 STUDENT VISAS
From today, international students looking to study in the UK will be able to apply for their visa through Tier 4 of the new streamlined Points Based System.
Under the new transparent system, international students will need to prove that they have been accepted onto a course run by an education institution which is a UK Border Agency (UKBA) licensed Tier 4 sponsor, prove that they have the means to support themselves, and supply their biometric details at their local visa application centre.
If granted a visa, the new Tier 4 regulations allow international students to undertake part-time work of up to 20 hours per week during term time, full time work during the holidays and undertake any course related work placements.
Barbara Woodward, International Director of the UK Border Agency said: “The UK has a lot to offer international students. Now they see whether they are eligible for a visa before they even apply – making the system much clearer and easier to understand. The aim is to make the application process more transparent and straightforward.”
For the first time, all independent fee-paying schools, colleges, and universities that want to accept international students to study with them now need a licence to do so. This will help the UK Government crack down on bogus colleges, something that will be welcome news to many international students, who can now be sure the language school, college or university they intend to study at is an approved educational institution. So far, over a thousand UK institutions have signed up to sponsor international students.
About the UK Student Visa
Applying for a General Student visa or a Child Student visa under Tier 4 is a simple process and should be done in the country of which you are a national or a legal resident. For your application to be successful, you will need:
o A current passport or travel document
o A visa letter from the institution you are planning to study at
o Proof of maintenance funds
o Evidence of any qualifications the sponsoring institution took account of when deciding to accept you for the course you plan to study
o Any other supporting documents relevant to your application
You will also need to make an appointment at your nearest visa application centre to provide your biometric details (10 digit finger scans and a digital photograph) as part of the application process.
The UK Border Agency will refuse your application and you may be banned from coming to the UK for 10 years if you use a false document, lie, or withhold relevant information.
Students looking to study in the UK for six months or less, and who do not wish to take any employment while they are in the UK, or to extend their stay while they are in the country, can enter the UK on a student visitor visa.
Types of student visa
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Type of student visa
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Who can apply?
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Child student
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You can apply as a child student if you are between 4 and 17 years old. If you are between 4 and 15 years old, you must be coming to the United Kingdom to be educated at an independent fee-paying school.
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Child visitor
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You can apply as a child visitor if you are 17 years old or under and you want to come to the United Kingdom to do a course of study for up to six months.
You will not be able to switch and apply for a child student visa while you are in the United Kingdom as a child visitor. If you want to apply for a child student visa, you must apply from the country you live in.
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Adult student
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You can apply as an adult student if you are coming to the United Kingdom for your post-16 education.
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Student visitor
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You can apply as a student visitor if you are 18 years old or over, you want to come to the United Kingdom to do a course for up to six months, and you do not want to work while you are here.
You will not be able to switch and apply for an adult student visa while you are in the United Kingdom as a student visitor. If you want to apply for an adult student visa, you must apply from the country you live in.
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Prospective student
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You can apply as a prospective student if you want to come to the United Kingdom to help you decide which course to study or if you plan to start a course of study within six months.
You will be able to switch and apply for an adult or child student visa while you are in the United Kingdom.
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16 and 17 year old students applying to come for more than six months
You and your approved education provider should agree whether you need to apply for an adult or child student visa. If you will be studying a course below National Qualification Framework level 3, you must apply as a child student. If your course is at National Qualification Framework level 3 (or equivalent) or above and is longer than two years, we recommend you apply as an adult student. If you want to study for an English language qualification at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level A2 or above, you must apply as an adult student.
Adult student visa
You can apply for an adult student visa if you are coming to the United Kingdom for your post-16 education.
If you are 16 or 17 years old and want to study a course at National Qualification Framework level 3 or above, you can agree with your approved education provider either to apply as an adult or child. Those studying for an English language qualification at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level A2 or above must apply as an adult student.
What do I need to apply?
You need 40 points to be able to apply for a student visa and must provide the proof needed with your application form.
