Short-term students

The short-term study routes (previously student visitor routes) are for people who want to come to the UK to study for a short period of time on a course that does not include a work placement or work experience, with the exception of electives which meet paragraph A57D(a)(iii) of the Immigration Rules.

There are 3 short-term student routes:

• short-term student (6 months) – for applicants aged 16 and over for a maximum of 6 months’ study;
• short-term student (11 months) – for applicants aged 16 and over for a maximum of 11 months’ English language study only;
• short-term student (child) – for applicants aged under 16 for a maximum of 6
  months’ study.

The only situation in which a student may use short-term study (STS) to study a course that will not be completed within their 6 month stay, other than for an English language course, is where a student is undertaking distance learning.

An applicant who wishes to use short-term study to undertake distance learning in the UK must meet all of the following criteria. They must:

• be studying for the majority of their time outside of the UK for a UK qualification
  by distance learning;
• be on a course that is longer than 6 months;
• only enter the UK for limited periods, totalling no more than 56 days in the UK in any 6-month period – study completed during visits can include induction weeks, short periods of intensive face-to-face learning and exams or assessments.

For the avoidance of doubt, a course can be both a distance learning and a part-time course. As long as the above criteria are met, the course will be considered a distance learning course for STS visa purposes.