International students who have paid a Student or Child Student entry clearance fee since late 2023 may have been overcharged.
As reported on WONKHE, the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) has found that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has been charging international students more than the law actually prescribes.
What does that mean for you, if you’ve paid these fees?
Well...
The difference between what you paid and what the law actually required you to pay is £127, if you paid between autumn 2023 and March 2025. If you paid between March 2025 and now, it’s £161.
What can you do about it?
LSESU encourages you to claim your refund! Refund requests must be made within five years of payment. Former students who’ve since graduated and left the UK can also claim refunds, as the Home Office’s five-year window runs from the date of payment, not the date of your visa’s expiration.
To make things easier, here’s a draft letter you can update and then submit.
Fill in the bits in square brackets and then submit your letter through the route indicated on your visa correspondence, or via the Home Office contact UKVI channels if you don’t have a specific address handy.
Remember to keep a copy of the submission and any acknowledgement received!
From your elected Sabbatical Officers 2025/26.