Read our most up-to-date information for international students interested in studying at LIS. Deadline information for international students is available below.
If you are an international student please read the following guidance which we have prepared to try to help you in your decision about whether or not to apply for LIS. It is important to realise that requirements depend on your individual circumstances. So please contact us if you are unsure about how these considerations apply to you.
We hold a probationary sponsorship licence which allows us to accept international students as part of the undergraduate and master’s cohorts.
To get a visa, you will need to meet all the relevant visa requirements set out by the government and LIS.
Government requirements
An overview of the UK Government’s “Student Visa” rules and requirements is here: Student visa : Overview - GOV.UK
LIS requirements
You will need to meet all the relevant LIS course requirements including the language requirements which can be found here.
Currently, LIS can only admit full time students to its masters' programmes.
LIS is a new provider and is building a successful compliance record with the UK Home Office.
Once LIS has built a successful four year compliance record, students on an LIS-sponsored visa will be able to enjoy full visa privileges including:
(i) working whilst studying (subject to the relevant restrictions)
(ii) being eligible for a graduate visa after successfully completing a full course.
At present, LIS does not have full visa privileges meaning LIS-sponsored students cannot work during their studies and are not eligible for a graduate visa.
This is a complex area. A good source of current guidance can be found here.
The question of whether you are able to apply for financial support is different from the question of whether or not you are eligible to study at LIS.
LIS is an officially- registered provider. If you meet the Student Loans Company eligibility criteria, you will be able to access tuition fee and maintenance loans.
Full details can be found at the Student Finance England website.
There are complex rules and exceptions around student support. An excellent website which sets out the key information is UKCISA.
Please note that all international students should submit their application by 5pm Friday 30th June in order to be considered for the 2025 cohort. Whilst you are able to submit an application after this date, it is highly unlikely that you will secure a visa in time to enrol on the programme this year.
As such, we strongly encourage you to submit your application ahead of Friday 30th June 2025. If you are unable to meet this deadline but would still like to apply to LIS, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.
“Why do I need to submit by the 30th?”
Applying for a visa is a lengthy process which, according to Home Office rules, includes providing evidence of: (i) your financial ability to fund yourself; (ii) your current level of English.
You can read the complete rules on the government website.
Prior to getting a visa, LIS must view the required evidence in order to issue a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies or CAS. After receiving a CAS, you can order a visa appointment.
Please note that the premium service for fast visas is currently suspended and there are longer than usual waiting times for visa confirmations.
If you submit your application Friday 14th June 2024 we estimate that you will have a reasonable chance of getting a visa for the start of term. After this date, we consider the chance of getting a timely visa to be very small and are unlikely to issue a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS).
It is important to note that none of the advice above should be taken as legal advice. It is intended to act as a short guide for students who are interested in studying at LIS and has no broader aim.
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