All students wishing to remain in the UK for more that six months must obtain entry clearance before arriving in the UK (the only exceptions are British nationals (overseas),British overseas territories citizens, British overseas citizens, British protected persons and British subjects, for whom entry clearance is not compulsory, but probably advisable). Entry clearance will permit you to travel to the UK and present yourself at a port of entry. Students from certain countries who wish to study for less than six months will also require

prior entry clearance. These are known as visa nationals. The British government determines the list of ‘visa-national’ countries. Your nearest British Council office or British Mission (British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission) will be able to tell you whether or not your country is on the list. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website has a visa enquiry form where you can check if you require a visa:

www.ukvisas.gov.uk/doineedavisa. If you are enrolled on a course of study for more than six months or are a visa national wishing to study for less than six months, you must obtain entry clearance before you travel to the UK. You must satisfy the entry clearance officer (ECO) at a British Mission that you meet

the Immigration Rules before you leave for the UK. The ECO will then issue you with entry clearance (more commonly known as a visa), in the form of a vignette placed in your passport. The entry clearance should normally be valid for the whole length of your course (see ‘Length of permission given to students with

entry clearance’ on page 5). When you arrive in the UK, the immigration officer at the port of entry (e.g. Heathrow or Gatwick airports) will put a date stamp in your passport to show when you entered the UK. The date your leave expires is the date shown on the visa