If you are a non-visa national, you do not need to apply for a short-term study visa before you travel.
If you are a non-visa national, you do not need to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa before you travel. Instead you can present your papers to the immigration officials on arrival at an UK airport and have the visa stamped into your passport which will be valid for 6 months.
Nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America will be able to use the eGates for fast automated arrival.
Students from European Economic Area and Switzerland, who are not eligible for EU Settlement Scheme can also use eGates entrance as Visitors.
You will need to carry the following in your hand luggage:
- Your passport
- A supporting letter from City confirming your short course/resits
- Recent formal evidence that you can support yourself financially for the duration of your course (eg: bank statement/loan letter)
- If you have it, evidence you intend to leave at the end of your stay, for example a flight booking (if you are a Study Abroad student you may also take with you a letter from your home institution confirming you will be returning to a course there)
- Students studying on certain science-based courses at Masters level and above will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate. You can find out more about applying for ATAS and which courses require it, on our Student Visa pages. You must obtain this before you travel to the UK, as you cannot start study without it. You may also be asked to show this to border officials when you enter the UK, so should have this in your hand luggage. Further guidance can be found on the ATAS website.