Tier4Visa.org.uk

• Tier 4 Visa
• Do I Need a Tier 4 Visa?
• Am I Eligible?
• Categories of Student Visa
• Tier 4 Sponsors
• How Long Can I Stay?
• Can I Bring Dependants?
• Working Under a Tier 4 Visa

Tier 4 Student Visa

The Tier 4 Student Visa grants international students leave to enter and stay in the UK for the duration of their course at a specified academic institution.

Here is a simple breakdown of the rules governing the UKBA Tier 4 Visa.

For more information and a free consultation with UK Immigration experts please visit the ICImmigration website.

Do I Need a Tier 4 Visa?

Depending on your nationality and personal circumstances you may not need a Tier 4 Visa to study in the UK. You are allowed to study in the UK without a Tier 4 Visa if:

• you are an European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss national
• you are a British Oversease Territories citizen (exluding Cyprus sovereign base areas)
• you are an eligible Commonwealth citizen with one or more grandparents born in the UK
• you have no conditions / time limits associated with your stay

Am I Eligible?

The Tier 4 Student Visa is part of the UKBA's points-based immigration system aimed at adult students. Permission to study in the UK under this Visa is granted subject to the following rules:

• Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (30 points)
• Maintenance Funds (10 points)

In addition, depending on your circumstances you may also have to meet the following:

• English Language Test
• Biometric Information

The Certificate of Acceptance for Studies

The Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is one of the primary requirements of the Tier 4 Visa. It must be issued by a licenced University or other UK educational establishment who appears on the Register of Sponsors. It is assigned for studying a course at an appropriate level. The CAS must be issued 6 months or less before applying, it must still be valid, and it must contain the same details as your passport. It can only be used once.

Maintenance Funds

You must show you have enough money available to pay for course fees and living expenses during your studies in the UK. In order to make sure international students will be able to support themselves in the UK during the period of their studies without recourse to public funds, the UKBA requires evidence of sufficient funding before granting a Tier 4 Visa. This is because while studying in the UK under a Tier 4 Visa you will not be eligible for state benefits, and you will be limited in the amount of work you can undertake - particularly during academic terms.

You must normally demonstrate that you have enough money to pay your course fees in full for the next academic year. This figure will vary depending on your course and institution, and will be documented on your CAS.

Your living costs are calculated at £1000 (London) / £800 (Non-London) per month. You must normally demonstrate that you have this level of funding for 9 months, or the duration of your course if shorter. This requirement will be lessened to 2 months if you have an 'established presence', where you have recently completed a 6+ month course in the UK.

Normally this requirement must be demonstrated by cash funds (savings or current accounts), or alternatively in the form of a loan letter or official financial or government sponsorship. Money can be held in an account owned by a parent or legal guardian, though the full amount required must be available to you after you have made your application.

If you have already paid part or all of your course fees or accommodation before applying for your Tier 4 Visa, this amount can be deducted from the total you need to demonstrate.

English Language Test

If you are not a national of an English-speaking country or have not previously completed English-language academic courses, you may be required to take a test to prove you have sufficient skills in English to complete your studies in the UK. Students following courses of NQF Level 6 or higher must demonstrate they have successfully completed the CEFR B2, and those below must have completed the CEFR B1. If applying from overseas you may be required to attend an interview with UKBA officers, and if you are unable to demonstrate a sufficient level of Enligh language ability your application may be refused.

Biometric Information

You may be required to enrol biometric information with the UKBA as part of your application, including fingerprints and facial photography.

Categories of Student Visa

There are two main categories of Tier 4 Student Visa, depending on the age of the applicant - the General Student Visa (for adults) and the Child Student Visa. The General Student Visa is appropriate for 16+ years old students, though 16 / 17 years old students following a course at or above NQF Level 3 can choose to apply under either the General or Child categories.

Tier 4 (General) Student Visa

The General Visa is the main visa for adult students wishing to visit or remain in the UK for their post-16 education.

Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa

The Child Visa is for children coming to the UK to be educated between the ages of 4 and 17 years old. The Tier 4 (Child) Visa does not allow holders to study at publicly funded schools, so children between 4 and 15 years old need to attend independent fee-paying schools.

The Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa has similar points-based admission criteria to the General Visa, with the added requirement that suitable care arrangements be put in place in order to protect and provide for children. This includes special arrangements for travelling and arriving in the UK, and both the application and care arrangement must be approved by your parent(s) or legal guardian.

The Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa carries additional restrictions on dependents. If you are under 12 years of age, a parent can apply to come with you into the UK as a 'special visitor'. However husbands / wives / partners / other family members are unable to come with you into the UK as a dependent.

Tier 4 Sponsors

Tier 4 Sponsor insitutions are required to hold (or be working towards) a valid Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) license, showing they meet the UKBA's strict immigration sponsorship requirements.

Tier 4 Sponsor Register

The Register of Sponsors is designed to ensure that only legitimate educational establishments can issue a Certificate of Acceptance for Studies, and by becoming licensed the Sponsor must comply with a number of record-keeping and reporting duties. For example, the Sponsor must retain copies of your passport, biometric residence permits / UK immigration status documents and your current contact details. The Sponsor is also obliged to report on student enrollment and attendance.

Sponsors are licensed to issue one or both of the two main categories of Tier 4 Visas - Tier 4 (General) / Tier 4 (Child).

Sponsors are rated according to their particular track record and on evidence of compliance with UKBA's immigration procedures. Each current Sponsor has a Sponsor Rating of either 'A Rating' or 'Highly Trusted Sponsor' (HTS), and while some Legacy Sponsors cannot sponsor new students they may be able to continue sponsoring existing students.

There are currently around 2,000 organisations licensed under the UKBA's Tier 4 Register of Sponsors. Currently around 1,500 of these organisations hold the HTS rating, and around 300 organisations hold the 'A Rating'.

This list is subject to change, where either the UKBA decides to suspend a Sponsor's licence, where an institution is unable to meet new immigration policies, or where an institution voluntarily withdraws from the Register of Sponsors. Please check with the UKBA website for the latest information about a particular college or institution.

UKBA Register of Tier 4 Sponsors [PDF]

How Long Can I Stay?

The Tier 4 Visa is a temporary permit to allow international students to study within the UK, and is not a route to British naturalisation as a UK citizen. It does not allow you to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or Permanent Residency in the UK.

The duration of your Tier 4 Student Visa depends on the length of course you are studying. Generally the Visa is valid for the length of course plus a short additional period to cover things like graduation.

For courses lasting 1 or more years the duration is typically the length of the course plus four months. For courses lasting between 6 months and 12 months the duration is typically the length of the course plus two months. For shorter courses the duration is typically the length of the course plus seven days. If your course is for longer than four years then you will require a visa extension.

You may also be eligible to study a short course to help prepare you for your main course

Can I Bring Dependants?

Since July 4th 2011 dependants will be allowed to enter the UK only if the visa-holder is sponsored by a licensed institution on a 1 year (or longer) course of at least NQF Level 7. Dependants may also enter the UK if the visa-holder is a new government-sponsored student following a 6 month (or longer) course.

However it should be noted that this is a temporary immigration route, and will only be valid while the primary visa-holder is entitled to remain in the country. And eligible dependants are limited to your husband / wife / civil partner / unmarried partner / same-sex partner / children (under 18).

You must also show that you have sufficient funds to provide for any dependants. You will be required to demonstrate funds of at least £600 (London) / £450 (Non-London) per month for each dependant, up to a maximum of 9 months. This requirement will be lessened to 2 months if you have an 'established presence', where you have recently completed a 6+ month course in the UK.

Working Under a Tier 4 Visa

You are entitled to work without further approval from UKBA as follows:

• part time (20 hours / 10 hours) during term
• full time during vacations
• work placement as part of course

Part time work is defined as 20 hours per week if degree level / foundation degree course and you made your application on / before 2 March 2010. Alternatively for below degree level / foundation degree courses on / after 2 March 2010 part time is defined as 10 hours per week.

You can also work as a postgraduate dentist or doctor on an appropriate Foundation Programme, and you can work as a student union sabbatical officer for up to 2 years.

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