UK student visa application: The ins and outs

As keen as a student is, to inaugurate his education in the UK, there looms before him the visa application process before he enters Britannia for the first time. We enlist here all the tit-bits and details that would guide you through it.

Visa types offered

1. Short term visas: Offered for short term courses or research work. They are categorized into 6-month or 11-month visas. The 11-month visas are granted only for English language courses.
2. General student visas: The Tier 4 visas as they are also known as, follow a point-based system, details of which are mentioned below.

These visas are granted only to candidates who:

1. Are at least 16 years of age and,
2. Hail from outside the European Economic Area (EEA)

The student must have an unconditional offer from universities listed in the Register of Sponsors (Tier 4) before applying for a visa. Students are advised to go through it to get details about the type of students they are allowed to sponsor and their ratings.

The education provider/university will provide a unique number, the confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) that will be needed while filling the visa application.

UK Student Visa Requirements and Application

The validity of the CAS is 6 months. Earliest application for visa may be done 3 months before the course begins. The decision is usually announced within 3 weeks of application.

Under the Point based system, the UK Home Office allots points on the basis of 2 criteria which must be met by the applicant:

1. A valid CAS from a Tier-4 sponsor (30 points)
2. Sufficient funds to pay the course fee and meet monthly living costs (10 points).

The funds that need to be shown consist of 1st semester fees for the applied course in addition to living expense for 9 months.

The monthly living costs vary according to the place where the student is studying. These are:

• 1,265 per month if studying in London or £1,015 per month if studying outside London.

Students may be asked for an interview, either personal or telephonic, wherein the Home Office evaluates the following two things:

1. Whether the student applying is genuine and
2. Whether the student can speak English to the expected standard.

If the Home Office is not satisfied with the interview, then the application may be refused.

The British Council conducts pre-departure briefings for the benefit of students who have received an offer from a UK institution. Student Visa Requirements are addressed by officers from UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) in their briefings.

Other Salient features

For courses lasting 6 months or less, a student may arrive at most 1 week before course commencement, while he may arrive 1 month before, for course duration greater than 6 months.

Students having a Tier 4 can bring their relatives and are also allowed to apply for visa extension.

Students under the age of 18 require the consent of their parents/legal guardians for travelling and getting independent accommodations within the UK.

Visa Extension for academic progression

Visa extension can be applied when the student wishes to apply for another course which is progressive to the current course for e.g., Master’s course after a Bachelor’s course or a PhD after a Master’s.

For extensive details, the guidelines published by the Home Office can be referred.

Get all the details from the expert consultants regarding the Abroad Studies and the Visa Requirements.