The UK grants Student visas to Pakistani applicants who hold a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed sponsor, can show enough money for tuition and living costs, and meet the Home Office’s English language, health, and character requirements. Two rule changes land this year, and both affect how you should time your application: a maintenance funds increase from 30 November 2026, and a shorter Graduate Route visa for anyone who applies from 1 January 2027.
Every figure below comes from the Home Office’s published Immigration Rules and gov.uk guidance, linked in the sources section at the end. Fees and thresholds change through the year, so confirm current figures on gov.uk before you submit anything. This guide gives general information, not a personalised visa assessment. For guidance specific to your profile, book a free consultation with Study Prime’s advisory team at our Islamabad office (Galleria Mall, I-8 Markaz), by phone at +92 310 1193888, or via WhatsApp.
Why Pakistani students choose the UK
Bachelor’s degrees run three years in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (four in Scotland), a year shorter than many alternative destinations, which cuts total tuition and living costs. Universities outside London, such as Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Leeds, sit in the lower maintenance-fund tier under UKVI’s two-region system. Graduates with an eligible degree can currently stay and work in the UK for up to two years with no job offer required, through the Graduate Route.
Which visa you need
Studying in the UK for more than six months means applying for the Student visa (formerly Tier 4). Your university, college, or school issues a CAS reference number once it confirms your place; that number, not a paper document, is what you enter into your online application. Courses of six months or less, including short English language programmes, fall under the Short-term Study visa instead, which carries lighter requirements but no work rights and no route to the Graduate visa afterward.
What UKVI checks
Your application needs to show:
- A valid CAS from a licensed Student sponsor
- Enough money to cover your remaining tuition and living costs
- English language ability that meets your course’s requirement
- A negative TB test result, since Pakistan sits on the Home Office’s required-testing list
- Good character, with a police certificate if one is requested
- A genuine intention to study, assessed against your academic history and course choice
UKVI weighs the whole file together. A strong bank balance doesn’t offset a study plan that doesn’t fit your background, and a well-written personal statement doesn’t offset missing financial evidence.
How much money you need
Until 29 November 2026, the Student route maintenance requirement is:
- £1,529 per month for courses in London, up to 9 months (maximum £13,761)
- £1,171 per month for courses outside London, up to 9 months (maximum £10,539)
From 30 November 2026, under the Home Office’s Statement of Changes HC 584, these figures rise to £1,570 per month in London (maximum roughly £14,130) and £1,203 per month outside London (maximum roughly £10,827). If your application lands after that date, budget for the higher number.
Add any tuition fees still outstanding on your CAS to the maintenance figure above. Funds must sit in your account, or a parent’s account with a signed consent letter and proof of relationship, for 28 consecutive days, with your closing bank statement dated no more than 31 days before you apply. A sudden large deposit shortly before applying fails this rule regardless of the total balance.
Since January 2024, only PhD and other research postgraduate students can bring dependants on the Student route. If you qualify, add £845 per month per dependant for London or £680 per month outside London, up to 9 months.
English language requirement
Pakistan doesn’t sit on the UK’s list of majority English-speaking countries, so your visa needs a Secure English Language Test (SELT), not just any English certificate. IELTS UKVI Academic is the SELT most Pakistani applicants use; it carries the same content and scoring as standard IELTS Academic, so one sitting satisfies both your university’s admission requirement and your visa’s SELT requirement. Confirm the exact band score with your university, since UKVI sets a minimum but institutions often ask for more.
Documents to prepare
- Valid passport, with at least one blank page
- CAS reference number
- Bank statements or loan/sponsorship letters covering the amount above
- TB test certificate
- Academic transcripts and qualification certificates
- English test results (IELTS UKVI Academic, unless your university confirms an exemption)
- Parental consent letter and birth certificate, if using a parent’s funds
- ATAS certificate, if your course covers a sensitive STEM or technical subject at postgraduate or research level
- A clear personal statement covering your course, your university, and your plans after graduation
The application process
- Secure your university offer and pay any deposit it asks for.
- Wait for your CAS reference number. Your university issues this once it confirms your place and finalises your funding details.
- Book and complete your TB test at an IOM-approved clinic in Pakistan before you apply; you’ll need the certificate number for your application.
- Apply online at gov.uk, entering your CAS number and paying the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Book a biometrics appointment at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Pakistan (Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, or Mirpur).
- Attend your appointment with your documents. Some applicants are called for a short credibility interview, in person or by phone, as a routine part of the process.
- Track your application through the VFS Global portal using your reference number.
- Collect your passport once UKVI returns it, and set up your UKVI account to access your digital eVisa.
What it costs
A Student visa costs £558, whether you apply from outside the UK or extend from inside it. On top of that, you’ll pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at £776 per year of your visa’s length, charged upfront for the whole period; a two-year visa costs £1,552 in IHS alone. Add roughly £100 to £150 for your TB test. None of these fees are refundable if UKVI declines your application, so a complete, accurate file on your first attempt protects your budget as well as your timeline.
