International students

If you are a non-EU international student starting your studies in 2012/3 you will need to apply for a Tier 4 (General) visa (also called 'Entry Clearance') to study in the UK.

To find out more about visas there are two main sources of information:

1) Government sites: http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/ and http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/ and the page about the process of getting a visa that should answer most of your questions is at:

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf29pbsstudent#21788290

2) The student-friendly and useful UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) site has information sheets you can print out. Students not from the European Economic Area should check:

http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/applying_home_country.php

and EEA and Swiss students should read: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/eea.php

For what to expect at Customs and Immigration at the actual airport when you arrive, see:

http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/arriving_in_uk.php

UKVISAS have even put up videos on YouTube about getting a visa!

You can find your nearest British embassy or consulate here.

If you are applying outside the UK and need a visa you will need to fill in a VAF9 form and the appropriate Appendix (8 for general students) These are available from the UKVISAS website or click on the links in the Forms section.

If your nationality is outside the European Economic Area (EEA*) you need 'entry clearance' (= permission to come to the UK = a 'visa') before you come as a student to the UK. (*EEA =European Economic Area is EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)

The exception is if you want to enter the UK for a course which is less than six months, or nine months for English courses only, under the category of 'student visitor'. The same entry clearance restrictions apply as people on a 'visitor' visa (=you can't work or even do voluntary work while you are on this visa and you can't extend it beyond the six months or nine months for English courses only, but it is cheaper).

To check if you will need 'entry clearance' to the UK, you can input your information on the enquiry form hosted by ukvisas (a government site), read through the pages at http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/ (on government sites like this you will see links to actual application forms and guidance on the right of the pages) or visit www.ukcisa.org.uk.

General guidance is available from the UK government sites, for adults (though you don't have to be an 'adult' and the correct name for this type of visa is 'general') at:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/

for 'child students'

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/child-students/

and advice on bringing family members at:

http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/your_family.php

Everybody (except students who don't need a visa coming for less than 6 months on a 'student visitor' visa and British overseas citizens and EEA citizens) must get 'entry clearance' (permission to come to UK) first, as a student, to study in the UK.

Remember that your nationality and passport are more important than the country you live in, if they are different.

Postgraduate students who are not from the EU and studying certain 'sensitive' subjects (like technology and science subjects that could be linked to weapons etc.) will need an 'Academic Technology Approval Scheme' (ATAS) certificate to get entry clearance or a visa. Follow this link to the government website for more information, a list of the subjects and how to get the certificate (online application). DO THIS AS SOON AS YOU CAN, because it can take many weeks and you need the certificate before you make your visa application.

EEA/Swiss students see UKCISA information for you , you do not need a visa to study or work in the UK (EEA =European Economic Area is EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)

Some countries can apply for visas on line.

If you need a visa and intend to travel in and out of the UK during your period of study you will need a 'multiple-entry visa'. (UK visas are usually valid for more than one entry to the UK until the expiry date shown on the visa.)

There are three basic requirements for getting a student visa:

1) proof that you have enough money to cover your study and living costs for the duration of the course

2) hold acceptance on a full-time course of study (as your 'academic sponsor', we will provide you with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), a number which we send to you.  Please note that this 'CAS' will permit you to study at Keele only and once you apply for your visa using this CAS, you cannot then choose to study at another institution in the UK without permission from the UKBA.

3) intend to leave the UK after completion of your studies (application for the 2 year Post-study Work Scheme visa once you are awarded your degree is permitted)

How Do I Get a Student Visa Extension?

N.B. Always download the most recent application form 'Tier 4 (General)' from the government website (UK Border Agency) because they often change and have a qualified visa adviser check your application for you (International Student Support or the Independent Advice Unit) before you send it by registered post.

N.B. You can now apply up to 4 months before your visa runs out if it is for a course you are currently studying.

Biometric Identity Cards - anyone applying for a visa extension now has to attend a Biometric appointment as part of the application process. Information on how to make an appointment and where you can attend is posted to you by the UKBA once they receive your application.  Applicants applying 'in person' at a Premium appointment will attend a Biometric appointment on the same day.  Any dependents will also have to have biometric identity cards. Your new visa will be on this card and no longer in your passport.

Financial Requirements - If you are applying to extend your visa after already completing more than six months of recent study, you must show evidence of at least £1,200 for living costs (maintenance) + any outstanding tuition fee due for the current year (if you haven't paid already) in a bank account in your name. It is advisable that the account is in your name, although joint accounts are acceptable providing permission is given from the other account holder.  More information about this is available from the UKBA webage about financial proof.

• If you apply on or after 1 February 2010 to stay in the UK as a Tier 4 student, you must be able to show that you have had the required sum of money for maintenance and any outstanding tuition fee in your account for a minimum period of 28 days.  The last date of this statement must be within a month of when your application is submitted.

