Child Student Visa for 13+ Boarding School Entry in 2027

The Child Student visa is the UK visa for a child aged 4 to 17 who wants to study at an independent school that is a licensed student sponsor. For 13+ entry in September 2027, a family abroad can apply no more than 6 months before the course start date on the school’s Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), which needs an unconditional offer first, and gov.uk says “You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.”

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What does a family abroad need in hand before it can apply?

Two items come before any application, and the school controls both. gov.uk’s overview page says a child must “have an unconditional offer of a place on a course at an independent school”, and its page on the course says “You must have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed Child Student sponsor.” The second item is the reference number: “You need a CAS before you can apply for your visa.”

The Department for Education explains how the number reaches a family: “If foreign nationals resident outside the UK want to enter the UK to study at an independent school which is a licensed student sponsor they should contact the school directly. If it accepts the application, it will send them a reference number (called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)). Parents will need a CAS before they can apply for their child’s visa. They cannot enter to study at schools which are not licensed student sponsors.”

The Immigration Rules attach conditions to the CAS itself. Among them, in Appendix Child Student:

• “CS 7.1. The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must have been issued by a student sponsor which is an independent school whose sponsor licence is still valid on the date on which the application is decided.”
• “CS 7.3. The student sponsor must not have withdrawn the offer since the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was issued.”
• “CS 7.5. The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must state the cost of accommodation and fees (and any payment already made) so that the financial requirement can be assessed.”

Whether a 13+ place that still depends on a later result counts as unconditional for the CAS is a question for each school. Radley College’s FAQ says “Once unconditional offers have been made and final entry exams have been successfully completed, Radley College will act as the Child Student Visa sponsor”, and Wycombe Abbey’s admissions page says “Yes, Visa Sponsorship is available for Candidates with an unconditional offer.” These are two schools’ statements, not Home Office rules, and other schools may word the point differently. The routes into a 13+ place are covered in our guides to the ISEB Common Pre-Test and to Common Entrance; a family can ask each school in writing at which stage it issues the CAS.

A family can also check that a school is licensed before it pays a deposit. gov.uk describes the Register of licensed sponsors: students in these words: “This document lists institutions licensed to sponsor migrant students under the Student and Child Student routes.” The register page was read on 4 October 2026, and gov.uk dates the latest update to Appendix Child Student to 3 August 2026.

What are the September 2027 dates for a family outside the UK?

The example throughout is Year 9 entry in September 2027. Barnet Council’s year-groups page lists “1 September 2013 to 31 August 2014 Year 8” for 2026-27, so those children start Year 9 in September 2027 (our arithmetic: one year group on). Families whose child is in another country’s school system can see how the year groups line up in our guide to which UK year group a child joins.

Two Rules fix the window from either side: one limits how early the application can be made, the other limits how old the CAS can be. The illustrations in the table are our arithmetic on the Rules, not any school’s dates; the start date that counts is the one printed on the school’s own CAS.

For an application made from outside the UK, gov.uk gives its own estimate: “You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.” Once a visa is granted, the same page says “You can arrive up to 1 month before your course starts, but no earlier than the start date given on your visa.”

Identity is proved in one of two ways. gov.uk says “How you do this depends on where you’re from and what type of passport you have.” The two methods are “use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document” or “have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a visa application centre”. For families who live far from a centre, the page continues “If you do need an appointment:” and then “you may have to travel to get to your nearest centre (this could be in another country)”.

Whether a child needs a tuberculosis certificate turns on how long the child will stay and where the child has lived. gov.uk says “You’ll need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if all of the following are true:”

• “you’re coming to the UK for 6 months or more”
• “you’ve lived in any of these listed countries for 6 months or more”
• “you were living there (or another listed country) within the last 6 months”

gov.uk publishes the list of countries where a TB test is needed, and a family’s country may be on it. That list page says “Some countries do not have approved testing centres so you’ll need to get tested in a different country.” For a child who meets those conditions, gov.uk’s “Children who need a TB test” section says “All children must see a clinician who’ll decide if they need a chest x-ray. Children under 11 will not normally have a chest x-ray.” On the certificate, gov.uk says “If your test shows that you do not have TB, you’ll be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months from the date of your x-ray. Include this certificate with your UK visa application.”

On arrival, the step-by-step page on gov.uk says “If you said in your application that you would be accompanied by an adult, they need to be with you when you arrive at the border.” It continues: “If you're not accompanied by an adult, the official at the border will check that you know where you're going and how you're getting there.”

