Keele International: Study Abroad

International Students

It is essential that you have the correct status to come to the UK.  You are required to apply for entry clearance (a visa) to come to the UK as a student and your application will be assessed using the Points Based System.

You will need to apply as a Tier 4 (General) Student, and gain 40 points.

30 points will be awarded for having a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from Keele University.

10 points will be given for proving that you have enough money to meet the cost of studying and living in the UK (known as maintenance funds).

Please ensure that you fully understand the visa application process and have all the relevant documents before making your application.  If your visa application is refused you will not receive a refund of the fee and you may not be able to get a visa in time to start your course at Keele.  If you have any questions about applying for your visa, please contact iss@keele.ac.uk for assistance.

Visiting Students

If you will be studying at Keele for less than six months, you may be able to enter the UK without applying for entry clearance in advance.  In this case you will obtain entry clearance from the port of entry as a student visitor.  As a student visitor you will not be eligible to work during your time in the UK.  If you are unsure as to whether you should apply for a visa in advance and would like further information, please contact International Student Support at iss@keele.ac.uk

EEA and Swiss Students

If you are an EEA or Swiss National, you do not need to apply for entry clearance as you already have the right to stay in the UK for the full length of your course, however, you may choose to apply for a registration certificate, which confirms that you have a right of residence as a student.

You will receive your CAS number once you have accepted your place at Keele University.  The CAS is an electronic document produced by the UK Border Agency once they receive information about you from Keele University.  You will receive a CAS number from us and this number will identify you during your visa application and link to all the necessary information that the UK Border Agency requires to give you 30 points. 

The CAS is valid for 6 months from the date of issue.  Should you have any problems with your CAS then please contact the Visa Compliance Team at cas@keele.ac.uk.

You are only allowed to have one CAS assigned to you at any one time.  If you change your mind about where you choose to study your existing CAS will be cancelled.

If you have any questions about your current status, then please email International Student Support - iss@keele.ac.uk

Attendance Monitoring

Under the Points Based System, if you enter the UK on a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa, Keele University is obliged to tell the UK Border Agency if you fail to enrol within 10 days of the start of your course, withdraw from your course, defer or suspend your studies, or fail to attend for a significant amount of time. 

As your official sponsor, the University is responsible for all students in the UK with a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa that has a Keele University sponsor licence number, so we must keep records about you and report any changes or problems to the UK Border Agency.

We will take a copy of your passport, Biometric Residence Permit or UK immigration status document when you arrive and you must keep us informed of any changes to your information, including your address in the UK, mobile phone number and email.

Reporting Duties

The University will have to tell the UK Border Agency:

• If you do not enrol on your course
• If you do not turn up for the first day of your course
• If you do not attend your course, submit required coursework or attend exams without informing your School of Study at the University of any unavoidable reasons and providing proof
• If there are any significant changes in your circumstances, for example, if your course of study ends early, if you withdraw from your course or take time out from your studies
• Of any suspicions we may have that you are breaking the conditions of your visa (e.g. by working more than 20 hours per week during the semester)

You must provide us with all the information needed to enable us to meet these reporting duties.

Changing course and changing university

If you change course at Keele University, you do not need a new visa as long as your new course has the same end date as your original course.  If you need more time, you must apply for a new visa and Keele University will contact the UK Border Agency to inform them.

If your course ends early or if you are asked to leave your course, Keele University will contact the UK Border Agency and your visa will be shortened to 60 days unless you have less than six months of your visa remaining.

If you change to a different university, you must apply for a new visa which will have the sponsor license number of the new university on it.  You may start your new course once you have submitted your new visa application and before you receive a decision from the UK Border Agency, although it is at your own risk.

