How early can I arrive in the UK on student visa before the course start date?

I have secured admission in one of the universities in the UK for MSc. The course start date is 15th January 2024. I need to arrive as early as possible so that I could explore and get time to settle. I will be applying for priority visa in the last week of October. Is it possible that the start date of my visa on the vignette will be of November? I have booked the accommodation and have the necessary funds too. Are there people who got their visa with the start date that early? I know the UK's official website states that you are allowed 1 month before the course start date but some of my friends have received visas with the start date of 1 month and 15 dates before the course start date.

Reply 1

De Montfort University

Official Rep

Original post by smit.merchant

Hiya!

First of all, many congrats! I hope you will have an unforgettable time in the UK :colondollar:

As the government website states: "You can arrive before your course starts. This can be up to one month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months. You must not travel to the UK before the start date given on your visa, no matter when your course starts."

Therefore, you definitely will not be allowed to come in November. However, do not worry about it! One month is more than enough to explore the new place and settle in. Before you come, there is plenty of things and preparations that you can do in order to make this transition smoother.

Connect with fellow students through social media groups, get acquainted with the website of your university, in particular with extracurricular activities in which you will be able to get involved, and discover what your city has to offer and make a list of things you must do or see. If you want to travel, find out what is nearby and make non-binding plans. Once you meet the people, you will see that you will plan and go on many trips together!

For specific visa questions, I recommend that you contact the immigration/visa team at your university. Its members have comprehensive knowledge, providing help and proper advice. I always decide to take this step if something is unclear to me or the situation is exceptional.

I hope that helpsl! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions :wink: