International Students – Could the UKVI owe you money?

If you are an international student who has applied for a Student or Child Student visa to the UK Visas and Immigration from outside the UK between late 2023 and April 2026, there is a chance you have paid too much, and you may be entitled to a partial refund.

Students affected by this should write to the Home Office asking for a refund. Your Students’ Union Advice Service can support you with your letter. Fill out the Advice Service Form, and a member of our team will reach out for support!

What actually happened?

The Student visa fee used to be £363 (legally increased from £348 in March 2022), then the UKVI raised it to £490 in October 2023, and once again, to £524 in March 2025. Both times, these increases were made without following UK law. This was confirmed by the House of Lords.

How much could you be refunded?

If you paid £490 for your Student visa between Autum 2023 – March 2025 (instead of £363) – you may be entitled to a £127 refund.

If you paid £524 for your Student visa between March 2025 – April 2026 (instead of £363) – you may be entitled to a £161 refund.

How to claim your refund:

1. Locate your visa application number, as you will need your GWF number or your UAN. You can find these on your visa decision letter, your BRP card correspondence, or any email confirmation you received from the UKVI when your visa application was submitted.
2. Use the template attached and fill in your personal details in the highlighted sections.
3. Use the UK Visa and Immigration Complaint Form to submit your request – you should opt for ‘’Refunds’’; or if this does not allow you to explain the overcharged Student visa fee issue, please select the option that says ‘’Something else’’. Input your text – following the template provided below – into the complaint text box. Make sure to upload all your supporting evidence: your Home Office decision email, your payment confirmation email, and a copy of your completed refund request form.
4. Get in contact with us through this form to let us know you have requested a refund.
5. Make sure you keep screenshots through this process, copies of your submission and acknowledgement, and any other documents you might receive from the UKVI.

*If the UKVI refuses your request, keep the refusal and be aware that you might need to escalate this as a complaint about how the issue was handled.