You can check here if you need a visa to study a programme which is up to six months.

Some nationalities are considered ‘visa nationals.’ Visa nationals must successfully make their application for the SVV from their home country before they travel to the UK. You can check here if you are a visa national and require a visa to travel to the UK. Students are responsible for obtaining a valid visa prior to the programme’s start date.

• You must have enough money to support yourself without working or help from public funds, and be able to pay for your return or onward journey out of the UK.
• You must be able to prove that you are a genuine student who will study a programme that is up to six months in duration.
• You must be able to prove that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit.

While studying at Northeastern University London on an SVV you must not:

• Engage in any kind of work, paid or unpaid, or any business activity.
• Undertake any of the other prohibited activities.
• Apply to switch into any other visa category from within the UK.
• Stay in the U.K. after your visa has expired. If you would like to study a full-time programme at Northeastern University London then you must return to your home country and make a new Student visa application. Please contact the Visa Compliance Team for further information.
• Access free National Health Service (NHS) health care. You must have private medical insurance from your home country before you come to the UK.

The following documents are required to make an SVV application:

• A valid passport. Your passport must be valid for the full duration of your stay in the U.K. and must have at least one blank page (on both sides).
• A letter from your education provider, on headed paper, confirming your enrolment.
• Financial documents showing that you have sufficient funds available. These must clearly show that you have access to the funds, such as:
  • Bank statements.
  • Building society books.
  • Proof of earnings, such as a letter from employer confirming employment details (start date of employment, salary, role, company contact details).
• Details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans. 
• Previous travel documents/passports, which show previous travel.
• If applicable, evidence of previous study in the U.K. or your country of residence, for example; academic certificates or transcripts.
• English language qualifications or tests.
• A valid visa to be in the country from which you are applying (if you are not a national of that country).
• If you have a financial sponsor you will need to have the details of your financial sponsor’s occupation, income, savings, or funds that will support your studies.
• If your parents are supporting you financially you will need your birth certificate and a consent letter from your parents.
• If you are under 18 you will need additional documents, seek Visa Compliance Team advice before submitting your application.
• All documents, apart from passports, can be originals, scans, or photocopies.
• If you submit a document that is not in English or Welsh, it must be accompanied by a full translation that can be independently verified by the UKVI.

If you are a national of a ‘visa national’ country, you must apply for your visa before coming to the U.K. You can find a list of visa national countries in the Appendix Visitor, Visa National list. You cannot apply for a SVV from within the U.K.

If you are not a visa national (see above) you have the option to apply for your SVV before coming to the UK (see application process below) or obtain this visa at the airport; please see the information below on arriving in the UK.

We advise that you do not obtain a SVV at the airport if you have had previous UK immigration refusals.

If you plan to obtain a SVV at the airport, we advise that you travel with your supporting documents in your hand luggage; see the information on documents required above.

If you are a national of a listed eligible country, we strongly advise you to apply for an ETA if you intend to travel the UK on or after the relevant date (as set out above). For example, as a US national, you must apply for an ETA if you intend on traveling to the UK on or after the 8th January 2025. This is mandatory and must be applied prior to travelling to the UK. If you are non-eligible for an ETA as an SVV student, allowing you to study a course for up to six months, you can obtain the necessary permissions upon arrival in the UK.

You must declare that studying is the primary purpose of your visit to the Immigration Officer at the UK border and meet the entry requirements to qualify as an SVV student under the Immigration Rules.

Important Note: It is imperative that students do not plan to enter the UK for the first time from any location within the Republic of Ireland (e.g., Dublin, Shannon, Galway). Due to the existence of the Common Travel Area with the UK, obtaining the appropriate visa at the airport may not be possible. In such instances, students will be required to leave the UK and re-enter before being able to commence classes.

We strongly advise students to plan their entry into the UK either from another EU country or directly from their home country. Opting to enter the UK directly from the Republic of Ireland will necessitate obtaining the Standard Visitor Visa before you travel to the UK, and as such, you should follow the information in the VisaRequired Nationals Guide.

