studying in UK , Post study work Right in UK

AN INCLUSIVE GUIDE TO UK STUDY VISA

International students require Tier 4 student visa to studying in the UK.  Tier 4 student visa follows a point-based system, and as per this system, students must require 40 points to qualify or to become eligible to apply for a student visa. This can be achieved by:

• Course confirmation: Applicants get 30 points if they have a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), which they must acquire to study a course with a permitted education provider (approved by the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) and generally known as a ‘Tier 4 sponsor’)One also must have appropriate English language skills. The applied university must have been given or applied for Highly Trusted Status (HTS) on the UKVI Tier 4 Sponsor list.

Funding: Applicants get 10 points for having sufficient money (generally known as maintenance/funds) to cover their institution course fees and the cost of living there. They must provide sufficient proof of funding in this regard.

UK Student Visa Conditions:

• Initially, eligible applicants are granted a one-year study visa, which depends on the duration of the course they have appliedto.
• When you are applying under Tier 4 (General) student visa and if the course is below the degree level but is not a foundation degree, you get a work permit of only 10 hours per week.
• When you are applying under Tier 4 (Child) student visa and your age is 16 or 17 years old, you get a work permit of 10 hours per week during term time.
• Your family members/spouse cannot accompany you if you are applying to study a course under Tier 4 (General) and your course duration is six months or less.

Now coming to the various steps involved in the application process:

Step 1:Visa Advice

International students from all over the world (apart from North Korea) have to submit the UK study visa application online. You will also need to have your fingerprints and recent photograph (termed as ‘biometric information’) taken at a nearest visa application centre as part of your application.

When to apply?

• To avoid any last minute hotchpotch and to prevent any further delay in joining the course, it is always advisable to apply well in advance, that is at least 3 months before you start your course or before your orientation day.
• If you don’t have any idea about the UK student visa, you may engage the services of a good visa consultant. It makes the process easier as these consultancy services have an expertise and experience and a streamlined process that increases your chances of acquiring a visa.One good consultancy operating in major Indian cities is Global Opportunities Pvt. Ltd., who claim to have a 99% visa success rate.

Step 2: Assemble all essential documents

Documents which will be required while applying for the UK student visa are:

• A valid passport
• If the applicant is under the age of 18, a proof of parental or other legal guardian’s consent is required
• A proof of your relationship with your parent/guardian
• Medical certificate and tuberculosis screening test certificate.
• Academic documents: Attested copies of class 10, 12 and graduation (till the highest qualification). Mark Sheets including backlogs (re-sits)[if applicable]
• Proof of English Language proficiency: Students must take UKVI IELTS instead of Academic IELTS (though it is acceptable but UKVI is in high demand).
• Standardised tests,e.g. GMAT, GRE (wherever applicable)
• Two academic references
• Two references from employers (If applicable)
• Recent passport-sized photographs
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Draft for application fees (if applicable)
• Portfolio (for art, design andarchitecture-relatedprogrammes)
• Other certificates and achievements of extracurricular activities

Funding (10 points):On an average,you will require £12,000 per year for tuition fees.However,it can varybetween£8,000 to £36,000. International students must show that they have £1,265 for each month of their studies and can afford their living costs (-this will vary depending on your circumstances and sponsors)The accepted sponsors are:

• Parents, but no grandparents
• Self-student

Types of funds accepted are:

1. Savings (only liquid funds accepted)
2. Education loan
3. Fixed deposits

1. Savings Account:

•        You can submit your savings account statement.
•        Bank’s Original passbook copy.
•        As per the policy, 1-month-old funds are acceptable.However,looking at the current scenario, it is advisable to show funds not older than 2 – 3 months.
•        Sweep accounts will not be accepted under savings account. A sweep account is a bank account that automatically transfers amounts that exceed or fall short of a certain level into a higher interest-earning investment option at the close of each business day. Commonly, the excess cash is swept into money market funds.
•        Documents supporting the source of funds are mandatory:

o   For example: If a property has been sold out and that money is maintained in the bank A/C then the sale deed is required.

