Visas and passports

Passports

All students must be in possession of a passport that will be valid for at least six months after the end date of the ASE Programme. Please ensure your passport number and expiry date are included on your pre-arrival forms. Students without such a passport must apply for one immediately and notify us of their passport number and expiry date as soon as possible. Note, a US passport application can take over ten weeks to process and if you need to apply for a visa you will need to be in possession of a valid passport to enable you to do so.

Short-term students

Most ASE students will not need to obtain a visa and they should be able to enter the UK as a Visitor (Standard) without prior entry clearance (please check below to see if you need to obtain a visa). If you are a US Citizen studying at ASE for one term (and not on the internship or education programme), you will not require a visa for entry to the UK. You will, however, need to travel to the UK with the following:

• A US passport that will be valid for at least six months after the end date of the ASE Programme.

• An ASE immigration letter confirming acceptance on to the Programme (will be sent to you).

• Proof of funding adequate to cover living expenses (this must be a recent bank statement in your name, or included as a joint account holder, dated within one month of the semester start date and should include proof of scholarship or financial aid funding).

• A return flight ticket or further adequate funds to purchase a flight ticket.

Please note: Visitors are allowed to study and be in the UK for a maximum of six months, but are not permitted to undertake any paid/ unpaid work. Visitors, however, may undertake volunteering provided it lasts no more than 30 days in total and is for a charity that is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Visas

Who needs to obtain a visa

Only the following students need to apply for and obtain either a Student Visa or a Visitor (Standard) visa prior to arrival in the UK:

• ASE Internship Programme students: Student visa

• ASE Education Programme students: Student visa

• ASE Assistantship recipients: Student visa

• Students who will be studying on the ASE Programme for more than six months (even if returning to the US between semesters), or if you will be studying with another UK provider for a semester prior to the ASE semester: Student visa

• Visa Nationals: Most non-US/non-Canadian citizens: Visitor (Standard) visa or Student visa, depending on whether or not any of the other above categories also apply

Approximately three months before the start of the ASE Programme, students will be sent information to help with the visa application process.

The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is an electronic reference number which ASE will assign to a student approximately three months prior to the start of the ASE Programme should they need to apply for a Student Visa. To generate a CAS, we will input information on the UK Visas and Immigration Sponsorship Management System regarding your course of study, fees paid and personal details. If financial aid will cover some of your fees you must let us know, as a letter will need to be obtained from your financial aid office.

You MUST be in possession of a CAS from ASE, AND confirmation of an internship/education placement (if applicable) BEFORE you begin your Student Visa application. You do not need a CAS if you are only applying for prior entry clearance as a Visitor (Standard).

Cost of visa application

For 2024, the cost of a UK Student visa is £490 and a UK Visitor (Standard) visa is £115. (The fees were updated by the UK government in October 2023.)

Non-US Citizens

If you are a non-US citizen (and a non-EU citizen) and you wish to travel outside the UK whilst studying in Bath, you will likely need to apply for a separate visa (from your home country) for each country you plan to visit, as well as a British Visitor (Standard) visa.

It is very important for all visa holders to abide by the start and end dates of your visa.