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Your guide to the new student visa
Are you over 16, with a real desire to study in the United Kingdom?
If you are, and you want to study in the UK for over 6 months, or if you want the option to work while you study, there is a new UK visa that you need to apply for.
Applying for the General Student visa is straightforward and based on a transparent "points-based" system.You just need to score 40 points.
Before doing anything, you need to make sure you have sufficient maintenance funds to finance your studies.
Having sufficient funds will earn you 10 points of your required 40.
Now, here are the details, so listen carefully:
If you are studying for less than 9 months, you will require your full course fees and 600 British pounds for every month you intend to stay.
For courses over 9 months, you will need your fees for your course (the first year only if the course is longer than a year) plus 5400 British pounds.
If you are planning to study in London, you will need 800 pounds per month, plus your course fees.
You need to prove that you have these funds.
You can do this by including a personal bank or building society statement with your application, a building society passbook, or a letter from your bank, or a letter from a regulated financial institution confirming funds or loan will be released to you when you get your visa.
Where you hold the funds you will need to show that you have held them for at least 28 days before your application.
You may apply to a number of institutions in the UK, and receive offers of places from some or all of them, but before you start applying make sure the institution is licensed by the UK Border Agency to sponsor budding scholars such as you.
You can see which education institutions are licensed at the following website:
ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/pointsbasedsystem/registerofsponsorseducation
Once you have made your final decision on where you would like to study, you need to ask the education institution of your choice to provide you with a visa letter, to allow you to make your visa application.
Once you have your visa letter from your chosen institution, that will give you an additional 30 points.
The letter should confirm your acceptance to study at that institution, and contain details about you and the course you are about to study, including how much the course costs and what evidence the sponsor has seen of your qualifications.
To find out more information and guidance, visit:
ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk
Once you have been accepted onto a course by a licensed institution, and have your visa letter and funds arranged, you are ready to make your application for a UK student visa.
Applications can be made by e-mail, by mail, or in person.
To see the options available in your country, visit this website:
ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/wheretoapply
Your application will need to include:
- the visa fee of 145 British pounds
- a current passport or travel document
- the visa letter from the licensed insitution you are planning to study at
- the proof of maintenance funds
- a completed application form
as well as:
- evidence of the appropriate qualifications to be accepted onto the course
- any other requirements specific to your country, such as id cards
But remember: if you provide false documents, lie, or withhold information, then you will be refused a visa and may be banned from coming to the UK for up to 10 years.
However you apply for a visa, you will need to visit a visa application centre, where they will take your fingerprints and a digital photo of you.
To find out where your nearest UK visa office is, visit:
ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/wheretoapply
If you accurately provide all the correct information in your application, your visa should arrive within 10-15 days.
This can take longer during busy periods, so be sure to apply as early as possible.
When you arrive in the UK with your visa, keep your supporting documents in your hand luggage, in case you need to show them again.
The UK is now yours to explore.
For more information and your copy of an application form, please visit:
homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk
Are you confused? Visit UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCOSA) and have a look through their up-to-date frequently asked questions:
UKCOSA Student Imigration page
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