How to Apply for a UK Student Visa from Nepal (Step by Step)
To apply for a UK Student visa from Nepal, you get a CAS from a licensed university, take a TB test, hold your funds for 28 days, fill in the online form on GOV.UK, and pay £558 plus the health surcharge. Then you prove your identity, usually by giving fingerprints and a photo at the UK visa application centre in Kathmandu. GOV.UK says decisions from outside the UK usually take 3 weeks, and the earliest you can apply is 6 months before your course starts.
Last checked: 19 October 2026.
UK Student visa from Nepal: key facts
| Item | Official rule | About (NPR) |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee (from outside the UK) | £558 | Rs 1.13 lakh |
| Immigration health surcharge (students) | £776 per year of visa | Rs 1.58 lakh per year |
| Earliest you can apply | 6 months before your course starts | – |
| CAS deadline | Apply within 6 months of receiving your CAS | – |
| Usual decision time | 3 weeks after you prove your identity | – |
| Priority service (if offered) | £500 extra, usually 5 working days | Rs 1.01 lakh |
| Super priority (if offered) | £1,000 extra, usually by end of next working day | Rs 2.03 lakh |
| When you can arrive | Up to 1 month before a course of more than 6 months (1 week if 6 months or less) | – |
Before you apply: get these ready
The GOV.UK documents page says you need a current passport and a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your course provider. Depending on your situation you may also need:
- Proof of money for course fees still owed and living costs. Nepal is not on GOV.UK’s list of nationalities excused from showing financial evidence upfront, so prepare it in full.
- Written consent from your financial sponsor, if a sponsor paid your course fees or living costs in the last 12 months.
- TB test results. Nepal is on the UK list. See our UK TB test guide for Nepali students.
- An ATAS certificate, if your course and nationality need one (some master’s-level and higher courses in sensitive subjects).
- Parental consent and a birth certificate, if you are 16 or 17.
You also need an unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor. Many universities hold a credibility interview before issuing a CAS; prepare with our CAS and credibility interview guide.
The money rule in short
GOV.UK’s money you need page currently lists living costs of £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months. The money must be held for at least 28 days in a row, and that 28-day period must end within 31 days of the date you apply. The visa fee and health surcharge are paid on top; they do not count towards the funds.
Important for January intakes: the Statement of Changes HC 584 raises these figures to £1,570 and £1,203 from 30 November 2026. Applications made before 30 November 2026 are decided under the rules in force on 29 November 2026. For 9 months, that is £14,130 (about Rs 28.68 lakh) in London or £10,827 (about Rs 21.98 lakh) outside London. Work out your full figure with our student visa money calculator and see the full breakdown in UK student visa cost from Nepal.
How to apply for a UK Student visa from Nepal: step by step
- Receive your CAS. Your university sends a CAS reference number after offering you a place. You must apply within 6 months of receiving it.
- Book and take the TB test at a Home Office approved clinic in Nepal. The certificate must be valid when you apply.
- Make sure your funds have sat for 28 days and get a bank statement or letter dated no more than 31 days before you apply.
- Fill in the online application on GOV.UK. You must apply online, and you can save the form and come back to it. Enter your CAS number exactly.
- Pay the £558 fee and the health surcharge as part of the online application.
- Choose a faster decision if it is offered and you need it. See the section on priority below.
- Prove your identity. You will be told which method applies to you when you apply (see the next section).
- Wait for the decision. The 3-week clock starts once your identity has been verified.
- Access your eVisa through a UKVI account, and link the passport you will travel on. Read our UK eVisa and UKVI account guide.
- Travel only after approval, within the arrival window for your course.
Visa application centre or ID Check app?
The GOV.UK Student visa apply page says there are two ways to prove your identity, depending on your nationality and passport:
- The UK Immigration: ID Check app, which scans your identity document. GOV.UK’s app guidance lists who can use it from outside the UK: holders of biometric passports from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, some BNO-route applicants, and some people with an expired BRP. A Nepali passport is not on that list.
- A visa application centre appointment, where your fingerprints and photo are taken. You bring your passport and, according to GOV.UK, you can collect it on the same day.
