Student Visa

Standard Fee – £900; Complex Cases – £1,100 Student Route The Student route is a points-based route available to people aged 16 or over who wish and intend to study in the UK. A person who is aged 16 or 17 and wants to study with a sponsor that is an Independent School on a course at Regulated Qualifications Framework 3 or Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework 6 and above can apply as either a Student or as a Child Student A person who wants to study a course for six months or less without a student sponsor but with an accredited provider should apply under Immigration Rules, Appendix V: Visitor. A person aged 16 or over who wants to study an English Language course of 11 months or less without a student sponsor, but with an accredited provider, should apply under Immigration Rules, Appendix Short-term Student (English Language). The Student route is not a route to settlement. The Student route replaced Tier 4 (General) on 5 October 2020 as one of the first iterations of the post-Brexit immigration system. There have been a number of amendments to the Student provisions since then. Sponsorship Students require sponsorship by an education provider which has a student sponsor licence. The type of education provider can make a significant difference to the options available to a student. Points-Scoring As with most other points-based categories, the 'points' attached to Student requirements have no meaning: if all points-based and non-points-based criteria are met, permission is granted, otherwise it is refused. However, the Immigration Rules stipulate 50 study points are awarded when all the following requirements are met: the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), course, approved qualification, level of study and place of study. Ten points each are awarded for meeting the English language and financial requirements. In order to score the full 70 points, applicants must submit evidence that they meet the requirements, unless they are covered by the differentiation arrangements. Differentiation Arrangements The following Student applicants are not required to provide evidence of the qualifications or references listed on their CAS as the basis of their student sponsor's offer of an unconditional place on a course:

• students who are sponsored by a 'higher education provider' 'with a track record of compliance' to study a course at degree level or above
• applicants sponsored to study at any level who hold a nationality, or a passport issued by one of the territories, listed in the Differential evidence requirement in the Immigration Rules, Appendix Student

i.e. Australia | Austria | Bahrain | Barbados | Belgium | Botswana | Brazil | Brunei | Bulgaria | Cambodia | Canada | Chile | China | Croatia | Republic of Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | The Dominican Republic | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Iceland | Indonesia | Ireland | Italy | Japan | Kazakhstan | Kuwait | Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malaysia | Malta | Mauritius | Mexico | Netherlands | New Zealand | Norway | Oman | Peru | Poland | Portugal | Qatar | Romania | Serbia | Singapore | Slovakia | Slovenia | South Korea | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | Thailand | Tunisia | United Arab Emirates (UAE) | United States of America (USA).

•  The caseworker guidance states that there is also no need for these applicants to provide evidence that they meet the English language requirement

They are required to submit evidence that they meet other requirements, for example, Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance and tuberculosis screening. The Home Office can request evidence from differential evidence applicants if they want to verify that requirements are met, and sponsors must not assign a CAS without having first assessed academic ability, English language knowledge, academic progress and all other relevant Student requirements. For this reason, sponsors are likely to want to check evidence even if it is not submitted. Caseworkers are instructed that they may assess evidence submitted by applicants who are covered by the differential evidence requirement, so unless there is real concern that evidence will be requested and cause delays, it is usually advisable not to submit evidence with the application.   Student Visa Eligibility To qualify for Student Visa entry clearance, applicants should meet the following requirements of the Immigration Rules:

• The applicant should make a valid application for student visa entry clearance;
• An application for entry clearance must be made no more than 6 months before the start date of the course stated on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS);
• The applicant must meet all the requirements related to Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS);
• The applicant must meet all the requirements related to course of study;
• The applicant must meet the points based criteria and score 70 points to qualify for student visa entry clearance;
• The applicant must be a genuine student and meet the genuineness test for student visa;
• The applicant’s application for entry clearance should not fall for refusal under general grounds for refusal as set out in part 9 of the Immigration Rules;
• A person applying for entry clearance for more than 6 months must meet the requirements for a tuberculosis certificate if the criteria specified in paragraph A39 and in Appendix T apply.

  Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) A CAS is issued by the sponsor using the Home Office’s online sponsorship management system (SMS). The CAS is not a physical document; it is a reference number that must be inserted in the person’s application for entry clearance or permission to stay. Failure to include a CAS number means the application is treated as invalid. The Home Office has produced a sponsor help document, SMS guide 4A:creating a CAS:guide for Student sponsors, which provides sponsors with guidance on the process of assigning CAS. It is important for sponsors to complete the CAS in accordance with the sponsor help document so that all of the information the Home Office requires is correctly recorded. The CAS must be issued by a sponsor whose licence is valid on the date on which the Student's application is decided. A CAS is valid for six months unless it is withdrawn or cancelled by the sponsor or the Home Office. The CAS must be used in a permission to stay application submitted no more than three months before the start date of the student’s course or in an entry clearance application made up to six months before the course start date. For an application to be successful, the student’s Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must be valid. The student must satisfy the following:

• The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must have been issued by a student sponsor whose licence is still valid on the date on which the application is decided;
• The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must not have been issued by the student sponsor more than 6 months before the date of application;
• The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) must not have been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused (but could have been relied upon in a previous application which was rejected as invalid, made void or withdrawn);
• The student sponsor must not have withdrawn the offer to the applicant after the date that the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) was issued;
• The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must contain the necessary information to confirm all the following requirements are met:
  • the course requirement; and
  • the Approved qualification requirement; and
  • the level of study requirement; and
  • the place of study requirement.
• The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must state the cost of accommodation and fees (and any payment already made) so that the financial requirement can be assessed;
• The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must show how the English language requirement has been met, and where the sponsor has assessed the applicant's language ability, must include the information in ST 13.3. and ST 13.4.
• The student sponsor must provide all the following information about the course of study on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies:
  • title of course; and
  • academic level of course; and
  • course start and end dates; and
  • hours of study per week, including confirmation on whether the course is part-time or full-time; and
  • the address of the main place of study; and
  • the cost of accommodation and fees; and
  • if the student sponsor has assessed the applicant by use of one or more references, the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies Checking Service entry must include details of the references assessed; and
  • if the course involves a work placement, details of any work placement relating to the course; and
  • if the course will be provided by an education provider that is not the student sponsor, details of the partner institution; and
  • if the ATAS requirement in Annex ATAS applies; and
  • confirmation if the course is a recognised Foundation Programme for postgraduate doctors or dentists, and requires a certificate from the Postgraduate Dean; and
  • a statement of how the student sponsor has assessed the applicant's English language ability including, where relevant, the applicant's English language test scores in all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening); and
  • if the course is part of a study abroad programme, the name and address of the partner institution; and
  • if the applicant is applying for a full-time, salaried, elected executive position as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer and is part-way through their studies or being sponsored to fill the position in the academic year immediately after their graduation; and
  • if it was issued for the Doctorate Extension Scheme, that it was issued within 60 days of the expected end date of a course leading to the award of a PhD and the applicant is sponsored by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance; and
  • if the applicant has previously been granted permission as a Student, confirmation that the new course meets requirements concerning academic progress as from the previous course of study undertaken as required by ST 14.1. to ST 14.5.

Course Of Study Requirements    The course requirement stipulates that only the following types of course can be offered to a Student applicant:

• full-time course at degree level or above leading to an approved qualification
• full-time course below degree level leading to an approved qualification, involving a minimum of 15 hours a week of organised daytime (8 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday)
• full-time pre-sessional course involving a minimum of 15 hours of classroom-based daytime study
• part-time course leading to an approved qualification above degree level sponsored by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance
• full-time course of study at degree level or above recognised by Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) as being equivalent to a UK higher education course; the CAS may be assigned an overseas higher education institution or by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance

