Study visa · from Nigeria
UK Student visa from Nigeria
A UK Student visa is applied for after a licensed student sponsor issues you a CAS — a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. You cannot apply without one, and the CAS carries a reference number the application form asks for directly. Alongside it the Home Office tests two things above all: that you can pay the course fees and maintain yourself, and that you are a genuine student for the course you have been offered.
Typical processing
15–25 business days (standard); 5 business days priority
Government fee, estimated
GBP 127 (standard visitor); GBP 500 priority
Paid to the mission, not to us
How this differs from a visitor application
A visitor application argues that you will return. A Student application argues that you belong on the course and can fund it. The financial test is far more mechanical than most applicants expect — a specific amount, held for a specific number of consecutive days, in an account the Home Office accepts. Money that arrives the week before you apply is the single most common reason a well-qualified student is refused.
What this application needs in addition
On top of the standard documents for United Kingdom, which are listed in full on the destination page.
- ✓CAS reference number from your licensed student sponsor
- ✓The qualifications listed on your CAS — original certificates and transcripts
- ✓Proof of English language ability where your sponsor has not assessed it themselves
- ✓Bank statements showing the required maintenance held for 28 consecutive days, ending no more than 31 days before you apply
- ✓Evidence of tuition already paid, if any, to reduce the maintenance figure required
- ✓ATAS clearance certificate for certain postgraduate science and engineering courses
- ✓Immigration Health Surcharge payment reference
- ✓Parental consent and birth certificate if you are under 18
- ✓Tuberculosis test certificate from an approved Nigerian clinic
Where these applications go wrong
These are the failures our desk sees most often on this route. None of them is about the applicant being unqualified — they are all preparation.
The 28-day rule is misread
The required balance must sit in the account for 28 consecutive days without dropping below the figure once, and the closing statement must be recent. A lump sum deposited days before applying fails even when the amount is correct.
The account holder is not eligible
Funds must be in your name, your parent's or legal guardian's. An uncle's, an employer's or a family friend's account is not accepted, however genuine the support is.
The CAS and the documents disagree
If the qualifications named on the CAS do not match the certificates you submit, the application is refused on that alone. This is a paperwork failure, not an academic one.
ATAS is discovered too late
Some postgraduate courses require ATAS clearance, which takes weeks on its own and must be in hand before the visa application. It is easy to miss until it delays everything.
Not sure how strong your file is?
The free assessment takes about a minute and tells you what a consulate is likely to take issue with — and what would fix it — before you pay a government fee.
Questions people ask
Can I work in the UK on a Student visa?
Most degree-level students may work a limited number of hours during term and full time during vacations, and the exact allowance is printed on your visa. Your sponsor and the visa decision govern this — do not rely on what another student was granted.
Can I bring my family?
Dependant rules for students changed and are now restricted to certain courses. Whether your course qualifies has to be checked against your CAS before you plan around it.
How far ahead should I apply?
As early as your CAS allows. The financial evidence has to be seasoned for 28 days before you even start, so working backwards from your course date usually means beginning two to three months out.
Travelling to United Kingdom for another reason?
This page is first-time guidance, not a legal source. The embassy, consulate or immigration authority for your destination is the only authority on its own requirements, and they can change without notice. Fees shown are what the government charges and are estimates — they are paid by you to the mission, and Rayonner's processing fee is separate and quoted before you commit. No agency, including this one, decides or can guarantee the outcome of a visa application.