So most Nepali passport holders should expect to book a biometrics appointment. In Nepal, the UK visa application centre is in Kathmandu and is run by VFS Global. After you submit the online form you are sent to the booking system. Check the address and the list of what to bring on your own appointment confirmation, because centre details can change.
Processing times and priority services
GOV.UK’s visa processing times page (updated 9 September 2026) gives 3 weeks for Student visas applied for outside the UK. Times count the UK working week, Monday to Friday, and include UK public holidays. The clock starts after you attend the visa application centre or verify your identity in the app. Applications can take longer if documents need checking, you are called for an interview, or UKVI is seeing high demand.
GOV.UK says you may be able to pay for a faster decision. Where available, priority costs £500 on top of the fee and usually gives a decision within 5 working days; super priority costs £1,000 and usually gives a decision by the end of the next working day. If the decision takes longer, you will not usually get your money back. We could not confirm from an official page today which faster options are offered for Student visas at the Kathmandu centre. You will see what is available when you apply and book. Do not plan your flight around a priority service you have not yet been offered.
Nepal-specific points
- Leave a buffer. GOV.UK lists high visa demand as one reason decisions can take longer. Applying soon after your CAS, rather than at the last minute, leaves room for a TB appointment, a slow bank letter or a request for more documents.
- No Objection Letter. Nepal’s own process for study abroad is separate from the UK visa. Sort out any Nepal-side paperwork, such as an NOC, early.
- Sponsor documents. If your parents or relatives fund you, the account holder’s consent and relationship proof matter.
- Your own contact details. Use your own email and phone on the form, not an agent’s, so you can access your UKVI account later.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying before the funds have been held for a full 28 days, or with a statement older than 31 days.
- Counting the visa fee or health surcharge as part of your funds.
- Letting the CAS pass the 6-month mark before applying.
- Taking the TB test too early, so it expires before you apply.
- Booking non-refundable flights before the decision.
- Paying someone who promises a “guaranteed” visa. No one can guarantee a UK visa.
If you are refused, read the refusal letter carefully before reapplying; see what to do after a student visa refusal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a UK Student visa take from Nepal?
GOV.UK says Student visa decisions from outside the UK usually take 3 weeks after you prove your identity. Some cases take longer.
How early can I apply for a UK Student visa?
Up to 6 months before your course starts, if you apply from outside the UK. You must also apply within 6 months of receiving your CAS.
Can Nepali students use the UK Immigration: ID Check app?
GOV.UK’s app guidance does not list Nepali passports among the documents that can be used from outside the UK, so expect a biometrics appointment at the visa application centre.
Is priority visa available in Nepal for UK Student visa?
GOV.UK says you may be able to pay for a faster decision (£500 priority, £1,000 super priority). Whether it is offered for your application is shown when you apply and book.
Do I get my passport back after biometrics in Kathmandu?
GOV.UK says you can collect your passport on the same day when you attend a visa application centre.
When can I fly to the UK after my visa is approved?
Up to 1 month before your course if it lasts more than 6 months, or 1 week before if it lasts 6 months or less.
Related guides
- UK January vs September Intake: What Nepali Students Should Know
- UK eVisa and UKVI Account for Students: Nepal Guide
- First Weeks in the UK: Bank Account, GP and NI Number
- UK CAS and Credibility Interview: Guide for Nepali Students
- UK TB Test for Nepali Students: Clinics, Fees, Validity
Sources
- Student visa overview – GOV.UK
- Student visa: apply online – GOV.UK
- Student visa: your course and CAS – GOV.UK
- Student visa: documents you must provide – GOV.UK
- Student visa: money you need – GOV.UK
- Financial evidence for Student visa applicants – GOV.UK
- Statement of changes HC 584 (new maintenance amounts from 30 November 2026) – GOV.UK
- Visa processing times outside the UK – GOV.UK
- Get a faster decision from outside the UK – GOV.UK
- Using the UK Immigration: ID Check app – GOV.UK
- Immigration health surcharge: how much to pay – GOV.UK
Last checked: 19 October 2026. NPR figures use the NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
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