UK Student Visa

  All you need to know about Tier 4 Visa / Student visa in the UK

Table of contents:

• The UK - A highly sought-after education destination.
• What is a Tier 4 visa? 
• The total cost of a student visa application 
• Who can apply for a Tier 4 Student visa?
• When should one apply for a Tier 4 student visa? 
• Visa Application process in 5 simple steps 
• Step 1: Check if you qualify 
• Step 2: Get your documents ready
• Step 3: Apply online 
• Step 4: Pay your application fee 
• Step 5: Go to the visa application center
• Step 6: Attend the interview 
• FAQs ( Frequently asked questions ) 

The UK - A highly sought-after education destination. 

The UK is one of the best destinations to study abroad. The recent hike in the number of students flying to the United Kingdom proves this. A hub with the world's renowned universities offering degrees with international acceptance in a multi-culture diverse environment that facilitates innovative teaching and unforgettable student experience is undeniably worth every penny one pays.

This article will throw valuable insight into everything you need to know about Tier 4 visa a student would require to study in the UK. 

What is a Tier 4 visa? 

An international student who wishes to pursue their higher studies in any university, college, or other educational institution in the United Kingdom requires a tier 4 student visa as part of the legal requirements.  

Under the system of tier 4 visas, there are two student categories. They include :

1. Tier 4 General Student Visa - For students above 16, coming to the UK for higher education requires a Tier 4 general student visa. 
2. Tier 4 Child Student Visa. - A tier 4 child student visa is applicable for international students between 4 and 15 looking forward to securing education from independent fee-paying schools in the UK. 

In this article, you will come across the application procedure, cost of applying, eligibility criteria, visa processing time, and everything else you would want to know while applying for a tier 4 general student visa. 

Who can apply for a Tier 4 Student visa? ( Eligibility Criteria ) 

• Above all, you must be 16 years old or above. 
• You must have an acceptance letter, i.e., Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies ( CAS), from a licensed tier 4 educational institution in the UK. 
• The student must be able to showcase authentic and absolute financial proofs that prove the financial capability to fund the student's education and sustenance till the completion of the academics.  
• A valid English- language proficiency score. (You must be able to write, read, speak and understand English.) 
• If you are 16 or 17, you will need consent from your parents to study in the UK, which should be supported by evidence while you apply. 

When to apply for a Tier 4 student visa? 

Six months before the commencement of the course is when you can apply for a tier 4 student visa at the earliest if you are applying from outside the UK. Within three weeks, you will get to know the decision regarding the visa you applied for. 

The total cost of a student visa application 

Students over 16 enrolling for a course longer than six months in any educational institution in the UK are eligible for tier 4 student visa application. The total cost for this will be around 348 GBP, i.e., 33.646,29 in rupees. 

Visa Application process in 5 simple steps 

• One can apply for a tier 4 student visa by following the steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Check if you qualify. 

Make sure that you qualify for a tier 4 student visa application ( Refer to eligibility criteria) 

Step 2: Get your documents ready. 

For all the documents you are expected to submit, make sure you submit the original documents and photocopies. Following listed are the documents required for your tier 4 student visa application process:

1. You must provide your current passport or any other valid travel documentation. 
2. A confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) from the educational institution you will study ( i.e., from the course provider ). 
3. The student must be able to showcase authentic and absolute financial proofs that prove the financial capability to fund the student's education and sustenance till the completion of the academics.  
4. You must provide the results of your tuberculosis tests.  
5. Valid ATAS Certificate. - To study certain subjects in the UK, you must apply for an ATAS Certificate, i.e., Academic Technology Approval Scheme. Not all courses mandate this certificate. Submit it if your nationality and course require it. 
6. If you have received financial support for your tuition and living expenses during the previous 12 months, you must submit written consent from your sponsor for your application.

Additional documents you will need if you are under 18 

• Written consent from both the parents or legal guardians or any one parent if they hold the sole responsibility of taking care of you. This written document should include their consent for :
• Your living arrangements in the UK 
• Your tier 4 student visa application and 
• Your travel to the UK 
• Proof/evidence for your relationship with your parents or legal guardians if you are under 18. 
• Additionally, you will be required to present a copy of your birth certificate (or another official document issued by the government) showing your parents' names.

Step 3: Apply online 

• Visit the official UK Visa website 
• Once you open the website, register and create an account there.  
• Take a print of the application form once you have completed filling it. 
• Once the printout of the application is ready, ensure that you put your signature on it. 

Other procedures following the online application take place at the visa application centre. To visit the application centre, you must book an appointment prior. Appointments can be booked with the aid of an online appointment calendar. By now, you will have completed the online application process, which you can confirm from the application number you will receive through email.  

Step 4: Pay your application fee 

Next comes the payment fee for your visa application. There are four methods through which you can accomplish this. You can follow any of them mentioned below:

• Online Payment: Technology has made our lives easier. Thanks to the digital era, you can now complete your visa payments in no time with the aid of either a visa or MasterCard credit or debit card. 
• At the visa application centre:  Earlier, we talked about how certain procedures following the online visa application can be completed at the visa application centre by booking an appointment. Here at the visa application centre, one can pay the fee along with the submission of the visa application form. 
• Standard Chartered Bank: Certain branches of Standard Chartered Bank facilitate the visa application fee payment. In favor of 'The British High Commission, the respective branch of the bank as mentioned above will issue a demand draft.  
• Demand draft from a foreign or a nationalized bank: Your visa application fee payment can be processed with the issuance of a demand draft from a foreign or a nationalized bank. The demand draft will be issued in favor the "The British High Commission," and the bank charges may vary for these services.  

Step 5: Go to the visa application center 

Your successful online visa application will be followed by your visit to the visa application centre when you have booked an appointment. As part of collecting biometric information, you must give your fingerprints and facial photographs along with submitting your visa application. This will facilitate the reception of a biometric residence permit, ( a residence permit contains all the biographic information - name, date, and place of birth, and biometric details - facial photograph and fingerprints as well as the immigration status of the migrant) which can be collected within 10 days upon one's arrival in the UK. 

Step 6: Attend the Interview 

All students applying for a tier 4 student visa will have to attend an interview at the visa application centre on the day of appointment for document submission and biometrics. A UKVI member will interview to test your linguistic skills in the English language and your genuineness as a student. The questions they aim at you would mostly be about your course, your decision behind choosing that particular course, your plans, education, employment history, if any, and so on. 

Step 7: Book, your flight 

The decision regarding your visa approval will be received within three weeks from the day of the interview. But it's highly advisable that you book your flight tickets once you receive your visa, for one should not rule out the possibility of delays in visa issuance. If such an unexpected situation arises, canceling or rescheduling the ticket is the only possibility. So, to be safer, wait until you get your visa to book tickets.  

FAQs ( Frequently asked questions ) 

1. What possible reasons could lead to the rejection of a tier 4 UK student visa?

• Entry of incorrect information by the applicants in the visa application form 
• Failure of document submissions 
• Unsuccessful interview 
• Financial instability to fund tuition fees and other living expenses 
• Unproductive gap years 
• Having failed to meet the English language proficiency criteria.  

2.   If a student has taken gap years, will that affect the chances of receiving a tier 4 UK student visa?

• Taking gap years does not matter, provided you engage in an internship or professional job to gain industry experience. But to the contrary, if you haven't done anything productive during the gap years, there are chances that your visa application may get rejected. 

3.   Can a student work in the UK with a tier 4 student visa?

• Students who have signed up for a full-time degree course can work for 20 hours a week during the university term time.