UK Immigration – Student Visa

17 Sep 2019

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If you live outside the UK, you will need to apply for a Tier 4 student (General) visa or Short Term Student visitor visa to study in the UK unless you are an EEA or Swiss national.

The short term student visa scheme may not be appropriate for students who want to stay longer or work after completion of their initial course due to the fact that if you are on a short term student visa you cannot switch to another type of visa, extend your visa or work during your stay.

You can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if you are 16 or over.  You must apply up to three months in advance of your course start date.  The time to consider the application can vary therefore you are encouraged to make an early application. 

Student Visa: Mandatory Documents :

• Course confirmation :  receipt of a  Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a University or college approved by the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI). There are 1,215 licensed sponsors* under Tier 4 (General) Student Visa (the list can be obtained from here)  *work is permitted if studying at any of the institutes in this list.
• Prove your English language skills : if you are not from one of the  ‘majority English- speaking’ Countries; once the course has been selected, your chosen course provider can advise you whether you need to take a  Secure English Language Test  (SELT) including ILTS, an alternative test or Skype interview.
• Funds :  you will need to show that you have enough money to pay for your course and living costs.  Living costs will depend on the length of your course and where you study the course.
• Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate : you will need an ATAS certificate if you intend to undertake studies in designated science and technical subjects.
• Tuberculosis (TB) certificate — If you have been resident in UAE for over 6 months and not travelled to a listed Country, you will not have to provide this certificate.   The list of countries which require you to have a TB test can be found here
• Health Surcharge reference number ** — this will be issued once the application is complete.

Fees

• ·£348 to apply from outside the UK.
• ** in addition to the fees, you will also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.

Benefits

Following approval of your application and your arrival into the UK, you can start using the National Health Service (NHS) however, you will still need to pay for certain types of services, such as prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and assisted conception.

It is important that you carry your biometric residence permit with you when you access healthcare in the UK.

Documents you must provide

• A current passport and in the event that this is not available then any other valid travel identification
• Evidence that you can support yourself during your trip, for example bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months.
• Details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans - you should not pay for accommodation or travel until your visa has been granted.

The above is a general commentary on the subject matter and should not be construed as specific legal advice.  To seek specific advice, please do contact Dee Popat or visit our UK immigration service.