From 27 September 2021, students on courses below degree level who are studying by distance learning are required to study for 15 hours a week in order to be treated as studying full-time. Students before this date were exempt from this requirement, further to a COVID-19 concession. Pre-sessional courses are defined in the Sponsor Guidance as being courses designed to prepare and directly precede a student's main course of study. They do not need to lead to an approved qualification. The Immigration Rules do not include English language courses that are not pre-sessional courses. However, the Sponsor Guidance and caseworker guidance both refer to such courses. A student sponsor offering Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) qualifications or ACCA Foundations in Accountancy qualifications must be an ACCA approved learning partner:providing student tuition at either Gold or Platinum level. Note that an ACCA course will not be considered for the purposes of the Immigration Rules as leading to a UK bachelor’s degree (or UK-recognised Bachelor’s degree), even if it is a course leading to a qualification recognised by Ecctis as being equivalent to UK Bachelor-degree standard.  A CAS must be assigned for a single course of study, with exceptions only for Student Union sabbatical officers, and for a single CAS issued to cover both a pre-sessional and a main course at degree-level or above. The requirements for issuing one CAS to cover both a pre-sessional course and a main course are:

• the CAS can be issued only by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance
• the pre-sessional course must not be longer than three months
• the main course must be at degree level or above
• the main course must not start more than one month after the pre-sessional course ends
• the Student must either:
  • have an unconditional offer for the main course if their English language ability is already at a minimum of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) B2, or
  • have been assessed as having English language at B1 and have a CAS that states that their sponsor is satisfied that their English will be at B2 or higher on completion of the pre-sessional course; a sponsor whose student fails to achieve English at the required level by the end of the pre-sessional course must withdraw sponsorship for the main course and the student's permission will be curtailed

A Student applicant who is required to obtain Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance must submit a valid certificate with the application in order to meet the course requirement.   Approved Qualification Requirement All courses of study, except for pre-sessional courses, must lead to one of the approved qualifications below:

• validated by Royal Charter; or
• awarded by a UK recognised body; or
• covered by a legal agreement between a UK recognised body and another education provider or awarding body, which confirms both:
  • the UK recognised body's independent assessment of the level of the student sponsor's or awarding body's programme compared to the Regulated Qualifications Framework or its equivalents; and
  • that the UK recognised body would admit any student who successfully completes the education provider's or the awarding body's named course onto a specific or a range of degree-level courses it provides; or
• recognised by one or more recognised bodies through a formal articulation agreement with the awarding body; or
• in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, is at Regulated Qualifications Framework level 3 or above; or in Scotland is accredited at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 6 or above; or
• an overseas qualification that UK NARIC assesses as valid and equivalent to Regulated Qualifications Framework level 3 or above; or
• an aviation licence, rating or certificate issued by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority.

There appears to be no provision for English language courses that are not pre-sessional courses, although they are included in the Sponsor guidance and the caseworker guidance. Level Of Study Requirement The Immigration Rules set out two sets of level of study requirements, depending on whether or not the sponsor is a Probationary sponsor. The list in the Immigration Rules for Probationary sponsors appears to be incomplete compared with the list in the caseworker guidance. The main difference is that the minimum level of study for most sponsors is Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) 3 or Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) 6. Probationary sponsors can offer courses at this level only to students aged under 18. The minimum level of course they can offer students aged 18 and older is RQF 4 or SCQF 7. For students undertaking a period of study in the UK as part of their qualification in another country, Ecctis must confirm that the course of study in the other country leads to a qualification at UK bachelor's degree level or above. Study abroad programmes are not included in the list of courses available to Probationary sponsors but they are not explicitly excluded from offering such study and are included in the caseworker guidance. A course delivered under a partnership between a higher education provider and a research institute must be accredited at RQF 7 or SCQF 11 or above. It is not clear from the Immigration Rules or Sponsor Guidance whether this type of partnership is restricted to non-Probationary sponsors. Although not specified in the rules, a part-time course sponsored by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance must be at a minimum level of RQF 7 or SCQF 11. The Immigration Rules stipulate a minimum level of study of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) B2 for pre-sessional courses offered by a non-Probationary sponsor. It is not clear from the wording of the Immigration Rules whether Probationary sponsors are unable to offer pre-sessional courses or are not required to offer them at a minimum level. Neither seems likely. The caseworker guidance states that pre-sessional courses offered by both types of sponsor do not need to meet the study level requirement, but it would seem risky to rely on this assertion. Unless it is a pre-sessional course, if the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies has been assigned by a probationary sponsor the course must meet one of the following requirements:

