If you plan to study in the United Kingdom , you may need to get a study visa. If you are from Australia , Japan , Malaysia , South Africa , the United States , New Zealand , Hong Kong , South Korea , or Canada , you are eligible for a 6 month stay without obtaining a visa. If you are not from one of the countries listed above, or if you plan on staying to study in the United Kingdom for more than six months, then you will need to obtain a study visa from the British consulate in your home country.
In order to qualify for a study visa you must first match certain criteria. You must be able to prove that you are going to follow either a full-time degree course, a course that involves 15 hours of daytime classes per week, or that you will attend a full-time independent fee-paying school. You must also be able to pay for your classes and pay your way during your stay in the United Kingdom without the help of public funds. Also, you must intend to leave at the end of the term provided in your study visa.
If you complete your degree in the United Kingdom you may be eligible to change to a work visa or to a permanent resident status.
In 2005 the UK immigration office intends to make it more difficult for non-European Union members to stay in the country for more than six months.
If you intend to study in the United Kingdom , you should visit your local British consulate in order to check your status as regards a study visa. In many cases if the course you undertake to study is under six months in duration, then you may be able to enter the country without first obtaining a study visa. When in doubt, apply for the visa.