The UK Student Route Visa for Canadians: Documents, Timeline and Costs

What the Student Route Visa Is

The Student route visa is the UK's main visa for full time study at a licensed sponsor, covering degree courses, foundation years, and most postgraduate programs. As a Canadian citizen you need this visa for any course longer than 6 months, and for most shorter courses too once you check your specific program's requirements on gov.uk .

Step 1: Get Your CAS

Before you apply, your university issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, a CAS reference number tied to your specific course, tuition, and start date. You cannot submit a visa application without it. Universities normally release CAS numbers a few months before term starts, once you have accepted your offer and met any conditions.

Step 2: Gather Your Documents

Your application needs your passport, the CAS reference number, proof you can pay your remaining course fees and living costs, and evidence you meet the English language requirement, usually through your CAS itself if your prior education was in English. Applicants aged 16 or 17 need documented parental consent. Some postgraduate courses in specific technical subjects also require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate , which you should sort out before your visa appointment since it can take 6 weeks or more to arrive. As a Canadian citizen you are fully exempt from ATAS under gov.uk's nationality exemption list, so this requirement does not apply to you regardless of subject. It only matters for applicants who are not Canadian nationals, for example a dual national travelling on a non-Canadian passport, or an international student living in Canada who holds another citizenship.

Step 3: Apply Online and Pay

You apply online and pay two separate charges.

The health surcharge covers your full course length upfront, paid in one lump sum at application. A 3 year undergraduate degree means 3 years of surcharge paid in a single charge alongside your visa fee, so budget for that total before you start your application, not just the 558 GBP fee on its own. Faster decision services are available at extra cost if you need your visa sooner than the standard timeline.

Step 4: Biometrics and Decision

As part of your application you confirm your identity, which for most applicants means a visit to a visa application centre for fingerprints and a photo, or using an identity app depending on your circumstances. Standard processing gives you a decision within 3 weeks of your appointment when you apply from outside the UK. Build in buffer time before your course start date in case your application needs extra checks.

Step 5: Travel and Arrival

You can apply as early as 6 months before your course start date. Once your visa is granted, you can travel to the UK up to 1 week before your course starts if it runs 6 months or less, or up to 1 month before if it runs longer than that, but never before the start date printed on your visa.

Do Canadians Need a TB Test?

The UK requires a tuberculosis test only for applicants from a specific list of countries set out in the immigration rules. Canada is not on that list, so most Canadian Student route applicants do not need to arrange a TB test as part of their documents, unlike applicants from many other parts of the world.