Tier 4 – Student Visas -  New

The United Kingdom’s Tier 4 visa immigration scheme is part of the new points based system for students who are paying for tuition in the UK. In order to obtain a student visa, students using this route will require a certificate of sponsorship from the educational institution that has offered a place which the student has accepted. The sponsoring institution will be required to vouch for the ability of students as well as ensuring the student obeys the rules of their visa.

Information for Students

Students arriving in the UK on the Tier 4 route must have been accepted onto a course by an institution that is on the register of education and training providers.

The institution must be one of the following:

• a publicly funded institution of further or higher education (a university) with maintained records of enrolment and attendance which are readily available to us;
• a genuine private education institution; or
• an independent fee-paying school;

And your course must be either:

• a recognised full-time degree course;
• a course run during the week that involves at least 15 hours of organised daytime study a week; or
• a full-time course of study at an independent fee paying school.

You must also:

• be registered with the United Kingdom awarding body if you are studying externally for a degree at a private education institution; and
• be able to pay for your course and support and accommodate yourself and any dependants without working or help from public funds; and
• plan to leave the United Kingdom when you complete your studies.

Duration

As a tier 4 student visa holder you will be granted leave to enter the UK for the purposes of completing your course. The duration of your student visa will take into account the time needed to conclude affairs and attend graduation at the conclusion of your course. Students will be able to change courses at the same institution without needing to submit a new application. However, changing sponsors or obtaining a UK tier 3 visa extension will require a new application to be lodged.

It has been made clear that Tier 4 is not intended as a route to settlement in the UK and does not provide the opportunity to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) nor can it lead to British naturalisation. Graduates will need to reapply under Tier 1 to continue their stay in the UK.

Categories of student

There are three categories of student visa that you will be able to apply for. Each category has its own separate set of criteria that must be satisfied.

General student
This category includes students studying in Britain at degree level, or higher, in a publicly funded institution, or engaging in more than 15 hours of study per week. In this category you are allowed to work for 20 hours each week during term time and full-time during holiday periods. If you have any dependants they will be able to join you.

School student
This category includes students in full time study at an independent school up to the age of 18. Working hours are the same as the general student category but dependents are not permitted.

Working student
This category caters to students on work experience courses or placements. Working hours will be the same as the other two categories and dependants will be permitted in instances where the main applicant will be in the country for longer than 12 months.

Additional information

Dependants of students making a successful tier 4 UK visa application will be permitted to enter the UK. However, as with tier 3 visas and tier 5 visas, this tier is regarded as a temporary immigration route. In addition, spouse and dependent immigration in these circumstances will also be temporary and will reflect the grant of leave awarded to the principal applicant.

Family visa services such as the marriage visa , fiance visa, unmarried partner visa and ancestral visas will continue to function independently of the new system and will not apply to applications within this tier.

Responsibilities of educational institutions

All educational institutions that offer study places to overseas students will be required to attain approved sponsor status by showing that they are bona fide establishments.

Certificates of sponsorship act as verification from a college or university that students making UK visa applications will abide by the rules and requirements of their course. Educational institutions will also be under obligation to report non-enrolment and non-attendance of students.