How long it takes
UKVI’s published standard for a Student visa applied for from outside the UK is 3 weeks (15 working days) after your biometrics appointment. During the June to September rush before the main September intake, decisions routinely stretch to 4 to 6 weeks, and VFS appointment slots in Lahore and Karachi can book out weeks ahead. Priority processing (roughly £500 extra) targets 5 working days; super priority (roughly £1,000 extra) targets the next working day, though neither is guaranteed to be available in Pakistan at any given time.
TB test
Pakistan sits on the Home Office’s list of countries where a TB test is mandatory for anyone applying to stay more than six months. The test is a chest X-ray at an approved clinic, not a blood test, and adults typically pay £100 to £150 in Pakistan. Book it early: the certificate is valid for only 6 months from the X-ray date, and clinic waiting times add to your timeline before you can even submit your application.
Work rights while you study
On a degree-level course at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, you can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full-time during official vacations. Courses below degree level cap you at 10 hours a week, and some sponsors carry no work rights at all, whatever your course level, so check your CAS and your eVisa conditions rather than assume. The 20-hour limit applies to every job combined, runs Monday to Sunday, and can’t be averaged across weeks. Self-employment stays off-limits throughout.
After you graduate
The Graduate Route lets you stay and work in the UK after finishing an eligible course, with no job offer, no sponsor, and no minimum salary required. How long you get depends on when you apply, not when you started your course:
- 2 years, if you apply on or before 31 December 2026
- 18 months, if you apply on or after 1 January 2027
- 3 years, for PhD and other doctoral graduates, unaffected by the date change
You must be inside the UK to apply, and you apply after your university notifies the Home Office that you’ve completed your course, not after your formal graduation ceremony. The visa costs £937 plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per year. If your course finishes in 2026, applying before the December deadline locks in the full two years instead of 18 months.
Why applications get declined
Refusals from Pakistan tend to cluster around a handful of patterns:
- Financial evidence that fails the 28-day rule, often because of a last-minute deposit
- A course or university that doesn’t connect to the applicant’s academic record or stated career plan
- A weak or inconsistent answer at the credibility interview, where officers probe whether the applicant understands their own course
- Missing or expired documents, especially TB certificates submitted past their 6-month validity
Build your file around a consistent story: this course, this university, this career reason, told the same way across your documents and any interview.
Timeline: what to do and when
- 6 to 8 months before: shortlist universities, sit IELTS UKVI Academic, apply for admission
- 3 to 4 months before: receive your offer, arrange your deposit, start gathering financial documents
- 2 to 3 months before: get your CAS, complete your TB test, season your funds for the 28-day window
- 6 to 8 weeks before: apply online, pay fees, complete biometrics at VFS Global
- Before departure: confirm your eVisa, arrange accommodation, book your flight for no earlier than the date your visa allows
FAQ
Do I need IELTS for a UK student visa from Pakistan?
Yes. Pakistan isn’t on the UK’s majority English-speaking country list, so you need a Secure English Language Test. IELTS UKVI Academic is the one most Pakistani applicants take, and it satisfies both your university’s requirement and your visa’s SELT requirement in one sitting.
How much money do I need for a UK student visa from Pakistan?
Until 29 November 2026, £1,529 a month for London or £1,171 a month outside London, up to 9 months, plus any outstanding tuition fees on your CAS. From 30 November 2026, those figures rise to £1,570 and £1,203. Funds must be held for 28 consecutive days before you apply.
Do I need a TB test for a UK student visa?
Yes. Pakistan is on the Home Office’s list of countries requiring a TB test for stays over 6 months. It’s a chest X-ray at an approved clinic, costs roughly £100 to £150, and the certificate stays valid for 6 months.
Can I work while studying in the UK as a Pakistani student?
Yes, if your course is at degree level with a compliant sponsor: up to 20 hours a week in term time and full-time in vacations. Below degree level, the limit drops to 10 hours a week, and some sponsors carry no work rights at all.
How long does a UK student visa take from Pakistan?
UKVI’s standard is 3 weeks (15 working days) after your biometrics appointment, though peak season from June to September can stretch this to 4 to 6 weeks. Priority and super priority services can speed this up where available.
How long can I stay in the UK after I graduate?
Through the Graduate Route: 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027, and 3 years for PhD graduates regardless of application date.
Start your application as soon as your CAS arrives, keep your financial evidence consistent with the 28-day rule, and check every figure in this guide against gov.uk before you submit anything.
Ready to start your UK application? Book a free assessment with Study Prime and get your CAS, funds, and TB test timeline mapped out before you apply.
Official study visa consultants and admission advisors at Study Prime Islamabad. Guiding Pakistani students with verified admission, CAS, and visa processing procedures.
