Student Visa Eligibility & Application Guide
The Student Visa is the primary immigration route for non-UK residents looking to undertake a course of studies at either a British college or university. It has replaced the Tier 4 visa under the UK’s new immigration system. As with the previous Tier 4 visa, the new Student Visa route is for international students aged […]
Tier 4 Child Visa (Application Requirements)
If your child is a non-EEA national and you are looking for them to attend an independent fee-paying school in the UK, you will need to know the rules for the Tier 4 child visa. The following guidance for parents and legal guardians summarises the rules and requirements when making an application for a short-term […]
Tier 4 Compliance (Guide for Sponsors)
9 minute read Last updated: 15th November 2019 Tier 4 compliance presents an ongoing risk for sponsors of Tier 4 visa students. If an education provider wants to enrol international students for a period of longer than six months, they must become a Tier 4 sponsor. You only need a sponsor licence if the […]
Tier 4 Policy Guidance: Advice for Students
If you want to study in the UK and you are a national of a non-European Economic Area country or Switzerland, you will in most cases need to apply for a student visa, known as the Tier 4 visa. In this Tier 4 policy guidance, we explain the visa eligibility requirements and the application process […]
Tier 4 Visa
The Tier 4 visa has now been replaced by the Student Visa route, which you can read more about here. The Tier 4 Student visa enables international students to come to the UK and take advantage of the opportunities of an education in the UK. With some of the world’s leading and most prestigious universities, […]
Tier 4 Sponsor Guidance (Sponsoring International Students)
If you are an educational provider wishing to apply for a licence to sponsor foreign students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland to come to the UK under Tier 4 of the points based system, read our Tier 4 sponsor guidance on what is required of sponsors enrolling international students. What is […]
Hiring Tier 4 International Students (Rules for Employers)
Tier 4 visa holders are generally permitted to work while in the UK, but restrictions do apply. Employers hiring Tier 4 international students must ensure these conditions are not breached through employment with their organisation and that immigration compliance duties are discharged through effective document checks. Are Tier 4 students allowed to work? Tier […]
UK Registered Traveller Service expanded to 16 new countries
The Home Office has announced the expansion of its Registered Traveller Service to include 16 additional countries.  Membership will now be open to passengers from: Argentina Belize Brazil Brunei Chile Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Israel Malaysia Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Uruguay The changes take effect Monday 21 November 2016. According to Home Secretary […]
Hiring International Students – Additional Document Checks
As well as the usual Right to Work checks that all employers should perform when hiring staff, there are additional document checks specifically relevant when hiring international students holding Tier 4 (Student) Visas. Employers must carry out prescribed document checks in order to avail themselves of the ‘statutory excuse’ and avoid the possibility of a civil penalty for illegal employment […]
Post Study Work – Have Your Say
A couple of years ago, the Home Office cancelled the Post Study Work Visa scheme which allowed overseas students to work in the UK on the conclusion of their degree studies. Originally, the Scottish Executive introduced the visa scheme called Fresh Talent for Scotland which allowed the Scottish universities to compete against the universities located […]