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Points
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What you gets points for
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Proof and documents needed
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30
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Doing a course (at an acceptable level) with an approved education provider (also known as sponsorship)
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Visa letter or confirmation of acceptance for studies issued by your approved education provider, before February 2010 (if you are applying within the United Kingdom) and the documents used to get the visa letter or confirmation of acceptance for studies.
From February 2010 the UK Border Agency will only accept a confirmation of acceptance for studies and will no longer accept a visa letter.
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10
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Having enough money to cover your course fees and monthly living costs (also known as maintenance)
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Bank statement or letter confirming that you have enough money available to cover your course fees and monthly living costs for up to one year, at the time you submit your application
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You must also arrange to have your photograph taken and give your fingerprints, which are known as biometric.
Approved education provider
Education providers are approved by UKBA when they give them, a licence to teach international students in the United Kingdom, and add them to the tier 4 register of sponsors. Once you have chosen an education provider to study with, you can check to see if they are on the tier 4 register of sponsors. If the education provider is not on the register, you will not be able to get a student visa.
Money needed if I have completed a course of study in the United Kingdom that was at least six months long in the past four months
You will only need to show two months worth of living costs if you have completed a course of study in the United Kingdom that was at least six months long in the past four months, and were in any of the following immigration categories:
- child student;
- adult student (also known as general student);
- postgraduate doctor or dentist;
- student (under the rules in place before 31 March 2009);
- student nurse;
- student re-sitting examination;
- student writing up a thesis;
- Student Union sabbatical officer.
Child student visa
The child student visa is for children between four and 17 years old who are coming to the United Kingdom. Children between four and 15 years old can only apply if they are going to study at an independent fee-paying school.
If a child is 16 or 17 years old and wants to study a course at National Qualification Framework level 3 or above, they can agree with their approved education provider that they will apply either as an adult or as a child student. A 16 or 17 year old wanting to study for an English language qualification at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level A2 or above must apply as an adult student.
How long can the child come for?
The length of time a child will be allowed to come for depends on how much time they are asking for and the length of their course. The length of time needed should be agreed with the child's approved education provider and stated in their visa letter.
The maximum time we allow is as follows:
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Age of child at the time of application
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Maximum time a child can come for
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Under 16 years old
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The full length of the course, up to a maximum of six years
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four months after the end of the course
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16 or 17 years old
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The full length of the course, up to a maximum of two years
plus
four months after the end of the course
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What does the child need to apply?
A child needs 40 points to be able to apply for a child student visa, and must provide the proof needed with their application form.
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Points
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What we award points for
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Proof and documents needed
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30
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Doing an acceptable course with an approved education provider (also known as sponsorship)
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Visa letter or confirmation of acceptance for studies issued by the approved education provider before February 2010 and if the child is aged 16 or 17, the documents they used to get the visa letter.
From February 2010 the UK Border Agency will only accept a confirmation of acceptance for studies and will no longer accept a visa letter.
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10
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Having enough money to cover the child's course fees and monthly living costs (also known as maintenance)
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Bank statement or letter confirming that there is enough money available to cover the child's course fees and monthly living costs for up to one year, at the time the application is sent to us
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You must also arrange to have your photograph taken and give your fingerprints, which are known as biometric information
The child's parent or legal guardian must also make suitable care arrangements for where the child will stay while they are in the United Kingdom, and must be able to send documents and proof to show this. A child can:
- stay at a residential boarding school;
- stay with a private foster carer or close relative;
- stay with a parent, if the parent is coming with a child under 12 years old; or
- live independently if they are 16 or 17 years old.
Acceptable course
The child can do courses that:
- are taught in line with the National Curriculum; or
- are taught in line with the National Qualification Framework (NQF); or
- follow a curriculum that is recognised by Ofsted (England), the Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland), Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (Scotland) or Estyn (Wales); or
- are taught in line with current (prevailing) independent school education inspection standards.
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