Student visa extension

You can extend a Student visa from inside the UK if you still hold permission and you have a new CAS. Academic progression and the 28-day money rule catch people out.

This page is general information about UK immigration routes. It is not advice on your case. Rules and fees change. Confirm the current position before you pay a Home Office fee.

Extending in the UK

If your Student visa or old Tier 4 visa is still valid, you do not have to leave and apply from abroad. You do need a new Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from a licensed sponsor, and you must meet the rules at the same time.

Apply before the current visa expires if you need section 3C leave to protect your status while the Home Office decides.

Two different 28-day rules

One 28-day rule is about money: the balance must usually sit in the account for 28 consecutive days. Another timing rule is about when you apply relative to the CAS and the course. They are not the same rule. Mixing them up is a common reason extensions fail.

Some students who have been in the UK lawfully for 12 months can use a financial exemption. It is not automatic. The immigration history has to fit the paragraph that creates the exemption.

Academic progression

Appendix Student expects the new course to be a step forward. The detail sits around ST 14.3 and the exceptions in ST 14.4. Resitting exams or repeating modules can be allowed under ST 14.4, but the sponsor has to be willing to issue a CAS on that basis. If the university will not issue a CAS, there is no extension to prepare.

Confirm the figure or rule on GOV.UK before you pay. Our professional fee, where you instruct us, is separate. See our fee schedule.