UK Student Visa from Nepal: Requirements, Process and Costs

The 8 steps from offer to visa

1. Get an offer from a UK university for a course you want.
2. Receive your CAS. The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies comes from your course provider. It is one of the two documents GOV.UK says you must always provide, with your passport.
3. Prove your English. You need CEFR level B2 for a degree-level course, or B1 below degree level.
4. Get your NOC from Nepal's Ministry of Education and Sports (see our NOC guide).
5. Hold your funds for 28 days in a row.
6. Take the TB test at an approved clinic.
7. Apply online and pay the visa fee and health surcharge.
8. Wait for the decision. GOV.UK says you will usually get one within 3 weeks if you are outside the UK.

The sections below explain each step.

Step 1 and 2: Offer and CAS

Choose your course and apply to the university. When you accept an offer and meet its conditions, the university issues your CAS. Many universities ask for a deposit first. A deposit you have already paid is deducted from the tuition you have to show later, so it is not an extra cost.

Your GPA or marks matter at this stage. See our guide to the GPA required to study in the UK from Nepal, and the intake timeline for when to apply.

Step 3: English language

For a degree-level course or above, the Student visa requires English at CEFR level B2. For courses below degree level, the level is B1. You can prove it with an approved Secure English Language Test, and for degree-level courses your university may assess your English itself, according to GOV.UK. Ask your university which option it accepts before you book a test.

Step 4: No Objection Certificate (NOC)

Students from Nepal need a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Education and Sports before they go abroad to study. Our NOC guide explains who needs one, the documents, the fee and the online process. Apply early, because you may need it for other parts of your plan, such as moving money abroad for tuition.

Step 5: Funds and the 28-day rule

For applications made before November 30, 2026, GOV.UK sets the living-cost funds at £1,171 a month outside London and £1,529 a month in London, for up to 9 months (£10,539 or £13,761). From November 30, 2026, they rise to £1,203 and £1,570 a month, which is £10,827 or £14,130 for 9 months. The rate depends on the date you apply, not on the date of your CAS or bank statement, and most applicants for September 2027 will apply after November 30, 2026, so plan for the higher amounts. You also show the unpaid part of your first-year tuition.

You must hold the money for at least 28 days in a row, and the end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply, according to GOV.UK. Plan your account five to six weeks before you want to apply. Read our guides on the bank balance you need and the 28-day rule.

Step 6: Tuberculosis test

You need a TB test if you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more and you have lived in a listed country for 6 months or more within the last 6 months. Nepal is on that list. You must take the test at an approved clinic, and the certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of your x-ray, according to GOV.UK. Book the test so that your certificate is still valid on the day you apply.

Step 7: Apply online

From outside the UK, the earliest you can apply is 6 months before your course starts. You pay the £558 visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year as part of the application. You must also prove your identity.

Documents to gather, according to GOV.UK:

• your passport or other valid travel document
• your CAS
• financial evidence, if it applies to you
• your TB test certificate
• an ATAS certificate, if your course and nationality require it
• parental consent and proof of relationship, if you are under 18

See our full cost breakdown and the wider documents checklist for Nepal.

Step 8: Decision and what to do while you wait

GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks if you are outside the UK. Do not book non-refundable flights until you have the decision. Keep your phone and email active, and respond quickly if the Home Office asks for more information.

If you want to prepare for a possible interview, read our UK student visa interview guide.

Common reasons a UK student visa is refused

Most refusals come from avoidable problems: funds that were not held for the full 28 days, documents that do not match, missing evidence, or a weak explanation of why you chose the course. Our guide to the common reasons student visas are refused lists the main causes and how to avoid them.

Bringing family and paying for it

If you plan to bring a partner or children, the rules are different, and most taught Master's students cannot. Read about dependants on a UK student visa. For ways to reduce the cost, see our UK scholarships guide.

Admizz Education can check your documents and funds before you apply. Talk to an advisor through our visa assistance service.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Student visa, how much it costs
• GOV.UK: Student visa, money you need
• OTS Solicitors: student visa maintenance funds increase from November 30, 2026
• GOV.UK: Student visa, apply
• GOV.UK: Student visa, documents you must provide
• GOV.UK: Student visa, knowledge of English
• GOV.UK: TB test for a UK visa
• GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge

Figures checked against these pages in October 2026. The rise comes from the Home Office Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules dated September 3, 2026, as summarised by OTS Solicitors: student visa maintenance funds increase from November 30, 2026. We could not open the official statement itself, so check GOV.UK when you apply. They can change, so check GOV.UK on the day you apply.