ERASMUS+ MOBILITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

FOR NON-EU NATIONALS STAYING IN THE UK FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OR FOR LONGER THAN 6 MONTHS

VISA AND HEALTH INSURANCE

As a non-EU national, you need to apply for and obtain a standard visitor visa before travelling to the UK. For mobility lasting less than 6 months you can stay with a visitor visa. The following webpage contains guidance on the process:

Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor

For mobility longer than 6 months you must apply for a study visa.

For more information, please visit the following website: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration.

When completing your visa application, please select the main purpose of your visit to the UK as Short Term study (up to 6 months) or Study (more than 6 months) and NOT Academic visit.

For non-EU nationals, it is essential to take out a health insurance which should be valid during your stay in the UK.

ERASMUS+ STUDY MOBILITY IN THE UK AS AN EU NATIONAL FOR MOBILITY OF UP TO 6 MONTHS

ENTRY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM

To study in the UK for 6 months or less, you must have a 'visitor' status, you do not need a study visa.

1. eGates

If you have a passport and are a national of an EU country, you might be eligible to use an eGate, please use the following webpage to check if you are eligible: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coming-to-the-uk/faster-travel-through-the-uk-border

If you are eligible to use an eGate, you can use your passport to enter the UK which will give you 'visitor' status however, please also bring the documents mentioned below. You will not receive a stamp in your passport as the 'visitor' status is automatic therefore, it is important to keep your boarding pass or flight ticket as this will show your date of entry to the UK which you will need to enrol at the university.

If you use eGate to enter the country, you will not receive a stamp in your passport, so it is important to keep your boarding pass or airline ticket as it will be used to confirm your arrival date at the host university.

2. Border Control at the Immigration Desk

If you cannot use an eGate, when you enter the UK, you need to go to a border control officer at the immigration desk to get a stamp in your passport. This will give you 'visitor' status. Please also bring the documents mentioned below.

Documents Required

For both options above, you need a:

Valid passport (valid for the whole of your stay in the UK)

However, you might also be asked for the following, so please bring them:

Offer Letter or Letter of Acceptance
Evidence of finances
Evidence of accommodation
For research students - a letter from your home university which confirms that the research you will be undertaking is part of or relevant to your degree

ERASMUS+ STUDY MOBILITY IN THE UK AS AN EU NATIONAL FOR MOBILITY MORE THAN 6 MONTHS

To study in the UK for more than 6 months, a student visa is required. Please see the following Student Visa webpage for information on the process. Please note that a short-term study visa is not the correct visa, it must be the student visa only.

To apply for your Student visa you will need the following documents:

Your CAS number
Passport
Completed visa application form
Student visa application fee (currently £ 490)
Immigration Health Surcharge (for calculating the exact amount you will have to pay, please use the Immigration Health Surcharge calculator).

You will receive your CAS number, by email, after you have met all the conditions of your offer, which will include:

passing all your exams and sending the University copies of your qualifications or transcripts
providing evidence of your English language ability
paying an 'international deposit'
confirming that you have the necessary funds to cover the costs of your course by singing a 'Financial Declaration'
providing financial evidence (only required if you are from a non 'low-risk' country)
meeting any other conditions of your offer

The earliest that you will receive your CAS is six months before the start of your course, even if you have met all the conditions of your offer.

How much money you need depends on where you will be studying. You’ll need either:

£1,334 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses in London, i.e. £12,006 for a full academic year

£1,023 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses outside London, i.e. £9,207 for a full academic year

You can only use financial evidence that is acceptable to the Home Office.

If you do not prepare financial evidence that meets Home Office requirements, your Student visa application will be refused.

HEALTH INSURANCE FOR MOBILITIES OF MORE THAN 6 MONTHS

Students coming to the UK for 6 months or longer must pay a compulsory Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to access National Health Service (NHS) services. The IHS is payable at the time of visa application, in addition to the fees listed above, and once paid, you will be entitled to access health services on arrival in the UK.