Immigration and visas

You will be able to use the Standard Visitor route for this residential period of study. To check whether you require a visa to enter the UK, please visit the UK Government Home Office visa website, enter your nationality, select 'study', then 'six months or less' and then follow the instructions for either scenario A or B below. 
 
Scenario A: If the system shows that you DO require a visa:
 
You should apply under the visitor route for the summer school. You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before you are due to arrive in the UK. Although the target processing time is 3 weeks, it is advisable to prepare well and apply as early as you can in case of delays. Priority services for a faster decision may be available where you apply. You will need to apply online, pay the application fee then have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at a visa application centre. You will also need to provide certain documents confirming that you are undertaking a period of study and that you can support yourself whilst here.  Where required, we will send you as soon as possible a ‘Visitor for Study’ letter that confirms your enrolment on the course, the fees you have paid, your accommodation (unless you choose to book private accommodation) and the dates you need to be in Oxford as part of your studies. It will be your responsibility to provide any other required documentation. You should come to the UK for the required periods of attendance and other activities allowed as a visitor; the visitor route is not designed to allow you to reside in the UK.

Please note:

• The visitor route does not allow you to work, extend your visa from within the UK, or switch into another visa category. Nor does it cover you for travel in Europe (see below).
• You will not be eligible to apply for a full Student Route visa for this programme and therefore you should not expect to be issued with an electronic Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the University.

Scenario B: If the system shows that you DO NOT require a visa:
 
You may still need to show evidence at the border that you can pay for all costs associated with your study visit including course fees, accommodation, living expenses and return or onward travel. Where required, we will send you as soon as possible a ‘Visitor for Study’ letter that confirms your enrolment on the course, the fees you have paid, your accommodation (unless you choose to book private accommodation) and the dates you need to be in Oxford as part of your studies. It will be your responsibility to provide any other required documentation. You should come to the UK for the required periods of attendance and other activities allowed as a visitor; the visitor route is not designed to allow you to reside in the UK.
 
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals (who are travelling with a biometric passport) plus nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA will be able to use the eGates on arrival in the UK to enter as a visitor. If you use these, you will not need to show any of your documentary evidence and you will not receive a stamp in your passport. However, you should still bring your documentary evidence and keep it in your hand luggage in case the eGates are not in operation, or in case there is a problem reading the chip in your passport. For further information on eGates, see https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/at-border-control.

In addition, you should check whether you will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation. As of May 2024, this is currently only relevant to nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates but the scheme will be rolled out more widely in future for those who do not currently need a visa to visit the UK, including nationals from Europe and America. Other nationalities do not need to apply at this point, but you are advised to check closer to your time of travel in case additional nationalities have been added. 

Please note:

• Although you will have entered the UK without a visa, your stay in the UK is as a Standard visitor and you should be aware of the conditions of this status. 
• The visitor route does not allow you to work, extend your visa from within the UK, or switch into another visa category. Nor does it cover you for travel in Europe (see below).
• You will not be eligible to apply for a full Student Route visa for this programme and therefore you should not expect to be issued with an electronic Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the University

Travel outside the UK during the Summer School

You will have very little time to travel outside the UK during the programme and we do not recommend this but if you need to do so, you should consider the following:

If you obtain a visitor visa this will normally be ‘multi entry’ and allow you to re-enter the UK on the same visa for the period of its validity. 

If you are able to come to the UK without a visa and you travel during the study period, you will again need to meet requirements for admission on your return.

In both cases, we advise that you carry all supporting documents with you, including your ‘Visitor for Study’ letter from Oxford. Please note that your visitor status for the UK does not cover you to travel in Europe. Depending on your nationality, you will need to check visa requirements for other countries in Europe.

Please note:  in all cases, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have taken the necessary steps to enable you to be admitted to the UK. The University takes no responsibility for a visa being denied at any point before or during a course. The cancellation policy applies in all cases (see 'Cancellation policy' at Fees and payment).