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Extension of Child Student Visa UK - Specialist Child Student Visa Solicitors

: Written by: Arshad Mahmood; Last Updated: 09 May 2026

You can apply for an extension of a child student visa if you are a child aged 4 to 17 in the UK and wish to study further at an independent school in the UK that is a student sponsor. An application for extension of a student visa is made in accordance with the requirements as set out in Appendix Student of the Immigration Rules. You can apply for an extension of your student visa through the Priority/Super Priority Service for a faster decision.

A person aged 16 or 17 who wants to study a course at or above the Regulated Qualifications Framework level 3 or the 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.

Premium Solicitors, open 7 days a week and 365 days a year, are specialist UK immigration solicitors. The high quality of UK visa and immigration services provided by our best team of fully qualified and experienced SRA-regulated immigration solicitors is self-evident from the 5-star Google Reviews rating by 99% of our clients.

Free Immigration Advice for a Child Student Visa

Our specialist team of Student Visa Solicitors can provide 5 minutes of free, one-off immigration advice for a child's Child Student Visa application. Ask a question online to our specialist team of Student Visa Solicitors for free immigration advice online, or book an appointment online for detailed immigration advice and consultation with one of our Student Visa Solicitors concerning a child's Child Student Visa application.

Requirements for an Extension of a Child Student Visa

To qualify for the extension of a child student Visa from inside the UK, you should meet the following requirements of the Immigration Rules:

The applicant should be in the UK with leave to enter or remain as a student.
The applicant must be aged between 4 and 17 years at the date of application;
The applicant should make a valid application for the extension of a child student visa.
An application for extension of a child student visa must be made no more than 3 months before the start date of the course on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.
An application for extension of a child student visa must be for study on a course with a start date no more than 28 days after the expiry date of the applicant’s previous UK visa (leave to remain).
The applicant must meet all requirements for the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
The applicant must meet all requirements for the course of study.
The applicant must meet the points-based criteria and score 70 points to qualify for the extension of a child student visa.
An applicant aged 16 or 17 years old must be a genuine student;
The applicant should meet the parental consent requirement.
The applicant's application for extension of child student visa should not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal as set out in Appendix Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules.
The applicant must not be in the UK in breach of immigration laws, except that, where exceptions for overstayers in Appendix Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules apply, any current period of overstaying will be disregarded.

Valid Confirmation Of Acceptance For Studies (CAS)

The child student must meet the following requirements in relation to the valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS):

The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must have been issued by a student sponsor, which is an independent school whose licence is still valid on the date on which the application is decided;
The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must not have been issued by the student sponsor more than 6 months before the date of application.
The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must not have been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused (but could have been submitted in a previous application which was rejected as invalid, made void or withdrawn).
The student sponsor must not have withdrawn the offer since the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) was issued.
The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must contain the necessary information to confirm that the course requirement is met.
The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must state the cost of accommodation and fees (and any payment already made) so that the financial requirement can be assessed.

Course of Study Requirements

The applicant must meet the following requirements in relation to his/her course of study:

The application must be for a single course of study that meets the requirements in CS 8.2. unless it is for a combined pre-sessional course that meets the requirement at CS 11.1;
The course for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) has been assigned must be one of the following:
- taught in accordance with the National Curriculum; or
- taught in accordance with the Recognised Qualification Framework (RQF), and is not a foundation course intended to prepare the Child Student for entry to a course provided by a higher education provider; or
- accepted as being of equivalent academic status to (a) or (b) above by Ofsted (England), the Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland), Education Scotland (Scotland) or Estyn (Wales); or
- provided in accordance with prevailing Independent School education inspection standards.

Parental Consent Requirement

The applicant must have written consent from:

both parents; or
one parent, if that parent has sole legal responsibility for the applicant; or
the applicant’s legal guardian.

The written consent must confirm support for all the following:

the application; and
the applicant’s living and care arrangements in the UK; and
if the application is for entry clearance, the applicant’s travel to, and reception arrangements in, the UK.

If the applicant will be living with a close relative or private foster carer, that close relative or foster carer must be:

a British citizen; or
settled in the UK.

