You can apply for a UK Student visa from the UAE once a licensed UK university or college has issued your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The application is made online on GOV.UK, you then give your fingerprints and photo at a UK visa application centre in the UAE, and UK Visas and Immigration usually decides within 3 weeks. The fixed costs are the £558 visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, and you must show your maintenance money has been held for 28 days in a row.
Last checked 24 September 2026.
Who this visa is for
The Student visa is for people aged 16 or over who have an offer on a course from a licensed student sponsor, enough money for fees and living costs, and the required level of English. It replaced the old Tier 4 (General) route. Students aged 16 or 17 going to an independent school may use the Child Student route instead.
For UAE residents, the practical point is that you apply from where you live. You do not need to fly home to your country of nationality. You file the online form, book a biometrics appointment in the UAE, and receive the decision as an eVisa linked to your passport through a UKVI account.
If you only want a short course of up to 6 months, such as a summer programme or a short English course, a Standard Visitor visa may be the right route instead. Our UK visa page explains the visitor route.
Documents you will need
GOV.UK lists two documents every applicant must give, and several more that depend on your circumstances. The table below separates them.
| Document | Who needs it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Everyone | It should be the passport you will travel on, because the eVisa is linked to it |
| CAS reference number | Everyone | Issued by your university or college; the course fee and any fee already paid are shown on it |
| Proof of funds | Most applicants | Course fees for the first year plus living costs, held for 28 consecutive days |
| ATAS certificate | Some postgraduate courses and nationalities | Your CAS or your university will tell you if you need one |
| Parental consent and birth certificate | Applicants aged 16 or 17 | Consent must cover the application, living and care arrangements, and travel |
| Financial sponsor consent | Anyone sponsored for fees and living costs in the last 12 months | A written letter from the sponsor, such as a government or employer |
| Tuberculosis test result | Only residents of listed countries | The UAE is not on the UK TB test list, but check the list if you lived elsewhere recently |
| Translations | Any document not in English or Welsh | Certified translations; see our translation guide |
Proving your English
GOV.UK says you will usually need to prove your knowledge of English. You can do it with a UK school qualification such as a GCSE or A level begun before age 18, a degree taught in English and awarded by a UK institution, a degree from an institution outside the UK that was taught in English, or an English test from an approved provider. Nationals of a short list of majority English-speaking countries, and Canadian nationals, are exempt. Your university may assess your English itself for degree-level study, and the CAS must show how the requirement was met.
Official fees and the money you must show
These are the UK government’s own figures in pounds sterling. The visa application centre may charge its own optional service fees on top, which are separate from the government fees below.
| Item | Official amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa application fee (from outside the UK) | £558 | Per person, including each dependant |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £776 per year | Paid for the length of the visa; a part year over 6 months counts as a full year |
| Priority service (where offered) | £500 extra | Decision usually within 5 working days |
| Super priority service (where offered) | £1,000 extra | Decision usually by the end of the next working day |
| Living costs, courses in London | £1,529 per month | For up to 9 months |
| Living costs, courses outside London | £1,171 per month | For up to 9 months |
| Living costs per dependant | £845 (London) or £680 (outside London) per month | For up to 9 months, only where dependants are allowed |
The money rule catches many applicants. The funds must sit in the account for at least 28 days in a row, and the last day of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days of the date you apply. A salary that arrives and leaves each month, or a large transfer a week before you apply, does not meet the rule. Our UK bank statement guide explains how UAE bank statements are usually read.
Two exceptions matter here. You do not need to show living costs if you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months when you apply. Separately, nationals of countries on GOV.UK’s differential evidence list, which includes the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain among others, do not have to submit the financial evidence with the application, although UK Visas and Immigration may still ask for it before deciding. This depends on your passport, not on where you live, so an Indian or Filipino resident of Dubai still submits full evidence.
Processing times and when to apply
| Step | Official timing |
|---|---|
| Earliest date to apply from outside the UK | 6 months before your course starts |
| Standard decision after you prove your identity | Usually within 3 weeks |
| Earliest arrival, course of 6 months or less | Up to 1 week before the course starts |
| Earliest arrival, course longer than 6 months | Up to 1 month before the course starts |
For a September intake, most families in the UAE aim to have the CAS by June and submit in June or July. That leaves time for a request for more information without putting the start date at risk. Busy summer weeks at the visa centres fill early, so booking the biometrics slot as soon as the online form is submitted helps.
