Mother 56 years Old would like to study in UK

[kalven]

Hello,

My mother is a Widow and had visited UK thrice before via visitor visa and been all good. During her stays she used to visit libraries, community centres and many places and have some English friends now. She is not very good with English language but she would like to learn or Study English Language in UK. Can she apply for a course or degree that is exclusively for Basic English and be eligible for a student visa at all? She working in India and has a B.Com degree from India, but that was old days and not great for English. I can bare all her fee and accommodation during she in UK.

Please advise

[alterhase58]

There's the option to apply for a visitor visa and attend an English language course at an accredited institution, for up to 6 months. Check the government guidance for this:
https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/visit-to-study
See here for guidance on student visas - the requirements are more complex than for just English language study:
https://www.gov.uk/student-visa

[kalven]

Thank you that was helpful.. Should this be exclusively mentioned in the visa application that she wants to study an English course for less than 6 months? or can she still study in the standard visitor visa that she has?

[alterhase58]

I think you are required to state the purpose of your visit, such as visiting relatives or attending an English course.

[kalven]

Ok Thank you for the feedback. Just curious would this course create an eligibility to do any further studies in UK, meaning would it qualify as a English language requirement being met? any suggestions please

[alterhase58]

Ok Thank you for the feedback. Just curious would this course create an eligibility to do any further studies in UK, meaning would it qualify as a English language requirement being met? any suggestions please

The courses which are offered for visitors (often school students or business people) are generally short term and do not lead to qualifications required by the Home Office for visa and nationality purposes, nor won't they provide eligibility for onward study.
However, you need to check with the providers what they actually offer - most of them will be privately run schools and must be accredited for visa purposes (whatever that means). This is just my personal limited knowledge.

[kalven]

Thank you

[ALKB]

Ok Thank you for the feedback. Just curious would this course create an eligibility to do any further studies in UK, meaning would it qualify as a English language requirement being met? any suggestions please

There are courses offered to specificallyy prepare those attending for exams like IELTS, those schools often also offer the exams themselves.

Your mother could take such a course and sit the exam at the end of it or take a general language course to improve her English and book an exam at a provider of her choice.

Just do a search on something like "IELTS prep course + town where you live" or similar.

Make sure you consult the list of acceptable exams and keep in mind that most of these exams expire after two years or so.

[kalven]

Thank you. very helpful