The close relative or private foster carer (the intended carer) must provide a letter of undertaking which contains the following information:

the name, current address and contact details of the intended carer; and
the address where the intended carer and the applicant will be living in the UK if different from the intended carer’s current address; and
confirmation that the accommodation offered to the applicant is a private address, and not operated as a commercial enterprise, such as a hotel or a youth hostel; and
the nature of the relationship between the applicant’s parent(s) or legal guardian and the intended carer; and
that the intended carer agrees to the care arrangements for the applicant; and
that the intended carer has at least £570 per month available to look after and accommodate the applicant for each month of the course up to a maximum of 9 months; and
a list of any other people that the intended carer has offered support to; and
the intended carer’s signature and the date of the letter of undertaking.

If the applicant is staying in a private foster care arrangement and is under 16 years old, they must also provide:

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
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.

Financial Requirement

If the applicant is applying for an extension of a child student visa and has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.

Where the applicant is applying for an extension of a child student visa, where they have been in the UK for less than 12 months, the applicant must have the following funds:

Living arrangements	Funds required
Boarding at a residential independent school	The applicant must have sufficient funds to pay the outstanding course fees and boarding fees for one academic year
Living during term-time with a private foster carer or close relative who is a British Citizen or settled in the UK	The applicant must have sufficient funds to pay the outstanding course fees for one academic year. The private foster carer or close relative must have funds of at least £570 per month for each month of the course, up to a maximum of 9 months
Living with a parent or legal guardian who holds permission as a Parent of a Child Student	The applicant must have sufficient funds to pay the outstanding course fees for one academic year and: (a) if no other children are accompanying the parent, £1,560 per month for each month of the course up to a maximum of 9 months; and (b) if any other children are accompanying the parent, £625 per month of the course for each additional child, up to a maximum of 9 months
Aged 16 or 17 and living independently	The applicant must have sufficient funds to pay the outstanding course fees for one academic year and either: (a) 1,334 for each month of the course up to a maximum of 9 months, while studying in London; or (b) £1,023 for each month of the course up to a maximum of 9 months, where studying outside London

If the applicant’s course length includes a part of a month, the period will be rounded up to the next full month.
Unless the applicant is relying on a student loan or an award from a Government or international sponsorship agency, they must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period as calculated in Appendix Finance, FIN 7.1 to FIN 7.3.
Unless CS 13.1 applies, the applicant must show they meet the financial requirement as specified in Appendix Finance.
The applicant must not be financially responsible for anyone else.

Combined Pre-sessional Course Requirement

A single Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) can be assigned by an independent school for a combined pre-sessional course and a main course if:

the applicant has an unconditional offer of a place at the independent school; and
the duration of the pre-sessional course and period of study at the independent school does not exceed the maximum period of permission granted as set out at CS 15.2.

Evidence Of Qualification Requirement

Unless CS 13.1 applies, the applicant must provide evidence of the qualifications they used to obtain the offer of a place on the course from the student sponsor.

The evidence of each qualification must be one of the following:

the certificate(s) of qualification; or
the transcript of results; or
a print-out of the qualification or transcript results from the awarding body’s online checking service.

Where the applicant has provided a print-out of qualifications or transcript results from the awarding body’s online checking service, the decision maker may require the applicant to provide the certificate of qualification or transcript of results.

Differential Evidence Requirement

Evidence to show that the applicant meets the financial requirement and the requirement to provide documents used to obtain an offer 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 within the UK, and the applicant either:

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 (which includes the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan); or
is a national of any of the following:

Study Conditions For Child Students

A Child Student must study the course or courses for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned, unless:

they have yet to complete the course for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned; and
they begin study on a new course at the student sponsor institution, and the new course is at a higher level or the same level as the course for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned, and is not a foundation course intended to prepare the student for entry to a higher education provider.

A Child Student must study with the student sponsor who issued their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, unless:

they are studying at an institution which is a partner institution of their student sponsor; or
they have made an application for permission to stay while they have permission as a Child Student which is supported by a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies assigned by a student sponsor, the application has not yet been decided, or any administrative review against refusal of that decision has not been determined, and the Child Student will be studying at the student sponsor that assigned the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.

