Visas are often annoying and complicated but very necessary. I have had the experience in applying for residence permits, student visas, and tourist visas. Compared to other visas I have applied for, the student visa to study abroad in the United Kingdom was not only more expensive but it was also a lot more difficult. Don't fret I'm about to divulge everything about the process and what my experience was like.
Do you need a visa?
If you are an international student who is planning on studying in the United Kingdom for a course, you will probably need a visa unless you are from a European Union, or European Economic Area country. There are two types of student visas: the tier 4 student visa, and the student visitor visa. The student visitor visa is usually for short courses. Unless you are doing a short course such as an English language course, or a training course you will probably need to apply for the tier 4 student visa. I'm going to be mainly discussing the tier 4 student visa, because that is the visa I had to apply for to study abroad as a masters student.
Cost
- £310 if you are applying from outside of the UK (as of July 2014)
Before You Apply
- Passport: If you don't already have a passport, make sure you apply for one before starting the visa process and if you already have a passport, check to see if you have at least one blank visa page.
- Institution: Verify that you have been accepted to study in the UK by a fully trusted tier 4 sponsor. You can check and see if your school is on the list of trusted and registered sponsors on the UK Visas and Immigration's (UKVI) website.
- Tier 4 Visa Guide: The visa guide is gigantic but it is extremely helpful. Think of it as your tier 4 visa bible. Almost every question I had was answered by reading the guide. The visa guide can also be found on the same website mentioned above and I will include all the links that helped me at the bottom of this blog.
-Time: I was informed by UKVI that it can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months for a decision to be made on my visa and this is after they received my application at the British consulate. You can also estimate how long it may take to receive your visa on their website.
The Tier 4 Visa Explained
The tier 4 visa is points based. What that means is that you will be assessed and you must receive a total of 40 points for your visa application to be approved.
Points Overview
What is a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)?
It is an electronic document or statement that you receive after you have accepted an unconditional offer to study at your chosen institution. Your school contacts UKVI on your behalf to issue you a CAS. Your CAS includes important information on how your institution assessed your English language ability along with your qualifications, and your CAS number which are all things you will need for your visa application.
Financial Evidence
Because the government doesn't want you to be a liability, you have to prove that you have enough funds to cover all of your expenses while studying abroad. On your CAS it should list your tuition amount and your school should inform you of how much you need every month for your maintenance fees. If you plan on going to school in London the maintenance costs are going to be higher than anywhere else.
How to claim points?
-Money Already Paid to Your Tier 4 Sponsor: You can earn points by paying all of your course fees along with your accommodation fees to your school. If you do go with this route make sure that after you pay all of your fees that you get issued an updated CAS.
-Money Available to You: Another way to claim points is by showing that you have enough money in your account already to cover all of your course and maintenance fees. Furthermore, you must show that the money has been held in your account for 28 consecutive days and if you are sending in a bank statement, the bank's logo must be on it. If you are using money in your parents' account you must show proof that you are related to them and that they are willing to pay for your course.
-Money from an Official Financial Sponsor: If your financial sponsor has included all the information on your CAS statement you do not need to provide anything else. However if they haven't, you must send a letter with an official stamp from your financial sponsor along with your name, contact details of your sponsor, date, the duration of your course, the length of sponsorship, and the amount of money your sponsor is providing you.
Application Flow Chart from the UK Council for International Student Affairs
Visa Application Timeline
March 15th- Sent in my online application to the University of Leicester.
March 19th- Received an offer of place! Pretty quick right?
July 14th- Accepted my unconditional offer to study at the University of Leicester.
July 15th- Received an email from my university to verify all my personal details, which I did before I sent off my CAS request.
July 16th- My university emailed me my CAS.
July 17th- Applied online for my visa.
Do you need a visa?
If you are an international student who is planning on studying in the United Kingdom for a course, you will probably need a visa unless you are from a European Union, or European Economic Area country. There are two types of student visas: the tier 4 student visa, and the student visitor visa. The student visitor visa is usually for short courses. Unless you are doing a short course such as an English language course, or a training course you will probably need to apply for the tier 4 student visa. I'm going to be mainly discussing the tier 4 student visa, because that is the visa I had to apply for to study abroad as a masters student.
