Please read through the guidance below and access the UKCISA links for broader definitions of the Standard Visitor Route.
If you require any assistance please find our contact details at the bottom of this webpage.
As a Standard visitor you are permitted to carry out a number of activities including tourism, visiting friends or family or undertaking a short course of study.
You are eligible to use the Standard Visitor route under the following circumstances:
As a visitor you are not permitted to work in any job and you will not have access to the following items from inside the UK:
- Working for an organisation or business in the UK, running or setting up a business as a self-employed person, providing goods and services, direct selling to the public;
- No work placement or internship options;
- No access to public funds;
- No access to medical treatment other than private medical treatment;
- No permission to extend your standard visitor or switch to any other type of visa.
Documentation required for enrolment at St Mary’s
Before you can enrol we’ll need to check and retain passport details and the immigration permission for all students who have entered the UK on: Standard Visitor Visa.
Visa nationals
You will need to apply for a visa before travelling. We’ll retain copies of your permission to enter the UK during the enrolment period.
Some non-visa nationals(including EU/EEA nationals)
You can enter the UK via the e-Gates. You will not receive a visa stamp, please keep hold of your arrival documents. (Boarding pass, tickets). You will automatically obtain 6 months permission to enter the UK as a ‘Standard Visitor’ and we’ll request details of your arrival during the enrolment period.
Nationals of: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States of America (B5JSSK) and EEA states and Switzerland can use the e-Gates.
Other non-visa nationals(not listed above)
You will require a stamp inside your passport on arrival to the UK. Please request a stamp and we’ll retain copies of your immigration permission during the enrolment period.
Short-term study visa route
The Short-term study visa route is now only limited to those wishing to study on English language courses for a period of between six to eleven months. Please see the UKCISA information for Short-term student visa.
Electronic travel authorisations (ETAs)
Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) are being introduced worldwide for visitors to the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays, or who do not already have a UK immigration status prior to travelling. You can find out if you need an ETA to travel and apply on GOV.UK.
The change means that if you are a non-visa national coming to St Mary’s University on the Study Abroad programme for one semester, you will now need to have an ETA unless you hold a student visa (which you will need if you plan to take a work placement while you are here).
If you are a visa national, you will not need an ETA in addition to your visa.
Using an ETA
An ETA is tied to a specific passport, which means that if you renew your passport, you will need a new ETA.
An ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK. It is a permission to travel to the UK.
It is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner, and it allows you to make multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months, provided there are gaps between these.
Application dates for non-European students
If you are an eligible non-European, you can apply in advance from 27th November 2024 and you will need an ETA to travel from 8th January 2025.
Application dates for European students
If you are an eligible European, you can apply from 5th March 2025 and you will need an ETA to travel from 2nd April 2025.
How to apply
You will need:
- your passport
- a personal email address
- a payment card for the £10 application fee.
We advise you to use UK ETA mobile app to apply – available from the App Store and Google Play – but you can also apply online.
More information
You can find instructions for the app on GOV.UK.
You can also find out more about ETA on the GOV.UK factsheet.
Assistance
Inviting family to the UK
You may want to invite family members for your graduation ceremony or a short visit for up to 6 months. The visa team does not provide bespoke letters for the purpose of your family applying for Visitor visas, but we have a template for you to edit and use in their applications.
Entry clearance posts can be extremely strict, we hold no responsibility for the decisions made at visa centres across the world and if applications are refused we have no power to overturn decisions.
Our advice is for any family member/visitor applying for a visitor visa from overseas to strengthen their visa application by including a full itinerary of their visit to the UK, including flight booking/ticket information to and from the UK. The intent and purpose of the visit must be clearly explained.
Download our inviting visitors template