Maintenance Funds

You will need to provide evidence showing that you have access to the following amount of money:

Evidence of Funds

There are very specific rules on which documents will be accepted, and what each document must show in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance, paragraphs 162-194. http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbsTier4migrantguidance.pdf

Some examples of the type of documents you can use to prove that you have these funds available are as follows:

• A personal bank or building society statement in your name
• A building society passbook
• An official letter from your bank
• An official letter from a regulated financial institution confirming when the funds will be released to you
• Letter of official financial sponsorship
• Letter of official government sponsorship

Proof of shares, bonds or pensions are NOT acceptable as evidence of available funds. 

If you have an official sponsor (not including family) for all or part of your fees you must also enclose a copy of the award letter from your sponsor with the details of the payments they will make.  This will reduce the amount of funds you are required to show.  Please check with International Student Support if you think you qualify as a sponsored student.

From your Home Country

Details of your nearest Visa Application Centre can be found here:

Visa Application Centres Overseas - http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/

To apply for a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa, you need to complete two application forms:

Points Based System Form VAF9 - http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/vaf9.pdf

AND

Appendix 8 Tier 4 (General) Student -

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/vaf9-app81.pdf

You are required to apply for entry clearance before you leave your home country.  Although there are a few exceptions to this rule, it is still recommended that you apply for entry clearance.  This is because there are benefits to you in the future should you wish to remain in the UK for further study or work.

You should apply for your visa as soon as you have received your CAS from Keele University.  Applications can take a long time so please make sure you apply as soon as possible.

If you are already studying in the UK then you will need to extend the visa you already hold and change the Sponsor License Number recorded on your visa.

Applying for your visa if you are already here in the UK

To apply for a Tier 4 (General) Student visa while you are in the UK, you will need the following application form:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4applicationform1.pdf

Guidance on the requirements of studying in the UK and information on how to complete the application form can be found here:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/Tier4migrantguidance.pdf

Please check the UKBA website at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk to make sure you have the latest version of the application form and guidance as they are frequently updated and amended.  If you have any questions at all about applying for your visa, please email International Student Support at iss@keele.ac.uk

Checking your Visa

Once you have been granted your visa, you must check it thoroughly to make sure that all the information is correct. 

If you apply as a Tier 4 (General) Student, your visa should end:

• Four months after the end of the course if your total course length is 12 months or more.
• Two months after the end of the course if your total course length is six months or more, but less than 12 months.
• One week after the end of the course if your total course length is less than six months.

Make sure the following details are correct:

• Name is spelled correctly
• Date of birth
• Type of visa
• Check the 'valid until' date
• Are you required to register with the Police on arrival in the UK?  If so, Keele has special arrangements in place with Staffordshire Police and International Student Support can assist you with this
• Your working permissions and restrictions

If you think any of the information on your visa is wrong, please contact International Student Support at iss@keele.ac.uk for advice and assistance. 

Medical Screening

You may be required to get a certificate to show that you do not have infectious tuberculosis (TB).  Testing is available in the following countries:

• Bangladesh
• Cambodia
• Ghana (including applications from Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo and Niger)
• Kenya (including applications from Eritrea and Somalia
• Pakistan
• Sudan
• Tanzania
• Thailand (including applications from Laos)

There are plans to introduce more countries to the list of those requiring a TB test over the next 18 months.  Please check regularly with the website mentioned below.

Please note that if you are bringing any dependants with you, they will also be required to produce a certificate.

There is a cost for this screening and it is your responsibility to meet this cost.  Further information and how to apply can be found on the following website - http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/ecg/med/

International Students

Unless your visa states any other restrictions or prohibitions, then you can work:

• Part time during the University semesters up to a MAXIMUM of 20 hours per week.
• Full time during University vacations or as part of an official work placement included in your course.

More information can be found in the 'Living in the UK' section of these Welcome Pages.

EU/EEA Students

Students from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia no longer need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme.  Students from these countries can now work in the UK without needing permission.

National of Bulgaria and Romania should apply for a Registration Certificate at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/eea/bulgariaromania/ before they can legally work in the UK.

All other EEA or Swiss nationals are entitled to work in the UK without restrictions.