Not all students can extend or switch into the Student Route visa from inside the UK. Read our Student visa guidance to see whether it's possible for you.
If your application to extend or switch into the Student Route visa is successful, follow these steps to enrol at UAL.
Get your eVisa
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. You need to create a UKVI account to to access your eVisa.
Check your visa for errors
You must check that your expiry date is correct as soon as your visa is granted.
Your visa should cover the full duration of your studies, plus some extra time at the end of your course. This is known as the ‘wrap-up period’.
Check whether your expiry date is correct:
- For a course of less than 6 months: course end date plus 7 days.
- For a course between 6 and 12 months in length: course end date plus 2 months.
- For a course of more than 12 months: course end date plus 4 months.
The end date of your course is stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) statement. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will use this date to calculate the wrap-up period.
Who to contact
If you identify that your Student Route visa has been issued with an error, you must immediately report the error to UKVI.
View and prove your immigration status using a share code
Once you’ve got your eVisa, you can get a a share code to prove your immigration status.
Upload the PDF of your share code to the ‘my Online Registration’ section of your UAL Portal.
Download an example of a share code (JPG 775KB).
UAL Portal upload checklist
Upload the following documents to the 'my Online Registration' section of your UAL Portal. You should upload good quality photos or electronic copies of:
- your passport photo ID page
- a PDF of your share code so we can verify your eVisa status.
In-progress applications
If you're in the process of applying for a new Student Route visa, you'll need to upload evidence of submitting an in-time visa application.
An in-time visa application is an application that you submitted before your current visa expired. You'll need to upload both:
- a share code for your current or previous visa
- your UKVI payment confirmation email or your UKVI Document Checklist, which can be downloaded from your online visa application portal.
Help and support
Unsuccessful applications
If your visa application has been unsuccessful, contact us by replying to the email we sent confirming you’re eligible to begin enrolment. It’s called ‘Start your enrolment: Online registration open’.
You must send us your decision notice. You must also contact our Student Advice Service for urgent immigration advice.