Can a visitor on a UK Standard Visitor Visa have an educational visit at a state school?

I have come across the below extract from the immigration rules on the UK government's official page. The extract is from the article "VISITORS APPENDIX 3. PERMITTED ACTIVITIES FOR ALL VISITORS". Link is here.

Study

25 Visitors may carry out the following study:
    (a) educational exchanges or visits with a state funded school or academy or independent school; or
    (b) a maximum of 30 days study on:
        (i) recreational courses (not English language training);
        (ii) a short-course (which includes English language training) at an accredited institution;

provided that the main purpose of the visit is not to study and the study is not at a state funded school or academy.

I can't help thinking it contains contradictory meanings - it first allows (a) "visits with a state funded school", but later it states "provided...and the study is not at a state funded school". Does the "provided...and the study is not at a state funded school" apply to both activities (a) and (b), or just (b)? If only (b), the last line should be within section (b), not existing independently after one spacing. So it should apply to both, considered the first line states visitors can carry out "the following study" which includes "visits" in (a).

If a visitor plans a meeting with a state school, it makes perfect sense to have the meeting at the school. If the educational visit with a school is a form of 'study' in a broad sense, under the rule it can only happen at a non-state school, not at a state one?!

I'm trying to think what it meant to say is, for real study like a course (which is different to a visit) it should only take place at a non-state school, but for visits - whether it happens at a state-funded school it does not matter. If this is correct, isn't the wording of the article confusing?

Since it is an article written by government, I cannot help to think I did not understand it right.

I appreciate if you guys can share your thoughts on this. Thank you!

visas uk standard-visitor-visas study

Best Answer

It says "visits with a [...] school", not "visits to a school". It's talking about students at foreign schools visiting the UK as part of their studies, not people who are visiting the UK to study at a UK school. Compare "I am visiting with my family", which means "I am visiting and so are, e.g., my partner and children"; "I am visiting with my school" means "I am visiting and so are other people from my school."

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Can I study with standard visitor visa in UK?

The Standard Visit visa now allows students to come and study in the UK for a course of up to six months. The Short-Term Study route is now limited to individuals who wish to study an English language course that is 6 to 11 months long. Please note that you cannot apply for a Standard Visit visa from inside the UK.

Can a child go to school on a visitor visa?

This is the ultimate takeaway: while your children can be admitted to a public school on a Visitor Visa, it is against immigration law for them to attend. If you choose to send them, you will likely lose your Visa and potentially lose your chance to get other Visas in the future or even return to the United States.

Can you study on a visitor visa?

The Standard Visit Visa can be used for short courses and single-semester exchange programmes. However, it cannot be used for programmes that are longer than 6 months.

Can children on visitor visa attend school in UK?

Foreign national children resident in the UK normally have the right to attend state-funded and independent schools in England. To lawfully enter the country to access a school, foreign national children resident outside the UK will normally need either: a right of abode.

Work In The Uk 🇬🇧 on A Standard Visitor Visa? Breakdown of What you can \u0026 can't do on visiting visa

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