Our arithmetic on the cohort: for an application made on any date from 1 March 2027 to 31 August 2027, every child born between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 is 12 or 13. A child born on 31 August 2014 is 12 until 30 August 2027 and turns 13 on 31 August 2027; a child born on 1 September 2013 turned 13 on 1 September 2026 and is 13 until 31 August 2027. The sections on the Parent of a Child Student visa and on the length of the grant use that age.

What must the consent and the documents say?

gov.uk lists what every applicant provides: “When you apply for your Child Student visa you must provide:” “a current passport or other valid travel documentation”, “a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your course provider” and “written consent from your parent or legal guardian for your study and living arrangements in the UK”.

The consent has specific wording: “You must have written consent from both parents (or one parent if they have sole responsibility) or legal guardian. This must confirm they consent to your:” The three things it must confirm are “visa application”, “travel to the UK” and “living arrangements and care in the UK”. The consent must also name the living arrangement, which gov.uk says must be one of “living with your parent or legal guardian”, “at an independent boarding school”, “living independently and aged 16 or 17” or “living with a foster carer or close relative, who is not your legal guardian”.

Other documents depend on the case. gov.uk says “You may also need to provide:” The items include “proof of your relationship to your parent or legal guardian (for example a birth certificate or other government issued document showing their names)”, “evidence of the qualifications you used to get a place on your course - if this was required by your course provider” and “your tuberculosis (TB) test results”. The Rules put the qualifications requirement this way: “CS 12.1. The applicant must provide evidence of the qualifications they used to obtain the offer of a place on the course from the student sponsor.” Both wordings are quoted so that a family can ask the school what it holds that fits.

Money is set out on gov.uk as a requirement. The visa fee and the healthcare surcharge are on the overview page, and the amounts for other living arrangements are on the money page, so they are linked rather than repeated here. For a boarder, gov.uk says “You must have enough money to pay for your course fees and your boarding fees for one academic year (up to 9 months).” And on how long the money must be held: “You must prove you (or your parent) have the money for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa.”

Some families need not send financial or qualification evidence with the application. The Rule that decides this is CS 13.1, and it carries conditions: “CS 13.1. Evidence to show that the applicant meets the financial requirement and the requirement to provide evidence of qualifications does not need to be provided with the application (but may be required by the decision maker) if the applicant is applying from the country or territory where they are living, or from in the UK, and the applicant either:” “(a) holds a valid passport which shows they are registered as a British National (Overseas), or which was issued by the competent authorities of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR or Taiwan (that includes the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan); or” “(b) is a national of any of the following:” The list in paragraph (b) includes, among others, China, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America, and a family’s passport has to be checked against the Rule itself. gov.uk’s money page adds a warning: “However, you might be asked to provide this evidence before you get a decision on your application.”

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Where may a 13-year-old live, and what is a nominated guardian’s 27-day limit?

gov.uk’s page on living arrangements begins: “You must have a suitable place to live in the UK. You can live:” It then lists boarding at school, a foster carer or close relative, a parent or legal guardian, and living independently at 16 or 17. The Rules list the arrangements in more detail. Paragraph CS 9A.1 says the consent letter or the carer’s letter of undertaking must confirm that the child’s living arrangements in the UK will be one of the following:

The guardian’s limit appears in both places in different words. gov.uk says the child may live with “a nominated guardian - you can only live with them for up to 27 days in a row” and CS 9A.1(a)(i) says “less than 28 continuous days”, as quoted in the table.

On who may act, gov.uk says “A nominated guardian must be at least 18 years old. They can be nominated by your parent, legal guardian or school.” CS 9.3 adds a condition on status: “CS 9.3. If the applicant will be living with a nominated guardian, close relative, or private foster carer, that nominated guardian, close relative or foster carer must be:” “(a) a British citizen; or” “(b) settled in the UK.”

A letter of undertaking comes from the carer. CS 9.4, which lists items (a) to (i), begins “CS 9.4. The Child Student’s nominated guardian, close relative, or private foster carer who has been appointed by the child student’s parent, school, or legal guardian to care for their child in the UK (the intended carer) must provide a letter of undertaking which contains the following information:” Two of the items concern the address and the household: “(c) confirmation that the accommodation offered to the Child Student is a private address, and not operated as a commercial enterprise, such as a hotel or a youth hostel” and “(g) where the Child Student will be cared for by a nominated guardian, details of the name, date of birth, registered address, contact details and, if they have one, national insurance number, of any adult regularly living with the nominated guardian”.

