Disclaimer: This blog provides general immigration information, not legal advice. Laws and policies change frequently, and individual circumstances vary. Always do your own research and consider speaking with an accredited immigration lawyer before making any decisions. I am not affiliated with any government agency and am not responsible for outcomes based on this information. Official guidance on immigrating can be found on the UK Home Office website.
I successfully immigrated to Scotland and now have permanent settled status (Indefinite Leave to Remain). My first step was moving to the UK on a Student visa.
If you are wanting to go to university in the UK, start by researching programmes of study that interest you. Remember to check that the university/college you are applying to is on the list of licensed sponsors: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-licensed-sponsors-students
An important note: If your long-term goal is immigrating permanently to the UK, choose a course/programme of study that is the most likely to eventually get you a job in the UK. The Immigration Salary List is a good place to start – these are jobs currently in need, so the salary requirements for getting a Skilled Worker visa are lower than normal. You could also check out job websites like Indeed, MyJobScotland (if Scotland is where you want to move), CharityJob, or LinkedIn just to get a flavour for what types of jobs seem to be in demand.
Once you find a programme you want to commit to (and can afford – remember international tuition!), apply to the course/programme.
Once accepted, you’ll be sent a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) number. You’ll need this number before you can submit a Student visa application.
Student Visa Eligibility Requirements:
- You must be 16 or over.
- You must have been offered a place on a course/programme from the list of licensed sponsors.
- You must prove you have enough money to support yourself (this includes rent + bills + maintenance fees) and pay for the course/programme.
- You can speak, write, read, and understand English.
Application Process:
- If applying from outside the UK (most people), the earliest you can apply is 6 months before the start of your programme.
- You’ll need a CAS number (emailed to you by the university/college) to apply.
- A Student visa application costs £490.
- Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is currently £1,035 per year.
- You’ll likely get a decision within 3 weeks.
- Note: Being on this visa will not count towards the 5 years needed to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (permanent settled status).
If successful, you can arrive in the UK up to a month before the start of your course (if your course is longer than 6 months). You can also work in the UK while studying, though only a limited number of hours.
How long a Student visa enables you to stay in the UK depends on the course/programme you are doing. For example, if you are doing a four-year bachelor’s degree, your visa will likely be for 5 years. If you are doing a postgraduate programme, your visa will cover the year of your programme plus an extra four months.
So, you’ll have very limited time after you finish your course/programme to find a job that will sponsor you/meet all the requirements of a Skilled Worker visa. There is a way to extend that time, however!
Once you graduate, you can apply for a Graduate visa, which would give you 2 years (3 years if you finished a PHD programme) in the UK to find a job and hopefully be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa.
Graduate Visa Details:
- You must have completed your programme.
- The application costs £822.
- Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge which is currently £1,035 per year (so £2,070 for two years).
- This visa cannot be extended.
- Being on this visa will not count towards the 5 years needed to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (permanent settled status).
- This visa gives you extra time to find a job that will hopefully sponsor you, so that you can apply for a Skilled Worker visa.
There’s also a chance that while you are studying in the UK, you might meet that special someone and be able to pursue permanency in the UK through a Family visa – as a spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner.
Keep in mind, there is absolutely no guarantee that you’ll get a job that allows you to get a Skilled Worker visa, or meet someone that allows you to get a Family visa.
Plus, even if you get a Skilled Work visa, there’s no guarantee you’ll get to apply for permanency after 5 years.
SO.
Is it worth it?
That’s up to you. It’s a major financial investment – where other people will be saving money for houses/cars/holidays, you’ll be saving money for visa applications. It’s a risk and requires a lot of sacrifice.
But if you really want to live permanently in the UK (and don’t already have immediate family/a partner from there), this may be your best shot. It worked for me, after all.
I went from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa to Indefinite Leave to Remain. It took 6.5 years and many thousands of pounds.
In less than a year, I’ll be eligible to apply for Dual Citizenship (another £1,630). So, it is possible. But the cost is high – both financially and also in the life events you will inevitably miss with friends/family back in the States.
The wonderful people I’ve met, the new places I’ve travelled to, the experiences I’ve had, the amazing long-term relationships I’ve built – these have all justified the cost for me. But do some soul searching and don’t get too swept away by the romantic narrative of leaving life in the US behind for a shiny new life in the UK. Sadly, it’s not as simple as that. 😢
Any questions or comments, let me know!
