Can I travel to the UK via the Republic of Ireland?
Although it may be cheaper to arrive via the Republic of Ireland this is not advised for students coming to the UK on a visa (Tier 4 or Short Term Student Visa) as you will not pass through UK Immigration. There is no passport control between Ireland and the UK which means students who arrive via this route will not have the required UK stamp in their passports and therefore will not be legally here in the UK. You will not be able to begin study and may incur additional expenses for re-entry travel back into the UK to validate visa documents.