Plan Your Career

Applying for the UK Student Visa

The earliest you can apply for a U.K student visa is 3 months before the start of your course. It is ideal that you should apply as soon as possible so that you have time to re – apply in case your visa application is declined.

Make sure you have a valid Indian passport before you decide to apply for a U.K student visa.

What type of Visa will I receive?

To pursue a degree – level academic course in the U.K, you will require a Tier – 4 (General) student visa. This is a student visa meant for adult international students who want to pursue an academic course in the U.K. The duration of your course should be more than 6 months in order to be eligible for this visa.

The Tier – 4 (General) visa is the most common type of student visa and allows you to stay in the U.K for a period of 4 months after the end of your course. Through this visa, you can enter the U.K not earlier than a month before the start of your course.

For example, if your course starts on the 20th of October, then you can enter the U.K on the 20th of September but not on the 15th of September.

Just like all other student visas, there will be strict regulations with regards to work while you are on this visa in the U.K. To apply for this visa, you need to be proficient in English and your course needs to be a ‘full – time’ course. A full – time course is one which involves at least 15 hours of organized study per week between the hours of 8.00 A.M to 6.00 P.M. (Monday to Friday).

You will also need a ‘Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies’ or a CAS document as well as a proof of your ability to fund your education in the U.K in order to apply for the Tier – 4 (General) student visa. 

In order to apply for the U.K Tier – 4 (General) student visa, the first thing you need to do is procure the CAS document. This will be sent to you by your college/university.

How to apply for the Tier – 4 (General) visa? 

Once you get your CAS form and the reference number mentioned on it, you will need to go to the Visa4UK website and create an account to apply for the visa.

But before you apply, arrange all the supporting documents that you will be required to submit for your visa. These will include your CAS, documents that were used by the college to judge your qualifications and provide you with the CAS (transcripts, certificates etc.) and your English language proficiency assessment (TOEFL, IELTS etc.).

Additionally, you will also need the documents that prove your financial ability to fund your education for the 1st year as well as your living costs for the first 9 months.

Keep in mind that you will have to submit originals as well as copies of all the documents you submit for the visa application process.

Fill in the paper PBS Appendix 8 Tier 4 General Student – Self Assessment Form. You will have to submit this form along with all your other documents.

Once you’ve arranged the documents and completed the self – assessment form, fill the online visa application form and take a print out of the form once it is complete. The online application form can be found on the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) website.

 You will receive your application number online, which is also known as the ‘GWF Reference’. Take note of this number as it might be used for future reference.

Also, book an appointment at a Visa application center using the online application calendar. Your appointment should be within 90 days of your submission of application. You will get a confirmation of your appointment once it has been confirmed. Do take a print out of the confirmation page and take it along with you when you go for your appointment.

Make the payment for the visa application online. You can pay using a credit/debit card. Once you make the payment, you will get a confirmation E – mail. Take a print out of this payment confirmation page and take it along with you when you go to the visa application center to submit your documents.

Get yourself tested for Tuberculosis from an approved clinic. Do not forget to submit the test results along with your application form and documents.

On the day of your appointment, go to the visa application center and submit all your documents including your CAS, documents used by the college to judge your qualifications (transcripts etc.), tuberculosis test report, appointment confirmation page, payment confirmation page, passport, signed print out of your online application form, signed and completed self – assessment form, documents to prove your financial ability and your passport size photographs.

At the Visa application center, you will also have to get your fingerprints scanned and your photograph clicked. This biometric information will be used to assign you a ‘Biometric Residence Permit’ or BRP in case your application is accepted.

You will also be required to sit for a ‘credibility interview’ on the day you visit the visa application center to submit your documents and biometric information.

The interview will focus on your reasons for wanting to study in the U.K and the interviewer will check whether you’re a genuine student or not. Also, he/she will check whether you plan to come back to India after your course ends or not.

The whole visa application process takes around 3 – 6 weeks and you should normally receive a decision regarding your application within that time frame.

For any further information on the U.K visa application process, please visit the following websites: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/adult-students/ and http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/india/02-student/?langname=UK%20English

What is a ‘Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies’ or the CAS document?

A ‘Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies’ or CAS document is a virtual document which confirms that you have been unconditionally offered a place on the course. It has to be issued on your name by the college which has accepted you. You cannot apply for a U.K student visa until and unless you have been issued this CAS document.

It is sent to you by the college once you have accepted their offer. The CAS is a ‘virtual document’ which contains a unique reference number as well as important information about your course. It also contains your personal details.

You will also need to know about the criteria that the college has used while assessing your qualifications so as to assign you a CAS. This is very important as you will have to mention these details in your visa application form.

Only licensed Tier – 4 (General) education providers are allowed to issue the CAS. Therefore, you can only study at a licensed Tier – 4 college in the U.K as you cannot apply for a visa without the CAS.

Tier – 4 education providers or colleges are also known as your ‘sponsors’ and they have been approved by the U.K Government to teach international students.

What is the ‘Points Based System’?

The U.K has a ‘Points Based System’ of immigration according to which, an applicant has to score the minimum number of points required for that type of visa in order to apply. You are awarded points on the basis of the requirements you have fulfilled.

For the Tier – 4 (General) visa, you are required to score a total of 40 points. Out of these, 30 points are awarded for procuring the CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) and 10 points are awarded for proving that you have enough money so as to fund your education and living expenses in the U.K.

Until and unless you meet both these requirements and score 40 points, you cannot apply for a Tier – 4 (General) visa that is required if you wish to pursue a Bachelor’s degree course in the U.K.

According to this points based assessment, you will need to show that you can pay your course fees for the first year as well as pay your living costs for the first 9 months.

As per the regulations of the U.K Government, the living costs are calculated as follows:

If you’re spending more than half of your study time in Inner London, then the living costs are calculated at 1,000 pounds per month.

If you’re spending more than half of your time in Outer London or other parts of the U.K, then your living costs are calculated at 800 pounds per month.

This basically means that if your college is Inner London, you will need to show a minimum of 9,000 pounds plus the annual tuition fees in order to apply for the visa. On the other hand, if your college is in any other part of the U.K, then you will have to show a minimum of 7,200 pounds plus the annual tuition fees in order to apply for the visa.

The money that you are required to show should’ve been in your bank account for a minimum consecutive period of 28 days ending not more than a month before the date you apply for the visa.

What is the ‘PBS Appendix 8 General Student Self Assessment Form’?

The PBS Appendix 8 General Student Self Assessment Form is a document that needs to be completed and submitted along with other supporting documents at the visa application center.

A completed version of this paper form will include information about you, your parents/guardians, education provider/sponsor, course details, English proficiency and your maintenance funds.

You can download this form from the United Kingdom Border Agency website. Failure to submit this form might result in your application getting rejected.

What is the Biometric Residence Permit or the BRP?

The ‘Biometric Residence Permit’ or the BRP is a card that contains your personal details including your name, date of birth as well as your biometric information that includes your photograph and your fingerprints.

All students who are going to pursue a course in the U.K which lasts for more than 6 months require the Biometric Residence Permit. It serves a proof of your student immigration status.

A Biometric Residence Permit or BRP is very important for International students in the U.K as it is evidence which proves that you are legally allowed to study and work (part – time) in the U.K. It also mentions the conditions of your stay.

The U.K Government uses these Biometric Residence Permits to maintain a database of the International students who come to study in the U.K.


Study in UK