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Registration for Student visa holders

You need to formally register with Birkbeck before you can start your programme of study at Birkbeck. You will be permitted to register if you are able to show that you have either:  

  • valid immigration permission which allows you to study your programme of study at Birkbeck, or
  • evidence that you are waiting for a decision on a Student visa application to study at Birkbeck which was made from inside the UK while holding a valid UK visa.

What you need to register with Birkbeck

  • You must provide the following documents and attend an online session:
    • passport - we cannot accept expired passports; and 
    • Student visa to study at Birkbeck - please see below for what format your visa will be.

What format of visa will I get?

  • The format of your visa will depend on whether you are a Visa National and how you have provided your biometric information, e.g, via attending a Visa Application Centre (VAC) located outside the UK or UKVCAS Service Point located within the UK, or using the UK Immigration: ID Check app.
  • If you apply outside the UK
    • Visa Nationals:
    • VAC: Entry Clearance + Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
    • ID Check App: eVisa + BRP
    • Non-Visa Nationals:
    • VAC: Entry Clearance + BRP
    • ID Check App: eVisa
  • Please be aware that the UK Government are phasing out the use of physical identity documents such as BRPs and by the end of 2025 all students will be required to hold an eVisa. 
  • If you apply inside the UK
    • Visa Nationals:
    • UKVCAS Service Point: eVisa + BRP
    • ID Check App: eVisa + BRP
    • Non-Visa Nationals:
    • UKVCAS Service Point: eVisa + BRP
    • ID Check App: eVisa + BRP

What happens if you don't register with Birkbeck?

  • You will not be permitted to attend classes until you have formally registered with the College. If you fail to complete your registration by the deadline, which normally is the latest arrival date stated on your CAS, you may not be permitted to register and/or enrol for the relevant academic year.

What to do if you have applied to extend your stay

  • If you have applied to extend your stay in the UK before you register at Birkbeck and you are still waiting for a decision on your application, you will need to show the following, instead of a new Student visa to study at Birkbeck:
    • your passport
    • your UK visa at the time of submitting a Student visa application to study at Birkbeck
    • evidence of submitting your Student visa application from the UK while your previous UK visa is valid, such as a copy of your visa application showing the application number and date of submission. 
  • Once you receive an outcome of your Student visa application, you will need to present all documents listed above to complete your registration.
  • If your UK immigration permission at the time of making your Student visa application does not permit you to study, such as the Graduate Route visa or High Potential Individual visa, you must wait until you are granted a Student visa. 
  • You can only be invited to enrol if you have provided evidence of your Student visa to study at Birkbeck before the latest arrival date stated on your CAS. Enrolment and Student Visa Registration must be completed by the latest arrival date.  

Visas that mean you will not be able to register 

  • You will not be able to register at Birkbeck to study a full-time programme if you hold an immigration permission that does not permit you to study, including the following:
    • Graduate visa
    • High Potential Individual visa
    • Standard Visitor visa (including all sub-categories)
    • Short-term Study visa
    • Marriage Visitor visa
    • Parent of a Child Student visa.
  • The Standard Visitor visa does not allow full-time study. However, you can use it for short courses, to retake specific elements of your programme of study, such a retaking a module or resitting an examination, and to attend a viva.