Study English in the UK (Short-term study visa)
Your course
Your English language course must be with an ‘accredited institution’.
This can be either:
- an accredited UK institution
- an eligible overseas provider, if you’re studying in the UK as part of an overseas course
Accredited UK institutions
An accredited institution must either have a student sponsor licence or have a valid accreditation and be listed by one of the following:
- Accreditation Service for International Colleges
- Accreditation UK
- British Accreditation Council
- Education and Training Inspectorate (in Northern Ireland)
- Estyn (in Wales)
- Education Scotland
- Independent Schools Inspectorate
- Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)
- Office for Students
- Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Eligible overseas providers
You can also apply for a Short-term study visa if you’re studying at an overseas higher education institution and part of your English language course is in the UK.
Your institution must:
- hold its own national accreditation
- offer no more than half of its educational programme in the UK
- offer programmes that are equivalent to a UK degree