Tier 4 – Student Visas

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 
• 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.

With a Tier 4 student visa 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 4 visa extension will require a new application to be lodged.

PK Immigration Lawyers can advise and assist you at any stage of your student visa application and can you help lodge an appeal if it has been refused.

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 may apply for a Tier 1 - Post Study Work Visa in order to remain in the UK.

If you are a student studying in the UK at degree level, or higher, 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.

Dependants of students making a successful tier 4 UK visa application will be permitted to enter the UK. 

Family visa services such as the spouse 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.

Please call our immigration lawyers on 020 8952 1587 for your free initial assessment.