Applying for a student Visa and passport expires just after the program end date... Do I need a new passport before I get the Visa?

Hi all,

My program end date is September 2030 but my passport expires in March 2031. My supervisor recommends to apply for the new passport before the student visa to avoid any hassle of having to fly back to the states to renew it, even if after my program end date.

But, from what I've seen online, it's quite easy to apply for the passport renewal online. Any other student visa holders have their passport expire either during or just after their program and can tell me what the process to renew was like? Can you do it from the UK or even online? Or, if you're living outside the country, do you have to travel back to the states to renew it?

Any insight helps, thanks!