Studying in the U.K.
United States citizens who intend studying in the United Kingdom should obtain entry clearance from the nearest British Diplomatic Mission within the United States before travelling.
Evidence required
Applicants for entry clearance must provide evidence that they have been accepted for a course of study at a university, further education establishment, independent school or bona fide private education institution, and must show they can meet the cost of tuition, maintenance, and accommodation for the duration of the course without working and without recourse to public funds. The course must comprise of at least fifteen hours daytime study per week of a single subject or related subjects. The applicant should possess adequate qualifications for the proposed course.
Spouse & Children
The spouse and dependent children of a prospective student should apply for entry clearance before travelling to the United Kingdom. If required to do so by an Immigration Officer on arrival, students and dependents must register with the police.
What happens if I do not obtain entry clearance?
A person arriving at a port of entry with the intention of studying but without entry clearance may be admitted for a limited period of time at the discretion of the British Immigration Service. The Immigration Officer must be satisfied that the passenger has genuine and realistic intentions of studying, intends to leave the United Kingdom on completion of studies, and can, without recourse to employment or public funds, finance tuition, maintenance and accommodation for him/herself and any accompanying dependents. The passenger may be admitted for a short period and will be advised to contact the Home Office Immigration Service to vary landing conditions when arrangements for study have been completed. The same provisions apply to persons admitted to the United Kingdom as tourists who subsequently decide to pursue a course of study.
Can I work?
United States citizens studying full time at a British university who get the appropriate entry stamp no longer require the approval of the Department of Employment to work in the United Kingdom They can work 20 hours a week during term time and full time during their holidays. Further information is available from www.workpermits.gov.uk or
www.britishcouncil-usa.org. Permission to work does not extend to persons admitted as visitors or short term students who do not meet the criteria for full student status.
U.S. university students on study abroad programs who are enrolled full time at a U.S. university may seek employment through the Work in Britain Program. Students are not required to be in the United States at the time of application, but if they are currently in the United Kingdom, will be required to leave and re-enter in order for their passport to be correctly stamped.
If you are a student in the United States and you are interested in working in the United Kingdom, read more… .
Further information
Further information is available from any British diplomatic mission overseas, or, in the United Kingdom, from the Home Office,
UK Border and Immigration Agency, Public Caller Unit, Block C, Whitgift Centre, Croydon CR9 2AR, ph: 0870-606-7766. Questions on education should be directed to the
Department for Education and Employment, Level 5, Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PQ, telephone (0114) 259-4074 or (0114) 259-4071.
Important Notice: The decision to grant entry to the United Kingdom or to vary conditions of stay after arrival rests exclusively with the appropriate British government department. The U.S. Embassy cannot intervene in decisions made by those departments.
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Studying in the U.K.