Study Routes and Rules
Guidance on the UK’s study routes and student visa rules — the main Student visa, the Short-term Study route, the post-study Graduate visa, and the rules that govern working hours and running a business while you study.
UK Study Routes & Student Rules
The Student visa is the main route for degree-level study in the UK, with the Short-term Study route for shorter courses and the Graduate visa allowing two years’ work after graduation. While studying, strict limits apply to working hours and business activity. Our guides cover each route and the conditions attached to student status. Browse them below.
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UK Student Visa Working Hours and Work Restrictions 2026
Most degree-level students may work 20 hours a week in term time and full time in vacations. But the right depends on your sponsor…
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UK Student Visa Requirements 2026: Complete Guide to Rules & Eligibility
The UK Student visa runs on a 70-point test: 50 for your CAS, 10 for money, 10 for English. The fee is £558 whether…
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UK Post Study Work Visa 2026: Graduate Route Complete Guide
The Graduate visa — still widely called the PSW visa — lets you stay and work in the UK after an eligible UK degree,…
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Short-Term Study Visa UK 2026: Complete Requirements & Application Guide
The Short-term study visa now does one job: English language courses longer than six months and no more than eleven. It costs £228 plus…
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Starting a Business on UK Student Visa 2026: Rules, Restrictions & Pathways
Self-employment is prohibited on the Student visa — no threshold, no hobby allowance, no exception for overseas clients. But the Rules do contain one…
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Africa (6) Americas & Oceania (5) Business Mobility (6) Central & Eastern Europe (11) Child Routes and Rules (4) Dependants & Joining Family (6) Documents & Eligibility (11) East & Southeast Asia (5) Eurasia (5) Fees & Costs (8) Financial Requirements (4) General Visitor Routes and Rules (8) Human Rights & Compassionate Routes (8) Middle East (6) Northern Europe (5) Other Work Visas (6) Processing, Timelines & Extensions (9) Refusals, Appeals & Bans (17) Settlement & Citizenship (18) Skilled Routes (4) South Asia (5) Southern Europe (6) Special Visit Routes (4) Study Routes and Rules (5) Talent & Investor (5) Temporary Worker (9) Visa Interviews (5) Western Europe (8)