Apply for a Visa

The following resources are intended for students who plan to study away at NYU London for a semester or full academic year. Please be aware that NYU London requires registration for in-person study only, no remote coursework is allowed. Students participating in short-term programs should visit our Visa Short-Term Travel page for more information.

The Office of Global Services (OGS) is the resource at NYU for immigration and visa advising. The Immigration & Mobility (“Outbound”) team will help you navigate your visa process throughout the months leading up to your departure. If, after reading through the information below, you have specific questions or uncertainties, feel free to reach out to us directly.

Each student’s immigration process will be different, depending on many variables including citizenship, age, length of stay, and location from which you are applying and your study abroad destination. Failure to obtain the correct visa will prevent you from studying abroad.

If you are an NYU Abu Dhabi student and will be applying in the UAE, please contact NYU Abu Dhabi's Global Education Office for localized assistance. If you are an NYU Shanghai student applying in Shanghai, the OGS will be working with the Shanghai Mobility Team to provide you with assistance.

If you have questions about your visa application or require assistance completing any application forms, please contact OGS or visit us during Advising Hours at the StudentLink Center.

Your UK Visa

A visa is an official stamp issued by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) affixed to a page inside your passport before you depart for UK or at the airport once you reach the UK. You must present it to Immigration Control when you arrive in UK.

Depending on your immigration requirements, it could take 3-6 weeks to process a visa. The earliest you can apply for your visa (if required) is 3 or 6 months (depending on your visa category) before the NYU London semester or academic year away start date. Allow yourself ample time to collect the needed documents.

If you are applying from outside of the U.S., your consulate or visa application center may require additional materials. We’ve done our best to compile a comprehensive list, but it is ultimately your responsibility to provide everything that is required.

Please Note: If you have any questions about how the UK's departure from the European Union affects your study away in London, please refer to our OGS Brexit Updates page.

Your UK Immigration Status

There are several immigration routes for students going to NYU London. As the student, it is your responsibility to identify the most appropriate category for your set of circumstances and to notify OGS of this choice. This occurs through the NYU London Immigration Form in your Enrollment Portal.

Upon completion of this form, you will receive an email from the Office of Global Services (OGS) with additional instructions and next steps related to the category you have selected.

Student Visa

This visa is required for students of all nationalities (excluding Ireland) if one of the points below applies:

If you will be working or interning while in the UK; OR
If you will be in the UK for the full academic year

Visitor Visa

This visa is required if all of the following apply:

If you have a passport from a visa national country; AND
If you will not work or intern while in the UK; AND
If you will be in the UK for less than 6 months in any given year.

Visitor Entry

You don't need to apply for a visa if all of the following apply:

If you have a passport from a non-visa national country; AND
If you will not work or intern while in the UK; AND
If you will be in the UK for less than 6 months in any given year.

Electronic Visa Waiver

This visa is an option if all of the following apply:

You hold a passport from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabi, or the United Arab Emirates; AND
You will not work or intern while in the UK; AND
You will be in the UK for less than 6 months in any given year.

Student Visa Application Steps

You must apply for a visa before you depart for NYU London. You may begin applying 180 days before your program start date in the UK.

STEP 1

Complete the NYU London Immigration Form

Identify the Student Visa category and notify OGS of this choice. This occurs through the NYU London Immigration Form in your Enrollment Portal.

STEP 2

Request CAS Number

Submit a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance to Study) Letter Request to OGS via the Enrollment Portal. Please review the CAS Assignment Policy (PDF: 95KB).

STEP 3

Receive Supporting Documents From the OGS

Obtain your CAS Letter from OGS via email.
If you are not a citizen of the United States or an English language majority country as defined by the UK government, you must provide results of an approved English language test before a CAS number can be requested. The OGS will contact you if this is a requirement.

STEP 4

Gather Documents and Submit Your Visa Application

Apply for your visa from your country of citizenship OR from a country where you have long-term permission to stay (i.e. students in the U.S. on an F-1 visa can apply in the U.S.). You must be physically located in the country throughout the application process.
Complete your visa application online.

Applying in the U.S.	Applying from outside of the U.S.
Review instructions about applying for a UK visa in the U.S.	Review instructions about applying for a UK visa outside of the U.S.

Compile required documents for your visa listed in the Student Visa Document Checklist (PDF: 473 KB).
- Any documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a full translation that can be independently verified by the UK Home Office. The original translation must contain confirmation from the translator/ translation company that it is an accurate translation of the original document, the date of translation, the translator/an authorized official of the translation company’s full name and signature, and the translator/ translation company’s contact details.
Pay the visa fee, which must be paid by credit card.
Have your fingerprints taken at a biometrics appointment (unless you are an EU/EEA/CH National)
- You will make an appointment at the end of the online application.
- If you are applying in the US, once you obtain your biometric scan mail in the rest of your visa application - it must arrive via UPS at VFS Services USA Inc within 5 days.
- If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA/CH country, you can use the UK Immigration: ID Check mobile app to provide your biometrics.
Students who are residents of any of the listed countries requiring a Tuberculosis test to enter the UK must obtain a Tuberculosis test if they will study in the UK for more than 6 months.

STEP 5

Receive Your Visa

If you applied for your visa in the US, your passport will be mailed back to you via the UPS label you provided.
If you applied for your visa outside the US, you will either be able to pick up your passport or have it mailed to you.

STEP 6

Upload a Copy of Your Visa

Once you receive your visa (remember, it will be inside your passport), you must upload a copy of it to the OGS via your Enrollment Portal.

The form will ask you specific questions about your visa to help indicate to us if you have obtained the correct visa type for your travel.
These questions include, number of entries (i.e. single entry, multiple entry), visa country of issue (UK), and validity dates (i.e. the start and end date listed on the visa).

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