The Home Office has today published changes to the visa rules which will allow people coming to the UK on tourist or business visas to study for up to 6 weeks on their six-month UK visa.

Visitors will be able to use the study allowance flexibly, either doing a six week course in a single block or in weekly sessions, but may only take courses at centres accredited by approved bodies, such as Accreditation UK for the English language sector.

English UK Chief Executive Tony Millns said accredited English centres would be delighted with the change: "This is a sensible move to end the current anomalous situation where technically tourists could learn to ride a horse or do pottery or yoga, but not sit in a classroom and learn the language of the country they are visiting.   "Our members get many requests from people here on business to brush up their business English and negotiation skills, but they must currently turn them away because study is not permitted on a business visitor visa.  So we strongly support this change and will work with the Home Office to try to ensure that non-accredited centres do not see this as a loophole for abuse."