Student Visa
Study In The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain is one of the most beautiful sovereign states of Europe. While Citizens of the UK have different nationalities, but they are all called British. UK is known for having a multicultural society where everyone is free to practice their religions and faiths without any restrictions. People from all around the world with different race, ethnicity, culture and religion live happily without any issues in the UK. The UK is very open and provides a safe environment for people from different traditions and cultures which is a great thing for students who are new to the UK.
London, the capital of UK, is not only a cultural hub but also one of the world’s largest financial centre’s, which makes it an important city to work and study. London is one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan cities in the UK and if you look beyond London, you will find a nation that is now one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world due to this thousands of international students and travellers come to the UK every year. Other cities like Oxford, Manchester, Cambridge and Liverpool are popular all over the world because of their rich culture and other aspects like its administrative systems, food, education or sports.
Although the UK is relatively small, it offers a wealth of both modern and historical attractions to name a few London eyes, Kew Gardens, Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Windermere Boat Cruises, Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge and many more
Why choose to study in the United Kingdom
UK is one of the highest ranked destinations for international students when it comes to education. The UK has the best and most prestigious universities and historical campuses in the world. Studying at these campuses will enable you to harness the foundations of a rich and varied educational system that dates back several centuries.
UK educational system provides a world-class education and employment opportunities for international students. UK degree will really make you stand out from the crowd with its valuable qualification and exciting experiences. There are number of the UK universities which are on the top of the list of World University ranking league tables. The land of English language, the UK is a perfect place to develop your language skills which improve your employment probabilities all over the world.
The courses in the UK are generally shorter than the other countries in the world which means you can effectively save tuition and accommodation costs. Additionally, the course providers provide support to join student societies and other creational activities. Students can also get greatly benefit from the guidance of counsellors and advisors that make the students feel they are fully welcome to be the part of their education institute.
The UK education institutes provide the flexibility to choose from academic and vocational courses of your choice to study. The practical learning approach (seminars, presentations, and internships) adapted by the UK education institutes is the perfect platform to boost the student confident and competent to compete at world stage. In the UK universities you can get hands-on experience on scientific or engineering instruments if you are studying science or engineering course which is an added advantage of studying in the UK universities. Moreover, The UK has the most convenient and easier admission and visa process with affordable fees and cost of living for international students.
Student Visa (UK Tier 4)
U
K Study Visa (Tier 4) is a point-based visa for International students who want to study in the UK. To apply for the UK Student Visa students, require a sponsorship letter for a university or other qualified UK educational institution. Students are also required to fulfil, or score required points of the point-based system to be accepted as an international student in the UK.
The key to a successful visa application is sincere commitment to study, knowledge of study subject, accurate documentation & precisely filled visa forms. If your application has been done properly with right and comprehensive documentation you will have the maximum chances that your visa will be granted however, the Visa officers will make the final decision on your application. For the UK student visa applications personal interviews are rare & visa process is simple and easy for genuine applicants. Our experienced consultants will provide you all the necessary support and advise required for a successful visa application.
There are five types of student visas under the Tier 4 points-based system
Adult student visa: This category is for students coming to the UK who are 16 years or over.
Student visitor visa: Visitors over 18 years wanting to do a 6-month course in the UK can apply under this category. However, they cannot work or switch into the student visa category while they are in the UK.
Child student visa: Students between the age of 4 -17 can come to the UK to be educated at an independent-fee paying school.
Child visitor visa: This category is for applicants who are 17 years and over, wanting to do a 6-month course in the UK. However, they cannot work, or switch into the student visa category while they are in the UK.
Prospective student visa: This category is for applicants who want to come into the UK to decide which course to study or to plan a course of study within six months. Applicants can switch into an adult or child student visa category.
Adult Student Visa
Students wanting to study a course NQV level 3 or higher in the UK can apply for the UK Student Visa (Tier 4 – UK Study Visa). To be eligible to apply for the student visa, the applicant needs to meet 40 points on the following criteria –
Sponsorship from approved education provider 30 points will be granted for the unconditional offer to study on a course from an authorized UK college or university. (University and colleges should have a license issued by the UK home office to teach international students in the UK). The college/university sponsoring a student will issue an unconditional offer letter with all the information required or expected from the sponsor for the visa application. The offer letter will have a reference number called a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) which is required for visa application.
Maintenance Funds 10 points are awarded to students who show that they have sufficient funds to cover their course fees and monthly living costs. The applicants of UK Student Visa can be sponsored by a financial sponsor who may be home government of the applicant, the British council, any international organization, company, university. The duration stay of the applicant in this case will be at the discretion of the sponsor. If the applicant is sponsored for part of the study, then he/she needs to show sufficient funds to meet rest of their expenses.
Duration The duration of the adult Student Visa would depend on the length of course undertaken.
If the applicant is pursuing a graduate course or above he/she is permitted to stay for the full length of the course, up to 4 years
If the course the applicant has undertaken is longer than 4 years, then he/she can apply for a UK visa extension to complete the course
If the applicant is pursuing an undergraduate course, he/she will be allowed to stay for a period of 3 years.
Required English language Tests Before a university grants admission to the students, they require them to attain certain score in IELTS. Below are scores of different tests required to confirm admission to various UK educational institutes.
Undergraduate: 6.0 to 7.0 in IELTS
Postgraduate: 6.5 or 7.0 in IELTS
Work Rights under the UK Student Visa
International student during term can work 20 hours per week if you are studying a course at or above UK degree level or a foundation degree course, and/or if you made your Tier 4 (General) application on or before 2 March 2010 or 10 hours per week if you are studying a course that is below UK degree level and is not a foundation degree course. However, they can work full time during Vacations.
After the completion of their course, students can stay for up to 4 months and upon securing their graduate employment, they can convert their student visa to a work visa.
Switching Visa Categories The UK Student Visa is a non-immigrant visa category and will not lead to British Naturalization or UK citizenship. Once the student completes their course of study, eligible applicants can stay on in the UK by switching to Tier 1 visa or Tier 2 visa categories.
The applicant can switch to skilled worker (tier-2 general, intra company transfer (tier-2) minister religion (Tier-5), child student (tier 4), prospective student, student, student re appearing for examinations, student nurses, student union sabbatical officer, work permit holder, a post graduate doctor or dentist.
Student Dependents Applicants can bring their dependents provided they are married partners and demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to meet their maintenance requirement without having recourse to public funds. Dependents are granted a visa for the same length of time as the applicant.
Admission Process Most of the education institutes in the UK take potential international student to start their study course in September/October every year. However, these are some institutes who also have January intake to start the study course.UK admission is a 2-stage process.
Stage-1
Students need to apply with all relevant documentation – application forms, academic documents work experience where applicable and passport. (For a detailed list please contact any of our offices). Admission process takes about 1 to 2 weeks. After confirmation of place at the university, students are required to pay 1 term (6 months) fee. On receipt of fees university will issue a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) which is required to be submitted with visa application.
Stage-2
After university issue Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies certificate Visa application along with all the required documents will be submitted to Visa consulate to get student visa. UK visa application is an online application. After submitting online application physical visa application is submitted along with required documentation (academic and financial). Candidate are required to personally submit their visa application. Visa interview may be conducted if visa officer wants any further information with regards to your application.