When does enrolment take place for new students at UCL?

When pre-enrolment is available for your programme, you’ll receive a pre-enrolment invitation email with instructions. This email can only be sent once you’ve accepted your offer, met any conditions and completed any statutory checks if applicable. You can easily complete pre-enrolment online on your phone or laptop – it only takes a few minutes to complete.

As part of pre-enrolment, you’ll also be asked to accept several academic and financial regulations, data protection statements, and to confirm your membership with Students’ Union UCL.  For reference, view more information on our regulations, data protection and policies. Further information can be found here

Can I can complete pre-enrolment even though I am outside the UK?

For non-UK/Irish students:

  • if you have not yet arrived in the UK, you can still complete pre-enrolment.  

As you receive your visa documents, you can keep us updated by uploading them to the pre-enrolment task.  Once you have arrived in the UK, you can provide us with a copy of your stamped vignette (or boarding pass if you entered through an e-gate) and we will then be able to complete your enrolment.

What documents will I need to provide at enrolment?

If you are not from the UK or Ireland you will need to provide a passport and evidence of a visa which permits study in the UK.

However, the format of your visa will vary depending on the type of visa that you have applied for and how you applied for it. The type of visa that we are allowed to enrol you on will also depend on the type of programme that you are taking with us. Further information about what you need to provide at enrolment can be found here. 

I am a non e-gate national and did not receive an entry clearance stamp when I arrived in the UK. What should I do?

Please complete our proforma and upload via the pre-enrolment task along with your boarding pass. The Enrolment Team will will then review your documents

no_entry_clearance_stamp_pro-forma_september_2025.pdf

What does evidence of a pending visa application look like?

Please see below for examples of pending visa application evidence that we can accept. Don’t forget we also need a copy of your visa that’s about to expire. 

acceptable_evidence_of_a_visa_application.pdf

What does a decision letter and a decision email look like? 

Examples of what visa decision letter looks like, and what a visa decision email looks like can be found in the below document: 

examples_of_decision_letter_and_decision_email.pdf

I applied for my Student Visa from outside the UK, how do I complete my enrolment?

If you require a Student visa to study at UCL, you will need to provide a copy of your visa, and proof that you have entered the UK in order to complete enrolment.

You can still complete pre-enrolment before you arrive in the UK, but we won’t be able to conclude your enrolment until you provide evidence of your UK arrival.  

More information about what to provide to complete enrolment can be found on the website.

 

Can I study on a Graduate Route visa?

The Graduate Route is very restrictive on study, and only permits study on a small number of courses that are not eligible for sponsorship under the Student Visa route. This means that if you currently hold a Graduate Route visa, you will only be able to enrol on any full-time undergraduate, postgraduate taught or postgraduate research programmes once you have obtained a Student Visa or another type of visa that permits full-time study. This also applies if you have applied for a Student Visa from within the UK, and currently have a pending visa application.

Examples of study that is permitted under the Graduate Route includes:

  • Part-time undergraduate course
  • English language courses
  • Some professional courses
  • Online study
  • Evening classes
  • Recreational courses

If you are unsure whether you can study a specific course under the Graduate route, please contact the Student Immigration Compliance Team on askUCL. 

Does my course need an ATAS certificate?

Some courses do require ATAS clearance, and you would have been told in your offer letter, whether you course requires ATAS clearance. Unless you meet one of the ATAS exemption criteria, evidence of you ATAS certifcate will need to be provided before UCL can enrol you. If there is an outstanding ATAS query, this will appear on your pre-enrolment record. 

Who do I contact if I need Immigration Advice?

See information on how to contact the Student Immigration Advice Team

What is an eVisa?

Further information on the Digital Immigration Status

What if I need to contact International Student Support?

Further information on how to contact Internatonal Student Support

What is the process for re-enrolling at UCL as a current student?

Further information on the process for re-enrolling at UCL as current student

What is the Visa Compliance pro-forma?

If the following criteria apply to you, you may be asked to complete our pro-forma at enrolment. 

  • You do not hold Student Visa or a Visitor Visa, but hold another type of visa that permits study. 
  • Your visa expires after 31 December 2025, but does not cover you for the full duration of your programme. 

By completing the pro-forma, you will be acknowledging that your visa will be expiring before your programme ends, and that you agree to provide UCL with evidence of you new visa application once you have submitted it. 

visa_compliance_pro-forma_2025.pdf