Any UK visa expert advice here would be brill.

I got my fiancee's niece who has just finished Mathayom 3 and planning on dropping to go to the UK to live and study, she's 15 now and turning 16 in October. She's got family in Hampshire and planning on going there, money's no probs etc...

Her aunt in the UK already told the family that a UK visa for study/live would be no worries, but the mom here in Thailand is worried that the visa will be rejected.

She's planning in going just when she hits 16 later this year. I would just like someone to confirm that a 16 yo will be able to get a visa for the UK no probs, probably student one as she's planning on going to school and doing her GCSEs there.

Thanks in advance for any info.

She may get a student visa to come to the UK to study for her GCSEs, but first she would have to show why she needs to do so. Is she studying an English curriculum at a school in Thailand?

She would not be able to attend a state school, only an independent fee paying school which is on the UK's Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills Register of Education and Training Providers. She would have to show that the school are willing to accept her and that all the school fees can be paid and all her living costs met while she is in the UK without recourse to public funds and without her working.

At the end of her studies at the school she would have to leave the UK.

See Guidance - Students (INF 5)

A settlement visa is out of the question as her mum is alive and well in Thailand. She would only get a settlement visa to live with her relatives in Hampshire if she had no other relatives in Thailand able to take care of her.

Thanks a lot for the advice! Great.