How Long You Can Stay As a Student in the UK

How long you can stay depends on the length of your course and what study you’ve already completed in the UK.

If you’re 18 or over and your course is at degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 5 years . If it’s below degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 2 years .

A Bachelor's degree is the most common of university degree levels  – and can be studied straight after finishing higher education. It's classed as a level 6 qualification.

In many educational systems, a Bachelor's degree is indeed the most common university degree level and typically follows the completion of secondary education. It's often considered a Level 6 qualification, according to frameworks like the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) in the United Kingdom or the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in Europe. These frameworks provide a way of understanding and comparing different qualifications and levels of education across countries.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

There are 9 qualification levels

Entry level

Each entry level qualification is available at three sub-levels - 1, 2 and 3. Entry level 3 is the most difficult.

Entry level qualifications are:

entry level award

entry level certificate (ELC)

entry level diploma

entry level English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)

entry level essential skills

entry level functional skills

Skills for Life

Level 1

Level 1 qualifications are:

first certificate

GCSE - grades 3, 2, 1 or grades D, E, F, G

level 1 award

level 1 certificate

level 1 diploma

level 1 ESOL

level 1 essential skills

level 1 functional skills

level 1 national vocational qualification (NVQ)

music grades 1, 2 and 3

Level 2

Level 2 qualifications are:

CSE - grade 1

GCSE - grades 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or grades A*, A, B, C

intermediate apprenticeship

level 2 award

level 2 certificate

level 2 diploma

level 2 ESOL

level 2 essential skills

level 2 functional skills

level 2 national certificate

level 2 national diploma

level 2 NVQ

music grades 4 and 5

O level - grade A, B or C

Level 3

Level 3 qualifications are:

A level

access to higher education diploma

advanced apprenticeship

applied general

AS level

international Baccalaureate diploma

level 3 award

level 3 certificate

level 3 diploma

level 3 ESOL

level 3 national certificate

level 3 national diploma

level 3 NVQ

music grades 6, 7 and 8

T Level

tech level

Level 4

Level 4 qualifications are:

certificate of higher education (CertHE)

higher apprenticeship

higher national certificate (HNC)

level 4 award

level 4 certificate

level 4 diploma

level 4 NVQ

Level 5

Level 5 qualifications are:

diploma of higher education (DipHE)

foundation degree

higher national diploma (HND)

level 5 award

level 5 certificate

level 5 diploma

level 5 NVQ

Level 6

Level 6 qualifications are:

degree apprenticeship

degree with honours - for example bachelor of the arts (BA) hons, bachelor of science (BSc) hons

graduate certificate

graduate diploma

level 6 award

level 6 certificate

level 6 diploma

level 6 NVQ

ordinary degree without honours

Level 7

Level 7 qualifications are:

integrated master’s degree, for example master of engineering (MEng)

level 7 award

level 7 certificate

level 7 diploma

level 7 NVQ

master’s degree, for example master of arts (MA), master of science (MSc)

postgraduate certificate

postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE)

postgraduate diploma

Level 8

Level 8 qualifications are:

doctorate, for example doctor of philosophy (PhD or DPhil)

level 8 award

level 8 certificate

level 8 diploma

By GEC