If the guardian will be arranged through a guardianship organisation but is not yet named, CS 9.4A applies. Its lead-in carries the condition: “CS 9.4A. Where the Child Student will have a nominated guardian in the UK arranged through a guardianship organisation but does not have their details at the point of application, the guardianship organisation must provide a letter of undertaking which contains the following information:” The items include “• the name and contact details of a member of staff at the guardianship organisation who is a British Citizen or settled in the UK” and “• confirmation that all guardians that the organisation uses have a current enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check (England and Wales), Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (Scotland) or Disclosure and Barring Check (Northern Ireland).”

The Home Office also tests the arrangement itself. CS 5A.2 says “CS 5A.2. An application for entry clearance or permission to stay must be refused where the Child Student’s nominated guardian, close relative, or private foster carer who has been appointed by the Child Student’s parent, school, or legal guardian to care for their child in the UK, or any adult regularly living with the nominated guardian:”

• “(a) has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas for which they have received a custodial or suspended sentence of 12 months or more; or”
• “(b) is a persistent offender who shows a particular disregard for the law; or”
• “(c) has committed a criminal offence, or offences, which caused serious harm.”

For a child under 16 in a private foster care arrangement, CS 9.5 adds a notification step. It begins “CS 9.5. If the applicant is staying in a private foster care arrangement and is aged under 16 years, the applicant must also provide:”

• “(a) a copy of the letter of notification from their parent, legal guardian or intended carer to the UK local authority, confirming that the applicant will be in the care of a private foster carer while in the UK; and”
• “(b) the UK local authority’s confirmation of receipt, confirming that the local authority has received notification of the private foster care arrangement and have given permission to the arrangement.”

These are the visa conditions. The Department for Education’s national minimum standards for boarding schools say “The standards apply in England to all mainstream boarding schools”. They use a different phrase, educational guardians, and place a duty on the school: “22.3 Whether an educational guardian is appointed by the school or a parent/carer the school takes appropriate steps to ensure that the guardianship arrangement is promoting the welfare, physical wellbeing, and emotional wellbeing of the boarder.” A school can also set a condition of its own. Haileybury, for example, says “We insist that every pupil whose parents reside overseas must have a suitable Educational Guardian living in the UK. Your child’s guardian could be a relative or a close family friend and must be over the age of 25.” That is Haileybury’s own condition. The school-by-school guardian rows are on our guide to boarding at 11, and our guide to educational guardians for 13+ entry covers the same question for Year 9.

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Does the Parent of a Child Student visa fit a child aged 12 or 13?

gov.uk’s page on the parent’s visa says “Your child must be aged between 4 and 11 when you apply, and be attending an independent school in the UK.” The Rule says the same in its own words: “PC 5.1. The Child Student must be aged between 4 and 11 years on the date of application and have, or at the same time be applying for, entry clearance or permission to stay, under Appendix Child Student.”

gov.uk lists further conditions for the parent. Its lead-in is “You must also:” and the four items are “be the only parent accompanying your child in the UK”, “have enough money to support yourself and your child in the UK”, “maintain your main home outside the UK” and “plan to leave the UK when your visa expires”. On length, gov.uk says “You can stay in the UK until your child’s visa expires or they turn 12, whichever happens first.” The Rule: “PC 9.1. The Parent of a Child Student will be granted permission for a period which ends at the same time as the Child Student’s permission, or on the date the Child Student reaches the age of 12 years, whichever is sooner.”

Our arithmetic from the previous section: a child born between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 is 12 or 13 on every date from 1 March 2027 to 31 August 2027. None of those children is “aged between 4 and 11 years on the date of application”, the words of PC 5.1, so a 12- or 13-year-old is outside the age band in both quoted wordings.

gov.uk’s page on living arrangements gives one further condition for a parent’s visa: “Your parent or guardian must have a Parent of a Child Student visa. They can only get this visa if either:” The two alternatives are “you’re under 12 years old” and “you have a brother or sister who is under 12 years old and also has a Child Student visa”. The parent page adds: “You can bring your other children with you if they also have or are applying for a Child Student visa.” Whether a particular family meets those conditions is a decision for UK Visas and Immigration; we do not give immigration advice.

Is one application enough from Year 9 to Year 13?

