Short-term study visa (English language, 6–11 months): Chinese citizen in China → United Kingdom
Chinese citizens taking a 6-to-11-month English language course in the UK apply online on gov.uk before they travel, book a visa application centre appointment to give documents and biometrics, and usually get a decision within three weeks.
Lets you take an English language course in the UK that lasts longer than 6 months but not more than 11 months.
- Validity
- The length of your course plus an extra 30 days, as long as your stay is no longer than 11 months.
- Entries
- Single stay for the duration of your course.
- Max stay per visit
- Length of your course plus 30 days (total stay no longer than 11 months).
When to start
Start 30 days–2 months before your travel date.
Getting an appointment in China
- 18 centre locations across China (VFS directory, captured 2026-06-11): Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jinan, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Xi'an, plus part-time Bank of China counters in Chongqing, Nanjing and Shanghai.
- Most run Mon–Fri 09:00–15:00 — with this many cities, a neighbouring centre often has earlier slots.
- No recent public wait-time reports found for China — the band below is general guidance, not China-specific data.
You may be eligible if you're taking an English language course; the course must last longer than 6 months but not more than 11 months.
You must apply online before you come to the UK. It costs £228 for a Short-term study visa, plus the healthcare surcharge.
Book an appointment at a visa application centre to provide your documents and prove your identity.
Take your passport with you to the visa application centre — you'll be able to collect it on the day.
Once you've applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you'll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
What you'll need
- Passport / travel document — A current passport or other valid travel document. ✓ verified
- Written proof of your course — Written proof of the course you're studying — for example, a letter of acceptance from the educational institution stating the course's name, duration and cost. ✓ verified
- Evidence you can support yourself — Evidence that you can support yourself during your trip, for example bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months. ✓ verified
- Evidence of course fees — Evidence that you've paid your course fees or have enough money to pay them. ✓ verified
- Tuberculosis (TB) test results — Your tuberculosis (TB) test results, if you're from a country where you have to take the TB test. ✓ verified· you're from a country where you have to take the TB test
Where you'll apply
Apply online on gov.uk before you come to the UK, then book an appointment at a UK visa application centre (VFS Global) in China to provide your documents and prove your identity.
Fees
| Short-term study visa | GBP 228 |
Gotchas to watch
- Your course must last longer than 6 months but not more than 11 months to use this visa.
- You must apply online before you come to the UK — the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.