Applications have been refused because some 'temporary' bank statements have URL addresses at the bottom and so appear not be original, in which case they should be stamped by the bank, but some banks including HSBC and Lloyds TSB, refuse to stamp them.  Postal statements are preferred, however, we advise you to check the bank policy on stamping statements when you are opening an account and consider this when choosing where to bank.

Dependants - They will have to fill in their own forms and pay a £100 application fee if they apply by post at the same time as you.  Apart from your maintenance requirements (£600 for one month, £1,200 for two or more months remaining in the UK) the dependants will have to show that they similarly have £400 for a month or £800 for two or more months that you need the extension. Guidance on how to apply is available here. Please note that since 2 March 2010 family members of students who are on a course for less than 6 months cannot come or stay in the UK as a Tier 4 dependent.

Visa Extensions from Inside the UK

If you are coming to Keele from elsewhere inside the UK and require information and assistance with a visa extension, depending on your visa expiry date, we advise that you wait until you enrol at Keele and then apply for the visa extension with a CAS issued by us. If you have an offer letter covering both a pre-sessional English course at Chester or Walsall and your degree course at Keele, it is possible to get the visa extension before enroling at Keele, but your admission on the degree course must not be on condition of successful completion of the pre-sessional course.

What You Need to Do

You will need:

1. An application form: (it’s called Tier 4 (General) which is from the UK Border Agency website) - you can download both a form and a guide to filling in the form from their website, remember it must be the latest version of the form.
2. If you are not sure how to fill in any questions on the form, leave them and ask the International Student Support Officer or Independent Advice Unit - some questions can be difficult to understand or answer.
3. Your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) number to show you are still studying.  This can be obtained from the International Admissions office which is on the first floor of the Walter Moberly Building.  Please note that you will first of all have to check your student details and confirm that they are correct or request the necessary amendments.
4. Police Registration Certificate (if you are required to register with the Police) - this must be the original, not a copy and it must be up to date with your latest address on it.
5. Proof you have sufficient funds, £1200 plus any outstanding tuition fee, in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days ending on the last date of the statement. The bank statements must be original, not copies, with your name on (some banks inform students they are unable to do this - please check) if it is stamped and signed by the bank, this is better still. Please read the guidance carefully on this and if your bank doesn't co-operate in giving you what you need you should think about changing bank!
6. If your CAS includes details of the qualifications on which your admission was based, then you must send the originals of every document/certificate stated.
7. Postgraduate students who are not from the EU and studying certain 'sensitive' subjects (like technology and science subjects that could be linked to weapons etc) might need an 'Academic Technology Approval Scheme' (ATAS) certificate.
8. The fee - £357 for postal applications , £650 for 'in person' Premium appointments, +£100 for each dependent. We recommend you use postal orders not cards or cheques as the latter can cause delays and even rejection in rare cases. If you want to apply in person you need to book an appointment at a Public Enquiry Office, or PEO, see the UKBA website for details of how to do this.  You must attend an in person Premium appointment before your visa expiry date.
9. You will also be asked to attend an appointment for a UK biometric ID as part of the application process, even if you already have one - There is a helpful PDF document from the UKBA about this that you can read on the UKCISA website . You can make an appointment either online or by telephone.  If you choose to telephone to make an appointment - and be prepared for the following:
   1. You may have to dial many times before getting through to an adviser.
   2. You will have to give your surname, first name, full address, date of birth, mobile phone number or email address and your case reference number to the adviser   
   3. The adviser will give you a Booking Reference Number so be prepared to hear numbers and the word “dash” in between them.
   4. You should receive an SMS on your phone a couple of minutes after finishing the call with the details of the appointment
   5. If the adviser doesn't say where you need to go, remember to ask them: the addresses of all the centres are listed here. http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/contact/contactspage/biometricenrolment/
   6. If you want to know what the process is like follow the youtube link from the UK Border Agency website that also explains why they have introduced this fingerprinting and ID card system called the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) which is a replacement for the visa sticker in your passport. It will have information on your immigration status. The BRP also holds a chip which will contain electronic information such as the photograph of your face and the finger print scans of both index fingers on your right and left hands.
      
      Please note:
      

      Students are strongly advised to read the information on the UK Border Agency website, apply for their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from their chosen place of study and apply for their visa in good time. Students can apply for a visa up to 3 months in advance of their intended date of travel to the UK.  The busy student season coincides with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games so be prepared and apply early!

       

   For more information please see the UKBA website. We recommend that you take all the above to International Student Support or the Independent Advice Unit to have your application checked before you send it.

   Send your application by registered post to the right address on the first or second page of the form, or apply in person with the Premium Service (see next Tab).

Applying in Person with the Premium Service

The Premium service is an in-person, appointment based application to renew your visa inside the UK. It is more expensive then the postal service and costs £650. The only difference between the two services, apart from the cost, is the speed at which they make a decision on your application as most students who apply in-person will receive a decision on the day of the appointment. We recommend using the Premium service only if you have to travel in the near future.

