Before coming to study in the UK, you will need to have the proper documents in place Read more: Visa Application Process

Before coming to study in the UK, you will need to have the proper documents in place Read more: Visa Application Process

Visa Application Process Q&A

Before coming to study in the UK, you will need to have the proper documents in place. There have been a number of changes to the laws regarding student immigration over the past two years and the UK Visa rules are notorious among international students for being a serious of hoops that are very difficult to jump through. To get to the bottom of these issues, we put your questions to Hateem Ali, who is an expert in immigration law and appeared at our last International Student Fair as visa counsellor to international students.

Q: What are the different types of visa and which one do I need?

study usA: There are four main types of visa that are relevant to most students. Each has different advantages and disadvantages.

Of these four types of student visa, the most common is the Adult Student category under Tier 4 of the Points Based System. It applies to all students over 18 who are entering the UK to study full time. It is the form of visa that is usually most appropriate for adult students who have an offer from a UK educational institution to commence on a full-time course. The questions and answers here largely relate to the Adult student category.

For younger students, there is a Child Student category for those who are under 18, which is designed for students undertaking GCSE and A-level examinations or equivalent.

Outside of Tier 4, there is a Prospective Student category of visa. This allows students to come to the UK for the express purpose of researching universities, visiting campuses and undertaking admission interviews. This visa does not however allow you to commence study. One advantage of entering the UK on this visa initially is that you can make sure that you are comfortable in your choice of educational institution before you commit to the course.

Once you have found a course and you have received an offer from them, you can then switch to the normal Adult Student Tier 4 Visa inside the UK, without having to leave the country first and before you commence your studies.

For students on courses of less than six months duration, and again outside Tier 4, there is a Student Visitor category. It allows students to enter on the same terms as a tourist but with express permission on the face of the visa to take studies for courses of less than six months. The relative disadvantage here is that the visa cannot be extended in the UK. Applicants will need return to their home country and then apply for a new student visa if they wish to study for more than six months.

Q: In light of the recent increase in fees for domestic students, should international applicants expect to pay more in future?

A: The amount of fees payable by domestic students is certainly a controversial topic, with many young people taking to the streets of London to demonstrate. I can't help but wonder how the demonstrators would feel if they knew that the hardworking foreign student they sat next to in lectures was paying around three times as much as they have to for the same course.

Of course, it is hard to predict what will happen to prices. There is an argument to suggest that universities will keep the same prices as, technically, the price of the course between foreign students and home students is the same, it is just that the home student has part of his or her fees paid to the university by the UK Government.

Seasoned commentators have suggested that as universities get used to receiving more of their income from students directly, they will become much more sophisticated in terms of their price structures. Courses that carry high demand due to the prestigious nature of the institution are likely to see a price increase. Even considerations such as the expertise or fame of the lecturers could feed into price structures, as they do at American universities. Students should also expect courses that are favoured by high-paying employers to see a price premium attached.

Q: What kind of financial information do I need in order to study in the UK? Do I need to prove that I can afford my study fees and living expenses in order to be accepted for the visa?

study usA: The UK Border Agency will require that you have a specific amount of money in your bank account before you're granted a visa to either come to the UK or extend your student visa.

The figure is based on the sum of two factors: firstly, the amount of your first-year course fees and secondly, an amount the UK Border Agency require to see based upon how much they think you need to live on (called maintenance).

The amount to be shown for the first year of fees is the total amount minus the amount already paid the institution. This figure will need to be confirmed by the institution and then set out on the application form.

The amount that needs to be shown for maintenance is also set by the UK Border Agency. This is a sum based upon the length of the course, the location of the place of study and whether the student has been based in the UK for study in the recent past. The figures are complex and a table can be found on the UK Border Agency website.

Q: What are the most common reasons for a visa application being rejected?

A: It is usually that students do not show the correct evidence of finances. Usually they have the correct sum of money, but do not show the funds in the correct format or with the correct supporting documents.

These evidential requirements cannot be worked around. Sometimes students believe that if they show a bank statement that is from a rich relative, for example, that this will be sufficient. This approach will not work. It is important to look carefully at the list of acceptable documents and only show those documents.

Q: Do all applicants for a UK Visa have to pass the same English Language requirements? What if the applicant is from a commonwealth country where English is already widely spoken?

