UK Student Visa Length for a Master's: How Long Your Visa Lasts

TL;DR: UK student visa length for a master's is your course length plus extra time on each side. For a course of 12 months or longer, the Home Office adds up to 1 month before the course starts and 4 months after it ends. A typical one-year MSc therefore gives you about 17 months of permission. Your CAS course dates decide the exact end date, so check them before you apply.

Most students check how long their UK student visa lasts only when they plan what comes after the degree. The end date on your visa decides when you can arrive, how long you have to finish your dissertation, and whether you can switch to the Graduate Route from inside the UK. The rule is simple once you see it laid out, and it sits in one table in the Immigration Rules.

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How UK student visa length is worked out

Appendix Student of the Immigration Rules sets the period of grant. You get permission for the length of your course, plus a fixed amount of time before and after it. The amount depends on how long the course is.

The course dates come from your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). If the CAS says your MSc runs from late September to the following September, your visa covers that whole period, plus the month before and the four months after.

GOV.UK sets out the arrival rule the same way: you can travel up to 1 month before your course starts if it lasts more than 6 months, and up to 1 week before if it lasts 6 months or less.

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A worked example for a one-year MSc

Take a 12-month MSc that starts in late September and ends the next September.

• Earliest arrival: about 1 month before the start date on your CAS.
• Course: 12 months, including taught modules and the dissertation.
• Wrap-up period: 4 months after the course end date.
• Total permission: about 17 months.

Those four months after the course matter. They cover the time between submitting your dissertation and getting your results, and they are the window in which most students apply for the Graduate Route. You can read what that visa allows in our guide to the UK Graduate Route.

When your course is longer than a year

Some master's run for 15, 18 or 24 months. A master's with a placement year is the common case. Your visa still follows the same rule: course length from the CAS, plus 1 month before and 4 months after. A 24-month course with a placement gives you about 29 months in total. Our guide to the master's with a placement year explains how that route works on a student visa.

There is also a ceiling. Appendix Student says time as a student at degree level from the age of 18 must not go beyond five years in total, with exceptions for long courses such as medicine, dentistry, architecture and some law and music courses. Most master's students are far below that limit. It matters if you have already studied in the UK at degree level before.

Three dates to check before you apply

1. The course start and end dates on your CAS. Read them line by line. If the end date looks wrong, ask the university to correct it before you apply, because your visa is built from it. Our guide to what to check on your CAS covers the other details.
2. When you can apply. From outside the UK, the earliest you can apply is 6 months before your course starts. GOV.UK gives a usual decision time of 3 weeks from outside the UK. You apply on the Student visa page on GOV.UK.
3. What you plan to do after the course. If you want the Graduate Route, you must apply from inside the UK while your student permission is still valid. Put the end date of your visa in your calendar the day you receive it.

What changes the end date

If you leave the course early, take a break or switch universities, your university must report it, and your permission can be shortened. If you need more time to finish, you usually need a new CAS and a new application.

Applying from Sri Lanka

• Biometrics for a UK student visa are given at the visa application centre in Colombo after you apply online.
• Applicants who live in Sri Lanka need a TB test certificate from the IOM clinic in Colombo for a course over 6 months. Our IOM Colombo TB test guide explains timing.
• Count back from your CAS start date: the 1-month early arrival window is when most students book flights from Colombo.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a UK student visa for a one-year master's? About 17 months. You get the 12-month course, up to 1 month before it starts and 4 months after it ends.

Can I arrive in the UK more than a month before my course? No. For a course over 6 months, the earliest you can travel on your student visa is 1 month before the start date on your CAS.

What can I do in the 4 months after my course ends? You can stay in the UK, wait for your results, and apply for the Graduate Route if you qualify. You must apply before your student permission expires.

Does a master's with a placement give a longer visa? Yes. The visa follows the full course length on your CAS, including the placement, plus the same time before and after.

Is the visa length the same for students from Sri Lanka? Yes. The period of grant depends on the course length, not your nationality.

What happens if I finish my course early? Your university reports the change, and your permission can be cut short. Check with the university before you change your study plans.

PS: Your visa length is fixed by your course, so the real decision is which course you choose. If you want help matching a master's to your plans before you apply, start with a quick eligibility check.

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