UK student visa requirements from Pakistan for 2026

To get a UK Student visa from Pakistan you need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed university, money for your fees and living costs held for at least 28 days in a row, accepted proof of English and a TB test certificate from a Home Office approved clinic. The visa fee is £558 and the Immigration Health Surcharge is £776 for each year of your visa. Below is every requirement as of October 2026, plus two rule changes arriving in the next few months.

UK student visa checklist for Pakistan

GOV.UK says every applicant needs a current passport and a CAS. The other documents depend on your situation. Use this table as your checklist.

You can apply up to 6 months before your course starts. You prove your identity as part of the application and, if you are successful, you get an eVisa, which you view through a UKVI account linked to your passport.

How much money you need to show

You must show your course fees for one academic year (up to 9 months, as shown on your CAS, minus anything you have already paid) plus living costs for up to 9 months.

The higher amounts come from the statement of changes published on 3 September 2026 (HC 584). Applications made before 30 November 2026 are decided under the old figures. London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs.

UK student visa bank statement requirement

Check each of these points from Appendix Finance of the Immigration Rules before you apply:

• The money must be held for at least 28 consecutive days, and the end of that period must fall within 31 days of the date you apply.
• The account can be in your name, or in a parent's or legal guardian's name if you provide proof of the relationship (such as your birth certificate) and their written consent.
• Current, savings and deposit accounts count if the money can be withdrawn immediately. Shares, bonds and credit cards do not, and overdraft facilities are ignored.
• Money held with a bank that UKVI cannot verify, or that is not regulated, will not be considered.
• Rupee balances are converted at the OANDA spot rate on the date you apply, so your sterling total depends on the exchange rate that day. Keeping a margin above the minimum protects you if the rupee moves.

UK student visa English language requirements

For a degree level course you must show English at CEFR B2. Below degree level, the minimum is B1. GOV.UK lists these routes for most Pakistani students:

1. A Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. Outside the UK these are IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, LANGUAGECERT SELT tests and Skills for English UKVI.
2. An assessment by your university. At degree level or above, the university can assess your English itself, but it must still be equivalent to B2.
3. A degree taught in English. A non UK degree needs an Ecctis assessment confirming it is equivalent.

Your university may ask for a higher level than the visa minimum, so check the offer letter. If you need a score, our English test preparation classes cover IELTS, PTE Academic and LANGUAGECERT Academic.

TB test, ATAS and the health surcharge

TB test. Pakistan is on the GOV.UK list of countries where you need a TB test if you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more. The test must come from a Home Office approved clinic, and the certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of your X ray. GOV.UK lists approved clinics in Islamabad, Karachi, Mirpur and other cities, with fees of PKR 14,000 at IOM centres and PKR 15,000 at AMC for applicants aged 11 and over (list last updated 20 February 2026).

ATAS. Pakistan is not on the list of exempt nationalities, so some master's and PhD courses need an ATAS certificate before you apply. Whether yours does depends on the course's CAH3 subject code, which your university can give you. It is free, but GOV.UK says it takes at least 30 working days, with no fast track, and can be slower from April to August.

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). You pay it online as part of the visa application. The rules are:

• More than 6 months but less than a year: the full £776.
• Over a year and up to 18 months: £776 plus half (£388), so £1,164.
• Over 18 months but under 2 years: two full years, £1,552.

You may be offered a faster decision for an extra fee when you apply. Otherwise GOV.UK gives 3 weeks as the usual processing time for Student visas from outside the UK.

UK student visa new rules for 2026 and 2027

Living cost amounts are rising. As covered above, applications made from 30 November 2026 need £1,570 a month for London and £1,203 elsewhere.

The Graduate visa is getting shorter. GOV.UK confirms the Graduate visa is 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates still get 3 years. If you start a one year master's now, you will finish and apply in 2027, so plan around 18 months.

Dependants are limited. You can bring a partner or children only if you are a government sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months, or a full time postgraduate on a PhD or research based higher degree. Unless you are government sponsored, a taught master's does not let you bring family on your Student visa.

The visa brake does not cover Pakistan. Since 26 March 2026, Student visa applications from nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan are refused. GOV.UK states that other nationalities are not affected.

Work rules. Degree level students at a higher education provider can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time in vacations.

If you want a second pair of eyes on your CAS, bank statements or ATAS timing before you pay the fee, talk to a Via Nova counsellor through our UK study and visa service or call +92 316 4448062. Still choosing a country? Read our comparison of the best countries for a study visa from Pakistan.