Visa refusals

Visa refusals can be very stressful. Please note that the Home Office does not refund visa application fees if your application is refused, and you may not have time to re-apply and join the same intake.

To give your application the best chance of success, it’s vital to prepare carefully and ensure you meet all requirements from the start. 

Common Reasons for Student Visa Refusal

Student visa applications can be refused for several reasons, including:

• Submitting copies or printouts instead of original documents

• Missing required documents

• An unsuccessful credibility interview

• Not meeting the strict financial requirements (e.g. not holding required funds for 28 consecutive days)

• Failing to provide an ATAS certificate (if applicable)

• Not responding to Home Office emails or phone calls

The most common reason is financial evidence issues, such as:

• Not holding the required funds for 28 continuous days

• Financial documents more than 31 days old

• Insufficient funds

• Incorrect format of financial documents

• Using financial evidence from someone other than a parent (e.g. uncle or friend)

Tips for a Successful Visa Application

• Know exactly how much money you need to show

• Ensure the full amount has been in your (or your parents’) account for at least 28 continuous days

• The balance in the account must not fall below the required level at any point

• Your financial evidence (ie. bank statement) must be no more than 31 days old at the time of application

More guidance can be found on our Applying for a Student visa (outside the UK) webpage. 

If Your Visa Is Refused

If your Student visa application is refused, contact the International Office immediately with:

• Your name and student number

• A copy of your refusal notice/email

If your refusal is due to credibility, please also send the interview transcript. You can request this from your visa issuing office, or complete and return this Consent form so we can request it on your behalf.

Requesting a Second CAS

A CAS cannot be used twice. If you plan to reapply, you must request a new CAS.

The Immigration & Compliance team will assess your eligibility after reviewing your refusal notice. We may request updated evidence (e.g. new bank statements) to support your second application and will also consider whether you have time to apply and arrive for your intended intake.

Administrative Review

If we believe the refusal was an error, we may recommend that you apply for an Administrative Review.

In cases of credibility refusals, we usually advise submitting an Administrative Review instead of making a new visa application.

It is unlikely that we will issue a new CAS if we believe a further application will also be refused.

It is important that you keep in touch with the International Office if your visa is refused, so we can help you as much as we can.