Student Visa Extension: FLR Visa for Students in the UK

Last update: 17 December 2024

A student visa can be extended / renewed in the UK under the Further Leave to Remain (FLR) visa route if certain criteria have been met. The FLR visa for students allows foreign nationals studying in the UK to continue their studies. As an international student in the UK often, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria, you can extend your student visa extension if you:

• Failed a course that you need to resit
• Change course or school
• Had interrupted studies due to exceptional circumstances
• Continue further education, or
• Have a work placement or internship

It is imperative that you apply to extend your student visa before it expires, or else you may be classed as an ‘overstayer’, potentially leading to serious legal penalties and fines. Furthermore, if your student visa has expired and you haven’t submitted a visa application to extend your stay, you will need to leave the country within 30 days of its expiry.

The earliest you can apply for a student visa extension is 3 months before your new course of study starts. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring, e.g. if your current Student visa expires on 1^st October, you will need to apply for a new visa before that date, and your new course of study must start before 29^th October (i.e. 28 days later). If you have accidentally allowed your student visa to expire, you may still be able to apply for an extension as long as you do so within 14 days (this is called the ‘grace period’).

If you have any questions about your student visa extension or are concerned that you may have left your FLR application too late, please contact our immigration lawyers for assistance.

Student visa extension requirements

To apply for a student visa extension under the Further Leave to Remain route, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be currently in the UK on a Student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa
• Have a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) showing that you have an unconditional offer of a place with a licensed student sponsor
• Meet the academic progress requirement by being enrolled on a new course that is:
  • At a higher academic level than your current course
  • At the same level and related to your previous course if at degree level or above at a Higher Education Provider (HEP), or
  • Part (intercalated) of a medicine, dentistry or medical science course started on your student visa

The requirement to show that your new course is at a higher level if you:

• You need to resit exams or repeat modules in your course.
• Are applying for the first time to a new institution if your previous education provider lost its student sponsorship licence
• Work as a student union sabbatical officer to complete a qualification you started studying under your last Student visa.
• Are completing a PhD or other doctorate that you started studying under your last Student visa
• Continuing your medical, dentistry or medical science degree-level studies after completing an intercalated course, or
• Are extending your student visa because you have completed or will be completing a work placement or study abroad programme

How to extend student visa in the UK

To extend your student visa in the UK, you will need to complete the following steps:

• Complete and submit the online Student visa extension application form
• Pay the Student visa extension application fees (see below)
• Prove your identity by using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ mobile phone app or having your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point, and
• Provide any supporting documents to support your application (see below)

Supporting documents required

To support your student visa extension application, you may be asked to provide some or all of the following documents:

• A passport or other valid form of ID
• Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
• New Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
• A valid ATAS certificate, if required

Student visa extension cost

When applying for your student visa extension under the Further Leave to Remain route, you will need to pay an application fee of £490. In addition, you will need to pay the healthcare surcharge of £776 per year of study. The healthcare surcharge enables you to use the National Health Service (NHS) while in the UK if you require any form of physical or mental health care.

Visa options after student visa

Once you have completed your course of study in the UK, you will have various visa options available. The two most popular are the:

• UK Graduate visa (PSW visa)
• Skilled Worker visa

The Skilled Worker visa is the main work visa route in the UK and is open to applicants with an offer of an eligible job with an approved employer. Importantly, applicants must meet the minimum salary requirements for this type of visa. View our guidance for more information: Switching from Student Visa to Skilled Worker Visa

The UK Graduate visa is the preferred route for those completing their courses of study in the UK. It allows recent international UK graduates to remain in the UK for up to 2 years to find work, be self-employed, live in the UK with their partner and children, do voluntary work and travel to and from the UK. Most Graduate visa holders tend to find permanent skilled work in the UK and then switch to a Skilled Worker visa before their visa expires.