International students

If you require a visa to study in the UK, it’s essential to allow plenty of time to find out what you need to do, apply for the correct visa, or make any changes needed (if you need to extend your visa or your circumstances change). 

If you’re a new student, check this visas and immigration guidance.

If you’re a student who needs to extend or make a change to your visa, visit the your visa page.  

It’s also important that you’re aware of the responsibilities you must comply with to maintain your permission to study in the UK.   

Our admissions team will email your CAS to you after you have accepted your unconditional offer. If you are a Masters student it will be issued after you have paid your tuition fee deposit or provided your exemption evidence (for sponsored students).  ​​​​​

Make sure you follow the right steps when you apply for your visa by reading our visas and immigration information:  

• Applying for a student visa 
• Visas for study abroad and exchange 

If you have a student visa or a short- term study visa and are attending a course for six months or longer, you’ll need to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) in Leeds. Your BRP is the visa that covers the full duration of your course. 

Plan to be in Leeds in the recommended arrival week. Arriving in good time will give you the opportunity to explore the city, settle into your accommodation, attend International Orientation and welcome sessions hosted by your School. 

We know how tiring travelling can be and that’s why we offer arrival support services to help you have a smooth arrival in Leeds.  

Our arrival support services include:

• a free airport pick-up service from Leeds Bradford Airport and Manchester Airport for new students arriving in Leeds for the first time. 
• a free welcome food box to help you settle in during your first day in Leeds which also contains a UK SIM card. 

Please note you must be a new student who’s coming to Leeds for the first time to be able to book our arrival support services. 

To avoid financial difficulties and make sure you have enough money to support yourself (and any family with you) throughout your studies, you’ll need to know what costs to expect.

• Visit our Cost of living hub for tips on how to budget, save money and financial support that’s available.

Find out how to pay your fees safely with an online card payment or by using Flywire to pay by bank transfer. Don’t use third party agents to transfer payments to the University as this significantly increases your risk of being exposed to financial crime.

Each year some international students are tricked by criminals pretending to be from an official authority in the UK or their home country, and they lose significant amounts of money. Check our guidance on protecting yourself from fraud and scams. 

It may take some time to open a UK bank account. Make sure you’re prepared and can access money for your first few weeks at Leeds.

Opening a bank account in the UK is not compulsory. However, there are benefits to opening a UK bank account, such as not paying transaction fees for cash withdrawals or bank transfers. Read more about how to open a bank account in the UK, find out about digital and high street banking options and the different bank accounts available for international students.  

Registering with a doctor and a dentist can take some so it’s important that you do this as soon as possible when you arrive in Leeds. Our healthcare pages will give you information about the UK health system, what healthcare will be free and what you will need to pay for depending on your visa status. 

All international students are recommended to take out health insurance, but this is also essential if you have a visa for less than six months. 

Have a question but don’t know who to contact? Contact the Student Information Service team and they will put you in touch with the right team at the University who can help you find the answer.

Depending on how much time you need to dedicate to your studies, you may be able to work while in the UK. However, this may not always be possible. Whether you can work in the UK will also depend on your visa status. Make sure to check whether your visa allows you to work during your studies. Find out more about work and your visa.

The University of Leeds Careers service has useful information about finding a job and work experience. With a team of career experts and student peer support assistants, the Careers team can help you find out more about work, placements and graduate work opportunities. 

Our Student Visa advisers provide student visa and immigration advice to support you when you’re preparing to come to Leeds and throughout your degree. 

Talk to our current students to help you prepare for your studies at Leeds through Link to Leeds. Our ambassadors have written a range of blogs about their experience studying with us and you can contact them via email, attend live events or chat to them via the website.

We hold informative online and in person briefing sessions for international students to help you prepare for your time at Leeds. Invitations to these events will be sent to you via email. Online events will also be listed on our Link to Leeds event page. 

We have overseas offices in China, India, Malaysia and Nigeria that can offer you advice and help with your preparation to study at Leeds. 

We provide free English language workshops and consultations that you can fit around your studies to help you develop your academic language skills during your degree. Our Language Zone also has resources and activities for practising and developing English for everyday life as well as academic situations.