If you leave the UK (e.g. you take a trip to Spain for the weekend), you will need to ensure that you apply for an ETA if necessary and carry all the documents required to request re-entry for the purpose of studying again at the UK border. Please be sure to retain a copy of all of the supporting documents during travel. An ETA is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

On September 10, 2024 the UK Government announced dates for the next phases of the ETA rollout for eligible nationals. It is imperative that GS students coming to the UK are aware that change is imminent and that they must follow the below guidance.

Any US national (student) or other eligible national planning to travel to the UK for the GS Spring (January) 2025 may need to apply for an ETA (prior to departure).
Please see the FAQ section for further information.

The US and Canadian nationals and other eligible nationalities from the following locations can apply for an ETA as of 27 November 2024. If you have a criminal record or have previously been refused visa or entry into the UK then you cannot apply for ETA and will be required to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa (SVV). Click here for information about how to apply for a SVV.

If you are not sure about if you need to apply for an ETA or require any further information, please feel free to contact Northeastern University, London Visa Compliance Team at visa@nulondon.ac.uk

Traveling to the UK on or after 2 April 2025:

• Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
• Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway,
• Poland Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City

All other countries must apply for a standard visitor visa (SVV) prior to travelling to the UK and are referred to SVV Visa National Guide.

You can transit through Ireland if you have an ETA. However, it’s important to note that if you plan to obtain your SVV at the airport, you should avoid transiting through the Republic of Ireland. Due to the Common Travel Arrangement (CTA) between the UK and Ireland, obtaining the appropriate visa may not be possible if you transit through Ireland. In such cases, it’s advisable to obtain your visa in advance. Please refer to the Visa Nationals Guide for further details.

What if I hold a European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA) / Swiss passport? Following Brexit and the new immigration rules, all EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals are considered non-visa nationals for visits to the UK lasting up to six months. They do not need to apply for a visa from their home country when coming to the UK to study under the Global Scholars programme.

European nationals participating in the Global Scholar programme for Spring 2025 will not need to apply for an ETA, as it will only be required starting from 05 March 2025. They will be required to apply for an ETA in advance of travel if traveling on or after 02 April 2025. If a European national GS student plans to leave the UK during term time and return on or after 02 April 2025, they are responsible for applying for an ETA before reentering the UK.

All students must ascertain whether they require a UK visa and type of visa before travelling, or if they can obtain the necessary permission upon arrival at the UK border. You can check here to determine if a visa is necessary for your entry into the UK for studying a course lasting up to six months. This tool also offers an overview of the relevant visa application process and details regarding supporting documentation requirements.studies.

Students holding an ETA or Standard Visitor Visa (SVV) are prohibited from engaging in any form of employment (paid or unpaid), including internships, within the UK. They are ineligible for government benefits or public funds.

ETA or SVV students are unable to extend their stay within the UK. Upon completion of their course, they must depart the UK and apply for a new visa from their country of nationality should they wish to pursue any further studies.

If you are a national of the USA, an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, or Switzerland, you are eligible to use the e-Gates for entry into the UK. If you are not a national of the above countries, please refer to the Visa Nationals Guide. You must retain a copy of your boarding pass or travel document to present at enrolment, as proof of your date of arrival in the UK.

This guide is based on information from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Please check with the British consular authority in your region for the most updated visa requirements and processes for the United Kingdom (UK). The information above is intended as informational guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.

Northeastern University and Northeastern University London have no influence on the outcome of visa applications and no ability to contact UKVI to inquire about an individual’s visa application, or to expedite the process for an individual student. In addition, Global Scholars employees are unable to provide advice to students or families concerning immigration requirements and/or application processes.

Students are responsible for completing applications for immigration permissions or registrations correctly and in an effective manner, and for obtaining any required permissions prior to the programme start date. If the student cannot obtain valid permission in time for the programme start date, please refer to the Global Scholars Withdrawal Policy and contact the Global Scholars office to discuss the next steps.

You can click here to apply for your SVV if you are a visa national.