Appendix Child Student ties an application to one course: “CS 8.1. The application must be for a single course of study that meets the requirements at CS 8.2, unless it is for a combined pre-sessional course that meets the requirement at CS 11.1.” The grant is then set by the child’s age on the date of application. The Rule sets the periods in a table. Its introduction reads “The applicant will be granted permission for the duration of the course as specified on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies and the relevant additional periods dependant on their age as specified in the table below:” The table below it has these rows, with the Rule’s own words in each cell and our column headings:

Our arithmetic: Year 9 to Year 13 is five school years, and the ceiling in the under-16 row is 6 years. A child who is 12 or 13 on the date of application is in the under-16 row. Whether a school’s CAS covers all five of those years is for the school to say, and four schools’ pages, read on 4 October 2026, describe theirs. Each sentence in the table is that school’s own statement, and other schools may arrange it differently.

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Two of those schools also say an earlier school’s visa does not carry over. Shrewsbury School, about a visa sponsored by another UK school, says “Your Child Student Visa must not be sponsored by another UK school, as this will not be accepted by Shrewsbury School. You will need to apply for a new visa under Shrewsbury School’s sponsorship licence.” Stowe School, about pupils from the prep schools in its Stowe Group, says “If your child is attending one of the three Prep Schools in the Stowe Group, they will require a new visa to attend Stowe, as they will be starting a new course.” Those are the two schools’ statements about their own sponsorship, and a family with a child already boarding at a UK prep school can ask the senior school in writing how it treats an existing visa.

For an application made from inside the UK to stay as a Child Student, the Rules set a different window: “CS 4.2. An application for permission to stay must be made no more than 3 months before the start date of the course on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.” “CS 4.3. An application for permission to stay must be for a course with a start date no more than 28 days after the expiry date of the previous permission to stay.”

The age bands matter again later. The Rules’ opening paragraph says “A person aged 16 or 17 who wants to study a course at or above Regulated Qualifications Framework level 3 or Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 6, can choose either to apply as a Child Student at an independent school or as a Student under Appendix Student.” And on gov.uk, “If you’re 18 or over, apply for a Student visa instead.”

What do the Rules say about state schools and short visits?

Rule CS 17.4 sets the state-school limit, with its two exceptions: “CS 17.4. A Child Student must not study at a state school or academy except for:” “(a) a voluntary grammar school with boarding in Northern Ireland: or” “(b) if the Child Student has been granted permission to study at a student sponsor which becomes a state school or academy during that period of permission, in which case the Child Student may complete the course for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned.”

The Department for Education words the same limit from the school side: “To comply with their visa terms, unaccompanied foreign national children and young people who are entering on a Child Student visa or Student visa must, when accessing education in England, study at the independent school, sixth form college or further education college which is a licensed student sponsor which has offered them an unconditional place on a course. They cannot lawfully, under their UK entry conditions, study at a state-funded school.” Our guide to whether foreign nationals can attend grammar schools covers state-school status in full.

Short visits follow different rules. The Department for Education says “Foreign nationals may also visit the UK for up to 6 months under the visitor route. Those visiting the UK under this route, or the 11-month Short-term Study (English language) visa, are not permitted to enter the UK to enrol as a pupil at a state-funded school but may study a course at an independent school provided this is an accredited institution.” In the Rules, “V 9.1. Where the applicant is seeking to come to the UK to study, they must have been accepted onto a course of study that is to be provided by an Accredited Institution that is not a State Funded School or Academy.” and “V 9.2. The course of study referred to in V 9.1. must last no longer than six months unless the course is being undertaken from outside the UK as a Distance Learning Course.” Whether a short visit fits a particular plan is a question for UK Visas and Immigration and for the school; we do not give immigration advice.

Some children do not need the Child Student route at all. The Department for Education says “Children aged under 18 can usually enter the UK as dependants of a foreign national parent and attend a school if their parent or parents:” It lists “have settled status in the UK” and “are in the UK on a work or student visa”. It adds “The right of dependants to join family members in the UK is not automatic, and an application must normally be made.” It also places the check with the family: “It is the responsibility of the parents of foreign national children to check that their children have a right under their UK entry conditions to study at a school before applying for a place.”

Questions families abroad ask about the Child Student visa

Reviewed 4 October 2026 against the gov.uk, Immigration Rules, Department for Education and school pages linked above. Dates for September 2027 entry are illustrations of the Rules; each school’s own start date is the one on its CAS.