How to apply

If you’re planning to study in the UK, you’ll be sure of a friendly welcome. There’s an application process for international students and we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Choose your course 

Check our course pages to find out what courses we offer in your area of interest. Once you’ve selected a course, you’re ready to start the application process.

How to apply

International Admission Deadlines

To help you arrive on time to begin your studies, we have set clear deadlines for submitting your documents and evidence. If you are unable to meet the deadlines shown below, please contact the International Admissions team so that we can discuss your individual circumstances. 

Please note: if you do not submit requested documents and/or evidence in time for us to meet the unconditional offer deadline listed below, you will receive an unconditional offer for the next available intake of your chosen course. 

Deadlines

Preparing your documents

It is important that you prepare the documents you need to upload as part of your application to study with us. This will enable us to swiftly make a decision about your application. It is a good idea to take a look at the course entry requirements and your country page to ensure you know what is required. 

• Academic Documents: clear copies of all official certificates and transcripts relating to your previous academic studies.
• Passport: Upload a clear copy of the personal details page of your passport.
• English Language: provide evidence of your English Language qualification. Please be sure to check the English Language requirement for your chosen course on the course page entry requirements section. Please refer to our English Language Requirements page and your country pages for details of our accepted tests and qualifications.
• CV and Employment Reference: if you completed your studies some time ago, providing a CV and work history evidence would help us assess your application.
• Previous UK visas and visa refusals: providing copies of your previous UK visas, such as those relating to previous UK study, and any visa refusals (UK and worldwide) is essential as this could impact on your offer to study and your Student Visa application.

Personal Statement guide

Your personal statement should be approximately 500 to 1000 words long and tell us about who you are and why you want to study the course. It should also tell us more about how the course will assist with your aspirations, why you have chosen to apply to study with us and why you have chosen to study a course in the United Kingdom.

The following websites have helpful tips for writing your personal statement:

• British Council: How to write a personal statement for a UK university
• British Council: YouTube Webinar – How to write a UK Personal Statement
• Oxford International University Partnerships: How to Write a Personal Statement

Your offer

Receiving an offer

Following your successful application, you’ll receive your offer letter by email. This can be conditional or unconditional. 

Accepting an offer

To accept your offer, you’ll need to log on to your application portal – either with University of Staffordshire or UCAS Track, depending on how you applied. 

Next steps

Once you have received your Unconditional Offer, you will need to pay your deposit to secure your place. We proudly partner with Convera to offer you a simple, secure, and smart way to pay your fees online.

You may be required to complete some pre-CAS checks before your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is released. You can find out more about these on our Visa and Immigration Advice page. Once you have met these requirements, you will be issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which is the document you need to make your Student Visa application.

Accommodation

If you are travelling alone, our University managed accommodation offers modern accommodation on or near campus. To find out more please visit our Accommodation pages.

If you are travelling with dependents, University approved private rented accommodation is available. GreenPad lettings is a service run by the Students' Union and they offer a range of private houses to suit all budgets. For more information please visit our Private Landlord Accommodation page on our website. 

Choosing your visa

You will need to apply for a visa that is appropriate for the type of study you have applied for.

Student Visa

For courses running longer than 6 months you will require a Student Visa to study with us in the UK. To apply for a Student Visa you will require a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) issued by the University. If you would like to find out more about eligibility and requirements on the Student Visa route, please visit UKCISA who have lots of helpful advice and guidance. 

Visitor Visa

If the course you’ve applied for involves a period of study in the UK for less than six months, you can apply for a Visitor Visa. To apply for entry clearance as a visitor to the UK for the purpose of study, you will need a Visitor Visa invitation letter from the University. Your offer letter is not the same as a Visitor Visa invitation letter and you cannot use the offer letter as part of your entry clearance visa application. Your Visitor Visa invitation letter will be sent to you by email. 

For more information about Visitor Visas, please refer to the UKCISA guidance. You can also contact International Admissions if you have any questions about the Visitor Visa process. 

Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation

You may also require an ETA to travel to the United Kingdom. For more information about ETAs and to confirm if you are required to apply for this prior to travelling, please visit Gov.UK.

Informing the University of your Visa Decision

It is really important that you keep the University up to date with the progress of your visa application, visa decision outcome and your travel plans.

You will find a link to a form in the in the email sent with your CAS so that you can inform us of your visa outcome. If you need to inform us about the progress of your visa application, including any correspondence from the UKVI in relation to your application, or your travel plans, you can email International Admissions and the team will be happy to support you.

Please be aware that you need to arrive at the University by the latest start date as stated on your CAS. If you are unable to make this, you should contact International Admissions as soon as possible to discuss your options. Please do not travel to the UK if you will arrive after this date. If you arrive at the University after this date you will not be permitted to enrol and will be asked to leave the UK with immediate effect as your sponsorship will have been withdrawn.

Applying via a Recruitment Agent

At University of Staffordshire, we work with carefully selected Recruitment Agents to help students navigate the application process and find the right course for you. We highly value integrity, transparency, and quality in all aspects of student recruitment, and we expect our Recruitment Agents to uphold these same principles.