A: If you are doing a pre-sessional course or you're a Government-funded student taking an English Language Course, then no English requirement is needed.

Certain countries allow for nationals to study in the UK without their English language skills being tested or certified. Simply producing the relevant passport in the application will allow for this.

These countries are:

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia;

The Bahamas;

Barbados;

Belize;

Canada;

Dominica;

Grenada;

Guyana;

Jamaica;

New Zealand;

St Kitts and Nevis;

St Lucia;

St Vincent and the Grenadines;

Trinidad and Tobago;

United States of America

As you will note, the list of countries is not a Commonwealth list, (although some Commonwealth countries do appear). It is a list where the UK Border Agency believes that English is spoken so widely that a national of that country does not need to provide further evidence of their English. Please note that South Africa is not on the list, as is commonly assumed.

If you are not a national of the listed countries, you will need to show that you are have a minimum level of English (around a score of 5 IELTS roughly). However, each educational institution may require you to have a higher score and prospective students should ask about this.

Q: Is it possible to leave the UK and return before a visa expires, and does a UK visa allow me to travel elsewhere in Europe?

A: A student visa allows you to travel back and forth from the UK without restrictions. If however, you are travelling in a manner not consistent with full-time study, this may cause the Immigration officers at the airport to have concerns about whether you are attending your course. In this case, they may request confirmation from the educational institution where you are actually studying that you have shown acceptable levels of attendance. Students should always make sure that any travel plans they have are consistent with their educational timetable.

A UK visa does not allow you to travel around Europe in itself, you will need a Schengen Visa for this, which can be obtained at the UK-based embassy of the country you wish to travel to. Take your UK visa, as it will show the embassy that you will not overstay in the European country as you have to travel back to the UK in order to attend classes.

Q: Is there going to be a cap set on the number of international students allowed into the UK? How will this affect the application process and the likelihood of acceptance?

study usA: Although government proposals are not actually set out in law, we do not believe that there will be an actual cap. It's likely that the government will seek to reduce numbers by making it harder to enter as a student. In particular, they have done this by reducing the amount of colleges, reducing the courses that can be studied and by raising the standard of English Language required.

If you are a genuine student studying at a reputable institution, you should have nothing to worry about.

Q: If I want to change course or change school whilst in the UK, do I need to get a new visa?

A: Assuming you have yet to be granted a Tier 4 visa or have applied for a Tier 4 visa after October 2009, then you will be able to change course or institution. You normally need to make a new immigration application to the UK Border Agency in order to change institution. This can be done from the UK without the need to return to your home country but the process for doing so can be complex.

To do so you should consult your University International Student department or a reputable law firm.

Q: How many times can my visa be extended? Does each new permit have to overlap the previous one and how does this affect my right to work or study in the interim period during application for new paperwork?

A: A student visa can be extended up to three times for courses below degree level and on an unlimited basis if the course applied for is at degree level or above.

If an application is made in country it should be made before the old visa expires. If this is done, then in the interim period you can carry on studying and working as before.

If you send the application late, you will have to stop working whilst it is considered, but you can carry on studying whilst you are waiting.

Applications should always be sent in time, if not the UK Border Agency may refuse the application without a right of appeal.

Q: It is very stressful when re-applying for the same visa every year - if my application for renewal is rejected, does that mean I can no longer study? Is it possible to get a visa that covers the full tenure of study, rather than just one year at a time?

A: If you are rejected for renewal and you are given a right of appeal (which you will be if you apply before the old visa expires) then, as long as you use the right of appeal, you can carry on working and studying until the appeal is heard and completed.

The UK Border Agency, since Tier 4 commenced, have a policy to grant visas for the full length of the course (plus a number of months extra based on the length and type of the course) therefore this should mean that the need for multiple applications are reduced.

Q: There are rumours that the Post Study Work Visa (PSW) is to be altered. Will this affect the number of hours that graduates can work and is the price/availability of this visa going to change?

A: At the time of writing, the Post Study Work visa is still in place, although the government have commenced a review of all points-based system categories. It is likely that the Post Study Work visa, as with all visas, will go through continual price changes regardless of the reviews that take place. We would always advise clients to look at the application form just prior to applying for the current price.

The Post Study work visa might be changed or removed. If it continues, then it is unlikely that the Post Study Work visa will be changed to reduce the number of hours a graduate can work once his studies are over as this goes counter the purpose of the visa.

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