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.