Step by step: applying from the UAE
- Accept an offer and get your CAS from a licensed student sponsor. Check every detail on it: name, passport number, course dates, fees and how your English was assessed.
- Get your money in place and leave it untouched for 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of the application date.
- Apply online on GOV.UK, no earlier than 6 months before the course starts, and pay the £558 fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Book biometrics at a UK visa application centre in the UAE when the online form tells you to.
- Upload your documents, with certified English translations where needed.
- Wait for the decision, usually within 3 weeks, and set up your UKVI account to view the eVisa.
Common reasons Student visas are refused
Appendix Student of the Immigration Rules sets the tests: the applicant must be a genuine student (paragraph ST 5.1) and score 70 points for the CAS, course, financial and English language requirements. Refusals from UAE applicants usually trace back to one of these:
- The 28-day funds rule. A balance that dips below the required amount on any day, or a period that ends more than 31 days before the application.
- CAS mismatches. Fees paid, passport number or English evidence that do not match the CAS.
- The genuine student test. A course that does not fit your education or career history can lead the decision maker to doubt that you are a genuine student, so be ready to explain your choice.
- Sponsor letters. Missing written consent from a government or employer sponsor, or from parents for applicants aged 16 or 17.
Our UK documents and funds guide explains how UAE bank statements are usually presented.
Bringing a partner or children
Dependants are now limited. Under GOV.UK’s current rules you can bring a partner or children only if you are a government-sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months, or a full-time postgraduate student whose course starts on or after 1 January 2024 and is a PhD, another doctorate or a research-based higher degree. Most taught master’s students therefore apply alone. Each dependant who is eligible pays the same £558 fee and the health surcharge, and must show their own living costs.
After your degree: the Graduate route
After completing an eligible course you may be able to switch to the Graduate visa. GOV.UK says it allows 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027, or 3 years after a PhD. Anyone planning a course that ends in 2027 or later should plan on the shorter period.
How Visa Doctor helps
We check your CAS details against your documents, review your bank statements against the 28-day rule, prepare parental consent and sponsor letters where needed, complete the online form with you, and book your biometrics appointment in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or the northern emirates. We do not choose your university and we cannot influence the result: UK Visas and Immigration decides every application.
Call us on +971 58 509 5268 or message us on WhatsApp. Our office is Office 311, Stadium Point, Dubai Sports City, open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 20:00. If you are also comparing a US option, see our US student visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a UK Student visa from Dubai if I am not an Emirati?
Yes. You apply from the country where you live, so a UAE resident of any nationality can apply online and give biometrics at a UK visa application centre in the UAE. Keep your Emirates ID and residence details ready for the form.
How long does a UK Student visa take from the UAE?
GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks of proving your identity. Priority and super priority services may be offered for an extra £500 or £1,000, and you will be told if they are available when you apply.
How much money do I need in my bank account?
Your first year’s unpaid course fee, as shown on the CAS, plus £1,529 a month for London or £1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to 9 months. The money must be held for 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of your application.
Do Emirati students need to submit bank statements?
The United Arab Emirates is on GOV.UK’s differential evidence list, so Emirati nationals do not have to upload financial evidence with the application. They must still hold the money, and UK Visas and Immigration can ask to see it before making a decision.
Do I need IELTS for a UK Student visa?
Not always. GOV.UK accepts an approved English test, a UK school qualification, or a degree taught in English, and some nationalities are exempt. Your CAS shows how the requirement was met.
Do I need a TB test if I live in the UAE?
The UAE is not on the UK list of countries where a TB test is required. If you have recently lived in a listed country, check the list, because the rule depends on where you have been living.
Will I get a visa sticker in my passport?
No. Successful applicants now receive an eVisa, an online record of immigration status, which you access through a UKVI account linked to your passport. Our eVisa explainer shows how it works.
Sources and official references
All sources checked 24 September 2026.
- GOV.UK: Student visa overview, fees and decision times
- GOV.UK: Student visa, money you need
- GOV.UK: Student visa, documents you must provide
- GOV.UK: Student visa, partner and children
- GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge amounts
- GOV.UK: Priority and super priority services
- GOV.UK: Student visa, knowledge of English
- GOV.UK: Immigration Rules, Appendix Student
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa
- GOV.UK: Countries where you need a TB test