Supplementary study is permitted.

A Child Student must not study at a State School or Academy except for:

a voluntary grammar school with boarding in Northern Ireland: or
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.

Conditions and Period Of Grant

The grant of permission will be subject to the following conditions:

no access to public funds; and
no work until the Child Student is over 16 years, then work is allowed as specified in CS 16.1. and
no study except as specified in CS 17.

The applicant will be granted permission for the duration of the course as specified on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), and the relevant additional periods dependant on their age as specified in the table below:

Age	Period granted before the course start date	Period granted for study	Period granted after course end date
Under 16 years	1 month	The shortest of: · the period requested by the applicant; or · the duration of the course of study; or · 6 years	4 months
16 or 17 years	1 month	The shortest of: · the period requested by the applicant; or · the duration of the course of study; or · 3 years	4 months

Priority/Super Priority Service for a Faster Decision

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can provide a fast-track visa service to get you a decision on your application faster through the Priority Service or Super Priority Service. This way, you will get a decision on your application faster and will not have to wait months (sometimes years).

Our fast track immigration solicitors can prepare your application faster and submit your application under the Priority Service or Super Priority Service to get you faster decision on your application.

As specialist immigration solicitors in London, we are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI), to provide Priority Service or Super Priority Service for your application, which means a decision on your application will be made by UKVI faster. An application submitted through Priority Service is normally decided within 5 working days, and an application submitted through Super Priority Service is normally decided within 24 hours (usually by the end of the next working day).

How Can We Help with the Extension of a Child Student Visa?

Our specialist team of student visa solicitors can provide expert immigration advice and legal representation on a fixed-fee basis for your child's student visa extension application. Our student visa solicitors will carry out all the work on your child's student visa extension application until a decision is made by the Home Office UKVI on your child's student visa extension application. The immigration casework to be carried out by our student visa solicitors will entail the following:

Our student visa solicitors will assess your eligibility for an extension of a child student visa from inside the UK, taking into account all relevant requirements.
Our student visa solicitors will advise on relevant documents to be submitted in support of the child student visa extension application.
Our student visa solicitors will assess the documentary evidence, including the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), to ensure it complies with the Home Office UKVI requirements for extending a child student visa from inside the UK.
Our student visa solicitors will complete an online application form for the extension of a child student visa from inside the UK.
Our student visa solicitors will prepare a detailed cover letter in support of your application to explain in detail how all the relevant requirements for the extension of a child student visa have been satisfied by the applicant.
Our student visa solicitors will submit the application online, pay the Home Office UKVI fees for the student visa, and book the applicant's appointment with the TLSContact application centre.
Our student visa solicitors will upload all the supporting documents online in support of the child student visa extension application.
Our student visa solicitors will carry out all the follow-up work, including responding to any queries raised by the Home Office UKVI, until a decision is made by the Home Office on your application.

Specialist Child Student Visa Solicitors

Our Student Visa Solicitors are specialists in child student visa applications. As one of the best Student Visa Solicitors, we have an excellent track record of helping clients obtain UK child student visas. Our highly experienced and fully qualified Student Visa Solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable, and fixed-fee immigration advice and legal representation for your child's student visa application.

The high quality of UK visa and immigration legal services provided by our best team of immigration lawyers is self-evident from the 5-star Google Reviews rating by 99% of our clients. Our London-based immigration solicitors are available 7 days a week, 365 days a year, offering unwavering dedication and exceptional legal support for a wide range of UK visa and immigration cases. Our team of highly regarded immigration solicitors brings together more than 6 decades of collective, specialised expertise in successfully handling UK visa and immigration applications.

Meet Our Team of Student Visa Solicitors in London

At Premium Solicitors, our strength lies in the expertise, dedication, and unwavering commitment of our Student Visa Solicitors in London. We understand that immigration matters are life-changing events, and our team is here to guide you through every step of the student visa process with professionalism and care.

Our team comprises a diverse group of Student Visa Solicitors, each bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table. We are united by a shared goal: to deliver the highest level of legal support and advocacy tailored to your immigration needs.