UK student visa timeline from Nigeria
Four separate clocks have to line up on the day you submit. None of them start automatically, and two of them have queues you do not control.
Figures assessed against official UK government sources on 20 September 2026.
The short answer
You can apply up to 6 months before your course starts, and a decision usually takes about 3 weeks from outside the UK.
Work backwards from your start date, not forwards from today. The binding constraint is almost never the visa decision itself.
6 months
Earliest you can apply before your course start date.
About 3 weeks
Usual decision time when applying from outside the UK.
The four clocks
- Your CAS must be no more than 6 months old on the day you apply, and your sponsor issues it only after you firmly accept.
- Your funds must sit in an acceptable account for 28 consecutive days, with a closing balance dated within 31 days of applying.
- Your TB test must be done at a Home Office approved clinic before you apply.
- The decision takes roughly 3 weeks after you submit.
The CAS and funds clocks both anchor to your application date, which is what makes applying too early as dangerous as applying too late.
The order that works
- Firm acceptance of your offer
- CAS issued by your university, which gives you the exact fee figure
- 28-day funds window begins, using the number your CAS just gave you
- TB test booked and done, running alongside the funds window
- Apply, with a bank statement whose closing balance is within 31 days
- Interview, if you are called to one, which you should assume you will be
Notice that the funds window cannot sensibly start before the CAS, because until then you do not know the number you are proving.
The two queues you do not control
Your university issuing the CAS. This takes as long as their admissions office takes, and it bunches badly close to intake.
The approved TB clinics. Waits stretch during the June to September peak, which is precisely when September-intake applicants all need one at the same time.
Both sit in front of your application, so a delay in either pushes everything back. Build slack in rather than assuming a best case.
Where each step is covered in full
- The CAS, its 6-month limit and the single-use rule
- Proof of funds and the 28-day rule
- Costs, including the TB test and the health surcharge
- The credibility interview
Common questions
- How early can I apply for a UK student visa?
- Up to 6 months before your course start date when you are applying from outside the UK.
- How long does a UK student visa take from Nigeria?
- Usually around 3 weeks for a decision when applying from outside the UK. Faster decisions are available for an additional fee. Treat 3 weeks as the planning figure, not the floor.
- What order should I do everything in?
- Firm acceptance, then CAS, then your 28-day funds window, then your TB test, then apply. The funds window and the TB test can run alongside each other, but both have to be complete before you submit.
- When should I start holding my proof of funds?
- At least 28 days before you intend to apply, and realistically earlier. The closing balance on your statement must be within 31 days of your application date, so the window is anchored to when you apply rather than to when the money arrived.
- When is the worst time to book a TB test in Nigeria?
- June to September, which is the student peak. Waits at the Home Office approved clinics stretch considerably then, which is exactly when most September-intake applicants need one.
Does your own plan actually hold up?
Pathminder checks your dates, your budget and your documents against the rules on this page, and tells you what is missing before it costs you an application fee.
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Where these figures come from
Every number on this page is taken from official UK government guidance, not from agents or forums. Rules change, so check the source before you apply.