If you use the Premium service, you will still need to apply for a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). Using the Premium service, your biometric information will be taken during your appointment, no separate appointment is needed. You can find out more information about the BRP on the UKBA website.

If your application is successful, you will have your passport and documents returned to you. Your BRP will be sent to you separately within five working days of the decision being made. It is very important that you do not leave the UK until you have received your BRP as your BRP is your visa, and without it you will not be able to re-enter the UK.

Other points

Dependents fill in a separate form, see the UKBA site for more details.

The 'sponsor' of your visa extensions is Keele, and our visa sponsor number is CY3B57GX4

The reference number of your current visa is the 'VAF number' on the visa itself (usually in very small letters top right but not the sticker number which is the red numbers).  If you already have a BRP, the reference number is printed in the top right corner of the card.

Masters students whose courses are only 12 months should normally have been given a visa for 16 months.  If you have not been given a visa for the correct period of time, you may be able to get this corrected via something called the 'entry clearance correction scheme' but only if you got your visa outside the UK. If you search these four words on the internet you will get more information.  The correction is free of charge but must be requested by a qualified visa adviser. Please ask the International Student Support Officer or the Independent Advice Unit in the Students' Union building for help with this. Don't allow your visa to run out while you are waiting for a response so enquire early.

After you get a visa extension you need to update your Certificate of Police Registration, if you have one, even if you haven't changed address. Do this by sending your passport with new visa and your police registration certificate to Carole Madden in Staffordshire Police Headquarters.  You can call her on 01785 235281 or contact the International Student Support Officer for information and assistance.

If your application is rejected

Please bring the rejection letter to the International Student Support Officer or Independent Advice Unit in the Students' Union where you can get advice on what to do.

When to apply?

If you apply for a visa earlier than three months before the start of course, your CAS (see below; valid for 6 months from the date of issue) becomes invalid and you get 0 points for it and therefore a refusal.

How Long Can I Stay?

Most students should be given the length of the course + 4 months. If you think you have been granted a visa that is too short, please consult the International Student Support Officer or the Independent Advice Unit in the Students' Union; you will be able to ask for a correction in the UK using the 'entry clearance correction scheme' and this correction is free of charge.  As an example, every student on a 12-month masters course should be given 16-month visa in the beginning.

It costs £357 to extend a student visa by post, which some students have to do at some stage. So please try to get a visa ('entry clearance') for a period that will cover your entire course and graduation date (especially if you are doing a 3-year degree). This should happen anyway as the visas now being given are for the length of the course with an additional 4 months.

Proof of finances

• If your tuition fees and/or living costs and the living costs of your family members are paid by an official financial sponsor, you can use the letter from your official financial sponsor to show that you and your family members can meet the maintenance requirements of the Tier 4 (General) student visa. If all costs are covered, this means that neither you nor your family members have to provide bank statements. Before now, family members were not covered by this provision.
• If you do not have full official financial sponsorship, you have to show that you have specific sums of money and that they have been in your bank account for 28 days.
• Your bank account can be in your parents' or legal guardian's name BUT this means you will have to provide their bank statements as defined in the Immigration Regulations, official evidence of your relationship, a letter from them confirming that relationship and their consent to the funds being available to you for the duration of your time in the UK, and if you are applying for a visa extension in the UK, they must also sign the declaration on your application form.  Please read the guidance for details or consult the International Student Support Officer or the Independent Advice Unit for further information.

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies ('CAS')

This is basically a number that replaces the old 'visa letter'. Keele will issue this to you if we offer you a place. Since the introduction of the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) on the 22 February 2010 a visa applicant doesnot have to submit a visa letter in support of a Tier 4 application.  You can choose to include a CAS Confirmation letter that details the educational offer from your Tier 4 Sponsor (Keele) but this is not a mandatory document and if you choose not to include one then your application must still be accepted and where appropriate you should be offered an appointment.  The mandatory requirement is only to submit the CAS number by completing the VAF appendices which now has a section to record the CAS number.

Biometric Data

To tighten immigration controls and control the number of people entering the UK illegally,  it is now necessary to give your fingerprints and have a photo taken electronically for all new students who need visas and students who want to stay in the UK for more study. 'Dependents' (family members who come with you) will also need to give details. Details of how to do this in your country will be given to you when you apply for a student visa.

Police Registration

There about 30 nationalities of students that are required by law to register with the police, to check which nationalities have to do this please follow this link.  Police Registration must take place within 7 days of arriving in the UK, the only exception to this is if you are attending a Police Registration session specially arranged by Keele. 

ATAS - Academic Technology Approval Scheme - only for some postgraduate students

Postgraduate students not from the EU/EEA and who are studying certain subjects may have to get an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance, please read the government website for more details. You should contact the Postgraduate Office for details of the JACS code of your course.

Other points