it, so a visitor needs good travel health insurance.

Our guide to healthcare and the IHS explains what the surcharge covers and what it does not.

Student visa applicants must also prove their English: CEFR level B2 for degree-level study and B1 below degree level. For degree-level courses a university can assess English itself; otherwise an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) is usually needed, unless an exemption applies.

Work, family and students under 18

• Work: under the Immigration Rules, a full-time degree-level student sponsored by a university with a track record of compliance can work up to 20 hours a week in term time, and a below-degree student at such a university up to 10 hours. Child Students aged 16 or over can work up to 10 hours a week in term time. Visitors and short-term study students cannot work at all.
• Family: for postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, only students on a PhD or other research-based degree, and government-sponsored students, can bring a partner or children. A taught master's does not qualify.
• Under 18s: the application needs written consent from both parents, or from the parent with sole responsibility, covering the visa, travel, living arrangements and care. A visitor under 18 travelling alone also needs details of who they will stay with.

How YES can help

We help families work out which visa fits their plans, then build a realistic timeline and document checklist with them, in Turkish or English. For boarding school and university students we plan the CAS and visa stage alongside the application itself. For legal advice on a particular case, GOV.UK explains how to find a regulated immigration adviser. If you would like to talk it through, get in touch.

This article is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change; always check the official sources before you apply.