Entry Clearance (Visas)
Every year thousands of international students choose to study in the UK because of the opportunities it offers. As in most countries, the authorities in the UK are careful about who comes into the country and many international visitors need to get permission to enter the UK.
If you are an EEA or Swiss national, you can enter the UK freely by showing your passport or National Identity Card.
If you are not an EEA or Swiss national then you may need to gain
permission to enter the UK - this is called ‘entry clearance’ (i.e. a
visa to allow you to come to the UK). This will depend on whether you
are a ‘visa national’ or a ‘non-visa national’. We have outlined what
this means below:
Visa Nationals
The UK government decides the list of countries whose citizens are ‘visa nationals’. Your nearest British Council office or British Mission will be able to tell you whether or not your country is a visa national country. You can also check on the internet by going to www.ukvisas.gov.uk and selecting ‘Do I need a UK visa?’
If you are a visa national, it is compulsory that you apply for entry clearance before leaving the country you live in to travel to the UK. You should contact your nearest British diplomatic post (Embassy, High Commission or Consulate-General) as soon as possible to check on their application procedures, waiting times and how to make an appointment. Some visas take longer to be issued than others so it is important that you allow plenty of time in between applying for your visa and when your course begins, although you cannot have your clearance post-dated by more than three months.
Points Based Immigration System
What is the Points-Based System (PBS)?
The PBS is a new system for immigration being introduced in the UK. It is a five-tiered system covering the areas of work and study in the UK. Tier 4 is the tier for students wishing to study in the UK and was introduced from April 2009. In order to obtain a visa you must pass the points-based assessment and score a total of 40 points. This should include
- 30 points awarded for the general student visa letter from a licensed sponsor (the University of Lincoln will provide this)
- 10 points for demonstrating you have sufficient funds to support yourself. Currently this is your course fees for your first year of study and living costs for up to a maximum of nine months (£600 per month if you are living outside London)
For courses at the University that are nine moths or less, you will need to include full course fees, plus £600 for each month of the course up to a maximum of nine months
For courses at this University which are nine months or more, you
will need to include the first year of fees, plus £5,400 living
costs to cover a typical academic year in the UK (i.e. nine months)
What will you need to apply for a visa?
- You will need to fill in the application form from the UK Border Agency and pay a fee of £145 if you are applying from outside the UK
- Passport or travel document
- Visa letter from a licensed sponsor. The University of Lincoln is a licensed sponsor and will issue your visa support letter once you have met all your conditions and paid the required deposit
- Documents to show you meet the maintenance requirements such as cash in an account in your name; this includes joint accounts or a loan in your name. The PBS requires you to have this money in your bank account for at least 28 days before you make your application
- Proof of qualifications: Your visa support letter will list the qualifications that you used to obtain your place at the University of Lincoln. When making your visa application you need to produce the original copies of all relevant academic qualifications (certificates or transcripts). Documents will be verified to ensure they are genuine
- Biometric details
Can I change course or institution?
Your student visa is linked to the sponsoring college or university at which you were granted a place to study. You can swap to a different course at the same institution without contacting the UK Border Agency.
Permission may be granted to swap institutions if:
- the institution you wish to move to holds a Tier 4 student licence
- the Border Agency is able to confirm that the new
institution wishes to act as your new sponsor.
Once you arrive at the University of Lincoln
The University is required to keep a copy of your passport and
visa. Please ensure you have both with you when you enrol.
Up to date contact details
The University is required to keep up to date contact details for all students, so if you change your address or phone number while you are studying with us you must let us know by contacting the University of Lincoln Student Support Centre.
Attendance
As your registered sponsor the University is required to monitor your attendance during your study and report back to the UKBA. It is therefore vital that you attend all mandatory seminars, lectures, tutorials etc. If you are unable to attend a teaching event, you must contact your tutor in advance to let them know that you will not be attending and give your reasons why.
How long can you stay for?
If you are studying at degree level or above, you can stay for the full duration of the course plus an additional four months.
Working in the UK while on a Student Visa
From April 2009 international students can work up to 20 hours a
week during term time and full-time during vacations. Depending on
the course, you may be eligible to switch into post-study work
category of Tier 1.
For more information contact the University of
Lincoln Advice Service. The Advice Service operates a visa and
student immigration drop in session on Tuesday between 10.00am –
2.00pm. This runs on a first come first served basis so please
arrive in plenty of time.
Pre-sessional course
If your offer is conditional on completing the University’s pre-sessional course, you will initially need to apply for a visa to cover the pre-sessional course. If you successfully complete that course you will need to apply for a visa extension whilst in the UK. This will cost £357.00 for a postal application. The Advice Service operates the Student Batch Scheme. Eligible students can make a postal application through the Advice Service. There is also a cost of £50.00 for each dependant you are bringing with you. It is possible to make your application in person then the cost is £565.00. You will need to make an appointment directly with the UKBA to arrange this.
For more information please visit: www.ukvisas.gov.uk and http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/
Non-visa Nationals
A person who does not fall within the list of visa nationals is a ‘non-visa national’. Since 13 November 2005, all non visa nationals (apart from EEA and Swiss Nationals and British Nationals without the right of abode in the UK, for example, British Overseas Citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Protected Person) have been required to get entry clearance if coming to the UK.
If you are coming to the UK for 6 months or less then you can choose whether or not to apply for entry clearance. However, UKCOSA's advice is that if you want to be able to work during this time you should apply for entry clearance. If you are coming for more than 6 months it is compulsory for you to apply for entry clearance - see information above under visa nationals.
Further information