Child Student Visa

Stowe School is a Sponsor for UK Visas and Immigration. We are licensed to support Confirmations of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for Child Student Visas.

All non-UK passport holders will require a Child Student Visa in order to be able to study at Stowe. The only exceptions are:

  1. British and Irish citizens.
  2. European citizens with Settled or Pre-Settled status
  3. Non-European citizens with a visa which allows study, including (but not limited to) dependant visa holders and those with indefinite leave.

The visa is course based so one application will be needed for each course (GCSE and A Level). If you are making an application from overseas, you can make the application up to 6 months before your date of travel to the UK. If you are applying from the UK, you may make an application up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. You will usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. You can check visa processing times for your country on the gov.uk website. You are advised not to book flights until your visa has been granted.

Full details on how to apply for a Child Student Visa can be found here

Documents required to make application

  • A current passport.
  • A Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) issued by the UK Visas and Immigration which we will provide once we have a copy of your child’s current passport. This will contain a reference number which you will need enter on your visa application. The CAS is valid for six months and only valid for studying at Stowe School.
  • Parental Consent Form, completed on our Parent Portal.
  • You may be required to provide a tuberculosis (TB) certificate, so please ensure that you allow plenty of time to get an appointment at an approved clinic before submitting your visa application. A list of countries likely to require a TB certificate can be found here: TB Test List

Costs

  • £490 for applications made outside the UK.
  • £470 Immigration Healthcare Surcharge for each year of the visa: Healthcare Surcharge This cost may vary depending upon your nationality and length of course.
  • £21 UKVI fee for issuing the CAS.

When you apply for a Child Student Visa, you may be asked to demonstrate to UK Visas and Immigration that you have the money available to pay your school fees for the first year of the course. We recommend that you pay a year’s fees in advance before we apply for the CAS, so that we can state on your CAS that fees have been paid in full. We can provide a pro-forma invoice if required. If you are a UK National or you come from one of the countries listed by the UKVI in their guidance at https://www.gov.uk/child-study-visa/money then you DO NOT need to meet this financial requirement.

Process

  • After submitting your application, you will receive a ‘Decision Letter’ from UK Visa and Immigration and if your leave is granted, you will be given a 30-day travel vignette in your passport. We MUST be in receipt of a copy of the Decision Letter. Please forward this to us at admissions@stowe.co.uk as soon as possible. The vignette allows you to enter the UK and is valid for 30 days from the date you said you would arrive in the UK (even if you arrive at a later date). You will have to apply for another 30-day visa if you do not travel within those 30 days.
  • A BRP card (Biometric Residence Permit) will be issued. You will be asked on your application to state where you wish your Biometric Residence Permit sent to for collection. YOU MUST QUOTE THE STOWE ACL CODE WHICH IS 2SC997 SO THAT YOUR BRP WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO STOWE’S ADMISSIONS OFFICE, READY FOR COLLECTION WHEN YOUR CHILD STARTS SCHOOL. IT MUST NOT BE SENT TO THE LOCAL POST OFFICE.
  • The UK government is phasing out BRP cards by January 2025 and replacing them with a digital visa. Therefore, your BRP may state it is only valid until 12/2024.
  • If your child will be travelling unaccompanied to the UK without parents or a guardian, we advise you complete a copy the Travel Consent Form available on our Parent Portal and ensure your child carries it with them when travelling. It also advisable for them to carry a photocopy of the parent’s passport to accompany the Consent Form, and a copy of the original offer letter from Stowe.
  • On arrival at Stowe, your child must bring their passport or travel document containing their vignette when collecting their BRP from the Admissions Office at Stowe. Pupils will not be allowed into houses until a copy of their passport and entry stamp has been taken. Your child’s passport and BRP MUST be handed to their Houseparent or Matron for safekeeping during term time.