Extending or renewing your visa
If you need more time to complete your course, you may be eligible to extend your Student Visa from within the UK. To qualify, you must be actively attending and engaging with your course.
Study time limits
Please bear in the mind that the Home Office sets limits on how long you can study in the UK and this may affect your application to extend or renew your visa.
- Below degree level: max 2 years (age 18+).
- Degree level: max 5 years (with some exceptions, e.g. medicine, architecture).
- Postgraduate level and above: no time limit, but academic progression rules still apply.
For full details, see the UKCISA website.
Repeating with Attendance
Postgraduate taught students
You may be eligible to extend your visa if you are repeating modules that require on-campus attendance. Eligibility depends on the timing of the repeated modules or placements. If there is a gap of more than 60 days between your visa expiry and your next required attendance, you may need to leave the UK during that period.
A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will only be issued after we have assessed your academic engagement and progression. You cannot extend your visa if you're:
- repeating without attendance
- only sitting exams or submitting coursework with no on-campus sessions.
PhD Students
If you have submitted your thesis and are waiting for your viva, you may need to extend your Student Visa to remain in the UK until your PhD is completed. Your course end date will normally be extended by 12 months from your thesis submission date to allow time for the viva and any final corrections. However, delays in the viva process can have financial implications, so it is important to plan ahead where possible, including submitting your first draft as early as possible.
If you have been granted additional time by Registry to complete your research, you may be eligible to extend your visa. Request a CAS at least three months before your current visa expires. We’ll review your attendance (e.g. campus swipes) and academic progress before issuing a CAS. Please note, multiple extensions for the same course are unlikely to be approved unless clear academic progression is shown.
If you are planning to apply for the Graduate visa after your PhD, please note that you will only become eligible once your PhD award has been formally conferred, following the submission of any final corrections required after your viva.
Academic Progression
You must show academic progression to extend your visa in the UK. For example, if you have completed a master’s degree in the UK, you will not be permitted to study an undergraduate degree. Similarly, if you were unable to successfully complete the course for which your last Student Visa was granted, you cannot study another course on a new visa and must leave the UK to apply from overseas. The University will assess your eligibility before issuing a CAS.
You cannot extend your Student Visa if:
- you have outstanding University debts
- you're waiting for results to apply for a Graduate Route Visa
- you’re staying in the UK to attend graduation only (in this case, you should apply for a visit visa instead). See Graduation webpages for more information.
- you’ve completed one course and are waiting to start another (with over 28 days between courses)
- you don’t meet the Home Office’s academic progression requirements
- the extension would exceed your study time limit set by the Home Office.
How to apply to extend your visa
Continuing on the same course?
- You'll need to download and complete the CAS request for visa extension form and then email it to your course admin team for initial approval.
- In the meantime, you can also download our guide to completing the Student Visa extension application for guidance on how to then apply once approval comes through.
Starting a new course?
You must make a formal online application to the University. Your Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) will be issued by the International Admissions Team.
ATAS Clearance
If your course requires ATAS clearance, you’ll need a new ATAS certificate before your CAS can be issued. Apply at least 3–4 months before your visa expires, as processing times can vary.
Our advisers can help you through your visa extension process, including completing the online application and responding to Home Office queries. Contact the Immigration and Compliance Team at: immigration@hud.ac.uk.
Get in touch for support
Our Immigration and Compliance Team provides expert guidance to help you with immigration related issues during your studies. From extending or renewing your Student Visa to applying for routes after graduation, the team are here to support and advise you.
Contact the team today to get personalised advice through a 121 appointment or join one of their Immigration drop-in sessions and keep your application on track.