Cost
- £310 if you are applying from outside of the UK (as of July 2014)
Before You Apply
- Passport: If you don't already have a passport, make sure you apply for one before starting the visa process and if you already have a passport, check to see if you have at least one blank visa page.
- Institution: Verify that you have been accepted to study in the UK by a fully trusted tier 4 sponsor. You can check and see if your school is on the list of trusted and registered sponsors on the UK Visas and Immigration's (UKVI) website.
- Tier 4 Visa Guide: The visa guide is gigantic but it is extremely helpful. Think of it as your tier 4 visa bible. Almost every question I had was answered by reading the guide. The visa guide can also be found on the same website mentioned above and I will include all the links that helped me at the bottom of this blog.
-Time: I was informed by UKVI that it can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months for a decision to be made on my visa and this is after they received my application at the British consulate. You can also estimate how long it may take to receive your visa on their website.
The Tier 4 Visa Explained
The tier 4 visa is points based. What that means is that you will be assessed and you must receive a total of 40 points for your visa application to be approved.
Points Overview
- 30 Points: The bulk of your points are based on having a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a trusted tier 4 sponsor.
- 10 Points: The remaining points are based on showing evidence that you have enough money to cover your tuition and living expenses.
What is a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)?
It is an electronic document or statement that you receive after you have accepted an unconditional offer to study at your chosen institution. Your school contacts UKVI on your behalf to issue you a CAS. Your CAS includes important information on how your institution assessed your English language ability along with your qualifications, and your CAS number which are all things you will need for your visa application.
Financial Evidence
Because the government doesn't want you to be a liability, you have to prove that you have enough funds to cover all of your expenses while studying abroad. On your CAS it should list your tuition amount and your school should inform you of how much you need every month for your maintenance fees. If you plan on going to school in London the maintenance costs are going to be higher than anywhere else.
How to claim points?
-Money Already Paid to Your Tier 4 Sponsor: You can earn points by paying all of your course fees along with your accommodation fees to your school. If you do go with this route make sure that after you pay all of your fees that you get issued an updated CAS.
-Money Available to You: Another way to claim points is by showing that you have enough money in your account already to cover all of your course and maintenance fees. Furthermore, you must show that the money has been held in your account for 28 consecutive days and if you are sending in a bank statement, the bank's logo must be on it. If you are using money in your parents' account you must show proof that you are related to them and that they are willing to pay for your course.
-Money from an Official Financial Sponsor: If your financial sponsor has included all the information on your CAS statement you do not need to provide anything else. However if they haven't, you must send a letter with an official stamp from your financial sponsor along with your name, contact details of your sponsor, date, the duration of your course, the length of sponsorship, and the amount of money your sponsor is providing you.
Application Flow Chart from the UK Council for International Student Affairs
Visa Application Timeline
March 15th- Sent in my online application to the University of Leicester.
March 19th- Received an offer of place! Pretty quick right?
July 14th- Accepted my unconditional offer to study at the University of Leicester.
July 15th- Received an email from my university to verify all my personal details, which I did before I sent off my CAS request.
July 16th- My university emailed me my CAS.
July 17th- Applied online for my visa.
July 24th- Attended my appointment at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) center to provide my biometric information.
July 26th- I went to the UPS store to mail in my application to British Consulate. I used one day shipping and I also had to include a return shipping label.
Application Documents Included:
- Printed Application with a stamp from USCIS on the front page stating that I have provided my biometric information.
- Original diploma & transcripts
- Current and old passports
- Bank statement
- Passport picture (UK size)
- If you are unsure on whether or not you need it in your application I would just send it.
July 28th- Received an email stating that my visa application has been received by the consulate.
August 18th- The consulate sent me an email stating that they have approved my visa and that it should be shipped in the next 24 hours.
August 19th- Finally received my visa!
Helpful Links
-Tier 4 Visa Guide: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-application-for-uk-visa-as-tier-4-student
- Visa Processing Time: https://www.gov.uk/visa-processing-times
-Tier 4 Visa Flow Chart (Download): http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/International-Students/Preparing--planning/Visas-and-immigration/Applying-for-a-Tier-4-General-visa/
-Contact UKVI: https://ukvi-international.faq-help.com/
-Visa Application: https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/
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