International Student News
Visa News
- New forms and higher cost for applications made from 6 April 2012
- Important Tier 4 student visa changes from 6 April 2012
- UKBA list of banks for Tier 4 visa applications Now includes Iran
- Returning to the UK to study with a different Tier 4 sponsor
- Why it is now even more important to get your visa application right first time
- 4 July changes to student visas
- Extended student visitor visas
- Important news for Non EU students studying courses of six months or less that do not need a visa to travel to the UK
Other news
- If you are studying, or have completed, a 3 year undergraduate degree your total time limit is 5 years.
- If you are studying, or have completed, a 4 year undergraduate degree your total time limit is 6 years.
- If you are, or have been, studying a 3 year undergraduate degree course but you have taken, or will take, longer than 3 years to complete it, for example because of retaking modules, your limit is still 5 years and so you would not then be able to study for a 2 year masters as this would take you over the 5 year limit.
- If you are, or have been, studying a 4 year undergraduate degree course but you have taken, or will take, longer than 4 years to complete it, for example because of retaking modules, your limit is still 6 years and so you would not then be able to study for a 2 year masters as this would take you over the 6 year limit.
- This change affects all Tier 4 applications made from 6 April 2012 and any visa application from this date will be refused if it would mean you going over your maximum limit at degree level.
- Any study at degree level before the 6 April 2012 will still count towards your total.
Tier 4 changes from 4 July 2011
Academic Progression: If you are wanting to study a further course, your CAS must state that your next course is a progression from your previous course. This usually will mean it is at a higher level e.g an undergrauate degree followed by a Masters.
Finance: The UKBA may check at any time during your studies that you still have the funds available to you to pay your fees and living costs, that you said you had at the time of making your visa application.
Students from UKBA defined 'low-risk' countries (Argentina; Australia; British National Overseas; Brunei; Canada; Chile; Croatia; Hong Kong; Japan; New Zealand; Singapore; South Korea; Taiwan?; Trinidad and Tobago; and United States of America) will not need to send evidence of their funds (nor previous qualifications) with their visa application but could still be asked for them and will be refused if they are not produced within the time UKBA give you to show them.
Dependants: To have dependants your course of study will either have to be:
At Masters level or higher and be at least 12 months long OR
For Government sponsored students, more than 6 months long (any level)
Existing dependants can apply to extend their dependant visa in the UK if they are applying at the same time as you are extending your student visa and within 3 months of the end of their visa and your course is more than 6 months long.
For details see the UKBA announcement, or contact ISAS
Get it right first time
From Monday 23 May 2011 it will no longer be possible to present evidence at an appeal that was not sent with your original visa application. This means you have to make sure you send all the correct documents with your application first time. If you are refused for not having documents that meet the UKBA requirements you will no longer be able to produce them later at an appeal.
Important news for Non EU students studying courses of six months or less that do not need a visa to travel to the UK
If you do not need a visa to travel to the UK and are planning to take a course/courses for a period of six months or less ONLY, you may be considering entering the UK as student visitor. To enter the UK as a student visitor you will need to show the immigration officer a copy of your unconditional offer letter stating the dates you will be studying. If the immigration officer understands that you will be studying during your stay they should write the letters VST next to you stamp. It is very important that you tell the immigration officer that you will be studying during your stay in the UK because if you don't they will give you permission to enter the UK as a visitor and you are not permitted to study in the UK if you are issued with a visitor entry stamp.
If you enter the UK as a student visitor there are also other restrictions :
- You will not be able to do any work, either paid or unpaid, even if it is part of your course
- You will only be able to stay for up to 6 months
- You will not be able to extend your visa in the UK if you want to stay and take a new course
- If you are refused entry when you arrive, you will have to go straight home
