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Tier 4 General Student Visa

Tier 4 | General Student Visa

1. Overview of Tier 4 | Student Visa

You can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if,
  • Your age is 16 and above
  • You have been offered a place on a Course
  • You can speak, read, write and understand English
  • You have enough money to support yourself and and pay for your course
  • You are from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
1.2 Processing Time for Tier 2 | Student Visa
  • You can apply for a visa up to 3 Months before the start of your course.
  • You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
1.3 Fees
It costs £310 to apply for this visa from outside the UK.
You must pay £310 per person for any dependents.
   

2. Eligibility for Tier 4 | Student Visa

You must have:
  • An unconditional offer of a place on a course with a qualified education provider
  • Enough money to support yourself and pay for your course
2.2 Your Course
You can do a course that’s one of the following:
 
  • Full-time leading to a qualification that’s at least level 6 on the revised National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
  • An overseas course of degree level study that’s equal to a UK higher education course and is being run by an overseas higher education institution
  • A full-time course with at least 15 hours per week of organised daytime study leading to a qualification below degree level but at least NQF level 3
  • A recognized foundation programme as a postgraduate doctor or dentist
2.2 Postgraduate Doctors and dentists
You can apply for this visa if you are sponsored to do a recognized foundation program and you have:
  • Completed a recognized UK degree in medicine or dentistry
  • Received that degree from a registered Tier 4 sponsor
  • Spent your final year and at least 1 other year of studies leading to that degree in the UK
2.3 Confirmation of Approval of Studies
Your education provider will send you a reference number called a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) once they’ve offered you a place on a course. You’ll need to enter this on your visa application.
You must apply for your visa no more than 6 months after you receive the CAS.
 
2.4 Further Study in the UK
You can only get a CAS for a new course if you have studied in the UK before and you’re:
  • Studying for a new qualification at a higher academic level
  • Studying for a new qualification that’s at the same level of study but relates to and adds to your previous qualification
  • Appearing in Previous exams or repeating modules
  • Applying for the first time to a new institution to complete a course you started somewhere else

3. Familiarity of English Language:

You may need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.
  • You can do this by passing an English language test – it must be on the list of approved tests and providers.
  • Your language test must be at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

4. Documents Required for Tier 4 | Student Visa

When you apply for the visa you must provide:
  • Valid Passport
  • 2 passport sized-colour photographs with your name written on the reverse side
  • Proof that you can support yourself and pay for your course
  • Proof of parental or other legal guardian consent if you are under 18
  • Your tuberculosis test results if you are from a country where you have to take the test.
Note: Your documents will usually be sent back within 14 days.
 

5. Staying Time on Tier 4 | Student Visa

You can arrive in the UK before your course starts:
  • Up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or less
  • Up to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months
Note: How long you can stay depends on the kind of course you are doing and what study you have already completed.
 

6. What you can and can’t do

You can:
  • Study
  • Work as a student union sabbatical officer
  • Apply from inside or outside the UK
  • Apply to extend your stay
  • Work – depending on what level your course is and what kind of sponsor you have
You can’t:
  • Get Public Funds
  • Work as a professional sportsperson, including a sports coach
  • Bring Family Members   

7. Extension of Tier 4 | Student Visa

  • You should include any dependents who are on your current visa on your application to extend – including children who have turned 18 during your stay.
  • You should apply before your current visa expires.
  • You may be able to apply to extend your stay to continue your course.
Fees for Extension:
It costs £422 to extend your visa.
You must pay £422 for each dependent.
 

8. Apply Now for Tire 4 | Student Visa