International Visas For Students at UK Universities

Visas depending where you are from can be simple or complicated and they can be fast or slow. This is a process we are still learning about, however one the most important things taht you do is, start your visa application and process early.

Decide which university you want to go to & then find the student accommodation that is right for you and then your visa is usually finally granted!

The Visa Process

Once you know which university and course you want to do, you can start your visa application.

The visa you need is a Tier 4 (General) as an international student in the UK. If you are an Erasmus student then you will need to apply for the Short Term Study Visa.

You can apply on the UK Governments website and it will cost you currently, as of May 2020, £348 plus any health care costs which you can calculate on the same website.

You can only apply for this visa if you also meet the following criteria and are 16 and over:

• have been offered a place on a course
• can speak, read, write and understand English
• have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course – the amount will vary depending on your circumstances
• are from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
• meet the other eligibility requirements

What You Can & Can’t Do On This Visa

You can:

• Study
• Work as a student union sabbatical officer
• Apply from inside or outside the UK
• Apply to extend your stay
• Work in most jobs – depending on what level your course is and what kind of sponsor you have

You cannot:

• Get public funds
• Work in certain jobs, for example professional sportsperson or sports coach
• Study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school)

When can I Apply For the Visa

You can’t just apply for the visa, you will need to have a few documents and numbers in order to complete the process. You can save your progress on the application which means that you can start it and add the necessary parts as they come through!

You will be able to apply for the visa after you have had an unconditional offer from a licensed tier 4 sponsor. Thinking, what the heck is that? It is basically a list of all universities, schools, and colleges that are allowed to have international students, full list here – This is susceptible to change, so please keep an eye on this!

Once they have confirmed this, they will send you a Confirmed Acceptance of Studies (CAS) and you will need to put this on your application and you will need to apply within 6 months of receiving this number or else you will have to get another CAS number!

The English Test

International students may have to do an English test before they can finally get the visa, why is this? This is because they know that you will be able to understand what is being taught and be able to communicate with others at University, however, in when you actually go in to Universities there are lots of student who need English support and translate lectures in to their own language. You will need the test and please make sure, for the experience of being in the UK, you learn the most amount of English you can to have the best experience.

There are some exceptions, but you do need a degree from certain countries. Find those countries here

What Documents Do You Need As An International Student?

When you apply for the visa you must provide:

• a current passport or other valid travel documentation
• proof that you can support yourself and pay for your course – this will vary depending on your circumstances
• proof of parental or other legal guardian consent if you’re under 18
• proof of your relationship with your parent or guardian if you’re under 18
• your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

You need a blank page in your passport for your visa.

You may also need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

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