• o   If any sibling or any aunt or uncle is gifting some amount, an affidavit from their end is required.
•        If you have a joint account with parents/spouse, birth certificate and no objection certificate is required.
•        If the student is mature and has been working for more than 5 years, funds should be maintained and shown on his own account, not in his parent’s account [Income Tax Returns (ITR) is mandatory].
•        If the student does not have a birth certificate, funds need to be maintained in his account.

1.        If a private bank does not have any provision of issuing an original passbook, the student must transfer the required funds into a government bank account and maintain funds in that account since government banks have the provision of issuing an original passbook.
2. Fixed Deposits(FD):

•        The FD must be from a nationalised bank or a renowned private bank.
•        It is desirable that the original fixed deposit has to be at least 6 months or one year old.Though as per policy, it can be 1 month old.
•        Proof of the fixed deposit on the letterhead of the bank must be submitted in the visa file.
•        Bank FD Certificate: If the FD is jointly in the name of the father or mother, the following is mandatory:

o   No Objection Certificate (NOC)

o   If the FD is not in the student’s name then the birth certificate is mandatory.

•        Handwritten documents will not be acceptable in the visa application file.

3. Education Loan:

The loan must be Study Abroad Loan only.

•        Proof of loan approval is acceptable.
•        The loan letter must be on the letterhead of the bank with the bank’s logo on it.
•        If the bank does not agree to provide the loan letter on its letterhead then you may take a letter from the bank stating that the bank does not have a provision of giving statements on its letterheads.
•        Principal loan would not be acceptable.
•        Fully sanctioned loan letter will be required.
•        In the terms and conditions, the bank needs to write that the money is fully available and is ready to be disbursed as opposed to what has been seen in the past that loan letters state that money would be disbursed only upon visa approval. Bank certificate should have both the dates: the closing balance as well as the date from which the amount has been maintained.

UK StudentVisa Fees:

• The UK studentvisa Fees generally vary between INR 33,000-35,000. For the latest fee details, visit the official UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) website.
• Immigration Health Surcharge (HIS): INR 15,000-25,000 for post-graduation courses/Masters in the UK and INR 15,000-60,000 for undergraduate The fee depends on the duration of the course.

Visa fee can only be paid through the following credit cards:

• Master Card
• Visa Card
• Maestro Card

Immigration Health Service Charge: All Internationals students who want to stay & Study at the UK for more than six months are required to paya ‘health surcharge’ in order to access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). The health surcharge is £150 per year and is payable while submitting the visa application online.Forstudents who want to stay for 6 months or less and want to avail themselves of the service can do so too. The health surcharge would cost them £75.

• Immigration health Surcharge will be refunded only if visa gets rejected and will be refunded within 90 days. If applying again after the visa rejection, the student must pay the NHS fees again.
• Immigration health surcharge amount will be calculated automatically as per the duration of the course.
• You may also need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

Step 3: Application submission

To apply, you need to duly fill and submit your visa application along with the visa fees, proof of a minimum level of funding and an unconditional offer letter for a course with a licensed Tier 4 sponsor. After duly filling the visa application form and cross checking the checklist, you need to submit all the documents and application on the UK Visa and Immigration website. Incomplete application forms are rejected, so read all the instructions carefully. If applying again after rejection, the student has to pay the immigration health surcharge and the visa fees again.

Step 4: Obtain your acknowledgement/receipt

After submitting your applications, you will receive a receipt/acknowledgement through mail approving the receipt of your Foreign Education UK student visa application.

Step 5: Wait for visa decision

Normally, it takes 3-4 weeks for the application process to complete.

Step 6: Check you visa status

The concluding result will be either VISA GRANTED or VISA REJECTED

Post-study work right in the UK

The UK has abolished post-study work rights visa in 2012, permitting international students to stay back. The UK, however, offers the provision of 4-month stay back under bachelor’s and master’s programmes and 1-year stay back under PhD programmes.