Permission to travel to Britain – Tier 4 (General) Student

If you are not from the European Union, you should obtain some form of entry clearance from your nearest British Embassy or High Commission. Remember: you should request the right visa to stay in the UK. Make sure that you obtain a student visa, not a visitor visa, as you will not be able to extend your stay as a student with the visitor visa.

If you are from a visa national country you must apply for a visa from the British High Commission or Embassy in your country of residence (see http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/wheretoapply) for permission to come to the UK as a ‘student’. Permission to come to the UK is called ‘entry clearance’. You should wait until you have obtained entry clearance before you book any non-refundable travel tickets.

The UK Border Agency operates a point-based system for immigration. As an adult wishing to apply for entry clearance to study a higher education programme in the UK, you must apply as a ‘Tier 4 (General) Student’. The UK Border Agency sometimes refers to Tier 4 (General) Students as ‘adult students’. Tier 4 is the part of the immigration system that deals with students.f

When you apply for your visa, you will need to provide documents such as a valid passport, sponsor letter from IBAM and evidence that you are able to meet the costs of studying in the UK, including tuition fees and additional living expenses of £600 per month (or £800 per month for student living in inner London).

You need 40 points to be able to apply for a student visa and must provide the proof needed with your application form.

Points for initial applications and for extensions are awarded as follows:

(Source: http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points/sponsoringmigrants/migrantspoints/assessingstudentpoints/ )

For further details of Tier 4 and for guidance on how to apply for your visa please read carefully the UK Border Agency’s document entitled “Tier 4 of the Points Based System – Policy Guidance”. Copies of the document can be obtained from the UK Border Agency’s website or can be downloaded from the following web link:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/Tier4migrantguidance.pdf

The forms you will need to complete are:

VAF9 form - http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/1903073/vaf9
Appendix 8 form - http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/1903073/PBSappendix8generalstudent

VAF9 Guidance notes may be found at - http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/1903073/vaf9guide

Be prepared

In your hand luggage…

• The original Offer Letter from IBAM to show to the Immigration Officer;
• The address and telephone number of your accommodation;
• Tickets, passport etc.

• your current Passport;
• 2 recent Passport-sized colour photographs;
• your acceptance letter from IBAM;
• proof of your address in the UK;
• money to pay the registration fee.

• change your personal details, e.g., your name if you get married, or your nationality
• receive a new passport
• are given any criminal convictions
• change your address
• change your telephone or mobile number or your email address
• or if any of your dependant’s change their details, or if they stop being your dependant.

• change your address
• change your telephone, mobile phone number or email address.