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Academic Extension

Section 2: What is Academic Extension?

Students who are unable to complete their course by the original end date, perhaps due to the need for resubmission of work, for example, can request, or may be offered a period of Academic Extension.

If approved, this affords the student more time to complete the course and defers their end date.

Being granted Academic Extension does not automatically extend your Student Visa.

Section 3: Who is eligible for Academic Extension?

Academic Extension is only an option for postgraduate students.

Undergraduate students will not normally be eligible for academic extension. If you are an Undergraduate student unable to complete your course within the original registration period then it may be possible to repeat a year as re-sit with residence or to restart on the same course. You should speak to your department regarding potential options and then contact the Immigration Service for visa advice based on your individual circumstances.

Section 4: Can I extend my Student Visa to cover a period of Academic Extension?

Whether or not you extend your Student Visa will depend on your personal circumstances.

The expiry date of your Student Visa will usually be four months after the original course end date. This 'wrap up period' is is granted to enable you to either settle your affairs in the UK before you leave permanently or to switch to a different visa category/a new sponsor that permits you to stay in the UK, for example, a Skilled Worker Visa.

The UKVI will, however, allow you to use this wrap up period to complete your academic extension.

Therefore, if you feel you can complete your course in the time left on your visa by using the wrap up period, AND you are not interested in the Graduate Route visa, you do not have to apply to extend your Student Visa.

If academic extension has been granted because you need to resubmit your dissertation and your department have agreed that you do not need to be in the UK to do this, then you do not need to extend your Student Visa, provided you are not interested in applying to the Graduate Route and will leave the UK before your Student Visa expires. You must submit your dissertation online by the date agreed with your academic department.

If you do not have enough time remaining on your current visa, or you wish to apply for the Graduate route visa after finishing your course, you can apply to extend your Student Visa to cover the period of Academic Extension granted to you.

Section 5: I have been granted Academic Extension, when can I apply to extend my Student Visa?

You must apply to extend your Student Visa while you still have an academic reason to do so.

This means:

You must submit your visa extension application BEFORE your course end date or visa end date, whichever is earlier.

AND

You still have course to attend / work to submit / viva to attend.

If you have attended all lectures / submitted all work / attended your viva, and are waiting for your results, you will not be able to submit a visa extension application as you will no longer have an academic reason to do so.

Therefore, if you decide to extend your visa, make sure that you contact us and submit your visa application in good time (we recommend at least one month before your visa expiry date).

Please also note that if your course requires ATAS clearance you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate in order to extend your Student Visa as ATAS is only valid for an additional 3 months after the course end date on your original CAS.

PhD students with a new course end date more than 3 months after the 'course end date' on your original CAS, must contact the Student Records Research Team (sr.research@warwick.ac.uk) and request the necessary information which is required for a new ATAS application, even if your research summary has not changed.

Section 6: I have been granted Academic extension, can I extend my Student Visa from inside the UK?

This depends on your personal circumstances.

Postgraduate Master's students, including taught and research Master's:

If an academic extension is granted which involves re-sitting an exam or re-submitting your dissertation, either in the past or in the future, you will be permitted to make a Student Visa application either within the UK or outside of the UK for the extension period.

You will be able to do this as soon as your student record has been updated with this information (usually shortly after the exam board is held in November), and you have received a new CAS.

If you decide to make this application within the UK, you must submit your visa application before your current visa expiry date AND before you have completed all the resits/ submitted all the required work.

If you are required to re-sit multiple exams with long gaps in between, this will be considered 'resit without residence' and NOT academic extension. You should be aware that you may not be eligible for student visa sponsorship for one or more of the exams. Please visit our 'Re-sit without residence' page for more information.

Where an academic extension is granted for any other reason, for example because you require additional time to complete a Master's degree before submitting your thesis, perhaps due to ill health, or you need additional time to complete a Master's by Research degree, you may need to make a new student visa application from outside of the UK. Please contact us so that we can assess your individual situation and advise you accordingly.

PhD or other Doctorate level students:

You can make a student visa application within the UK if:

  • The extension is to enable you to complete the PhD or other doctoral qualification for which study was undertaken in the last grant of student visa, and
  • You have received an email confirmation from the Student Records team confirming the approval of your academic extension.

You can also make this student visa application outside of the UK (and after your visa expiry date if you have no other choice), as long as you leave the UK before your current visa expiry date.

If you are eligible and decide to make this application within the UK, you must submit the application before your current visa expiry date.

Section 7: Who can I talk to about Academic Extension?

The Immigration Service do not grant Academic Extension.

It is administered by your department / Student Records, and therefore, any queries should be directed to them. We can, of course, help you if you have a question about your visa.

Please click on the following links from Student Records:

Warwick | Student Records | Academic Extension | Postgraduate Taught

Warwick | Student Records | Academic Extension | Postgraduate Research

Section 8: If you have further queries and useful links:

If, after reading the guidance above, and you are still unsure of what you should do next, please contact Student Immigration to discuss your situation via the following methods:




    Please click on the following links for more information


    University of Warwick:


    UK Government:


    Other contacts:

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