• the course will be studied in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, and the applicant is aged under 18, and the course is at Regulated Qualifications Framework level 3 or above; or
• the course will be studied in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, and the applicant is aged 18 or over, and the course is at Regulated Qualifications Framework level 4 or above; or
• the course will be studied in Scotland, and the applicant is aged under 18, and the course is at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 6 or above; or
• the course will be studied in Scotland, and the applicant is aged 18 or over and the course is at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 7 or above.

If the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies has been assigned by a student sponsor, the course must meet one of the following requirements:

• the course will be studied in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and it is at Regulated Qualifications Framework level 3 or above; or
• the course will be studied in Scotland and it is at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 6 or above; or
• the course is a short-term study abroad programme in the UK as part of the applicant's qualification at an overseas higher education institution outside of the UK, and that qualification is recognised as being at UK bachelor's degree level or above by UK NARIC; or
• the course is a pre-sessional course in English language at level B2 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; or
• the course is a recognised Foundation Programme for postgraduate doctors or dentists; or
• the course is being delivered under a partnership between a higher education institution and a research institute and is accredited at Regulated Qualifications Framework level 7 or above, or at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Level 11 or above.

Place Of Study Requirement The Immigration Rules state that all study that forms part of the course must take place on the premises of the student sponsor or a partner institution with three exceptions:

• course-related work placement
• study abroad programme overseas
• a pre-sessional course

The Sponsor Guidance sets out the different types of partnership arrangements that are acceptable to, and must be approved by, the Home Office. If these exceptions apply to Students, their location must be stated on the CAS or reported through the Sponsor Management System.

• could, before 27 September 2021, sponsor Students who are continuing their studies by distance learning inside or outside the UK. Sponsors are not required to withdraw sponsorship if the Student is unable to return to the UK before this date due to travel restrictions
• may continue to provide distance learning for Students with permission but are outside the UK on the basis that they will transition to distance or blended learning by 30 June 2022, and
• may sponsor new Students through distance learning from overseas in the 2021-22 academic year, provided they transition to face-to-face learning when they arrive in the UK, which must be no later than 30 June 2022

In spite of the place of study requirement, the study condition restricts study to the student sponsor or a partner institution, without exception. In the case of study abroad as part of a UK qualification, the Sponsor Guidance requires a Student whose sponsorship will continue during the time spent abroad to study with a partner institution. 'Partner institution' in the context of study abroad does not require Home Office approval. It means that the sponsor has made arrangements with the other institution to enable it to maintain its monitoring and reporting duties while the sponsored student is outside the UK. If this is not possible, the sponsor may need to withdraw sponsorship from the Student, who will have to apply again for Student permission if study in the UK is required after the period of study abroad. The Sponsor guidance explains how the place of study requirement applies to self-governing colleges at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Durham and London. It also provides that Master's and PhD students who study at the Alan Turing Institute or the Francis Crick Institute are treated as studying on the premises of their higher education provider sponsor. Financial Requirement The financial requirement is worth 10 points. The minimum amounts of money to which an applicant must have access are set out in Immigration Rules, Appendix Student, while the way in which an applicant is required to hold and evidence those sums is in Immigration Rules Appendix Finance. Eligible dependants will also be required to meet the financial requirement. The amounts required are linked to the circumstances of the Student. Applicants Exempt From Meeting the Financial Requirement A Student or dependant meets the financial requirement and is not required to provide evidence of funds if:

• the application is for permission to stay (not entry clearance), and
• the applicant has been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months on the date of application

Applicants Covered By the Differential Evidence Requirement Applicants who are not exempt, but who are covered by the differential evidence requirement, described in 'An introduction to the Student route' above, must meet the relevant financial requirement. However, they are not required to submit evidence, unless a caseworker requests it. Financial Requirement Amounts The table below summarises the amounts required of applicants who are not exempt from meeting the financial requirement. This will be because they are either applying for entry clearance or they have not lived in the UK for a period of least 12 months on the date of application. The amount required depends on the living arrangements applicable to the person. Note that 'Studying in London' is specifically defined for these purposes in the Immigration Rules.

Situation	Maintenance Amount Required
Student applicant in residential independent school	Sufficient funds to pay outstanding fees (course fees and boarding fees) for one academic year
Student applicant studying in London	Sufficient funds to pay any outstanding course fees as stated on the CAS, and £1,334 for each month of the course (up to a maximum of nine months)
Dependant of a Student who is studying in London	PER DEPENDANT: £845 for each month of permission (not course), up to a maximum of nine months
Student applicant studying outside London	Sufficient funds to pay any outstanding course fees as stated on the CAS, and £1,023 for each month of the course (up to a maximum of 9 months)
Dependant of a Student who is studying outside London	PER DEPENDANT: £680 for each month of permission (not course), up to a maximum of nine months

Evidence of Finances If the differential evidence requirement does not apply, applicants must provide evidence of finances. A loan provided by one of the providers specified in the Immigration Rules can be evidenced by a letter up to six months' old on the date of application, setting out the specified information. In all other cases, where an applicant is using a loan to fund their studies, the loan funds must have been released to the applicant before the application and be held in a way that meets the requirements for available cash funds.  Types of funding that cannot be taken into account include:

• funds held in the name of third parties other than the student’s parent, legal guardian or partner granted permission or applying at the same time (eg an extended family member or unrelated individual), and
• funding in the form of credit cards, shares, bonds, pension funds or other non-cash funds

If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or permission to stay and is applying as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer or to study on a recognised foundation programme as a doctor or dentist in training, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds. English Language Requirement The English language requirement is worth ten points. The applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of at least:

• level B2, where the applicant is studying a course at UK bachelor's degree level or above, or
• level B1, where the applicant is studying a pre-sessional course or a course below UK bachelor's degree level

The applicant must show they meet the English language requirement as specified in the Immigration rules. Where the student sponsor has assessed that the applicant meets the English language requirement, they must state this and the method of assessment on the CAS. Where a Secure English Language Test is required, the name of the test provider, the unique reference number for the test and the score for each component tested (reading, writing, listening, speaking) must be included on the CAS. An applicant covered by the differential evidence requirement is not required to submit evidence of English language ability unless a caseworker requests it. Combined Pre-sessional Course Requirement A single Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies can be assigned for a combined pre-sessional course and a main course at degree level or above by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance if:

• the pre-sessional course lasts no longer than 3 months; and
• the main course will begin no more than one month after the pre-sessional course ends.

If the applicant has been assessed as having at least level B2 in order to meet the English language requirement at ST 13.1, the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must confirm that the applicant has an unconditional offer of a place on the main course. If the applicant has been assessed as having at least level B1 in order to meet the English language requirement at ST 13.1, the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies must confirm that the student sponsor is satisfied that the applicant will have at least level B2 at the end of the pre-sessional course. Work Placement Requirement Most Students can take courses which include assessed work placements that are an integral part of their course. Students sponsored by a probationary sponsor are prohibited from taking work placements. The Sponsor Guidance states that this applies only to new students studying a course below degree level. If there is a statutory requirement for the work placement to exceed one-third of the total course spent in the UK, this is allowed. Otherwise, work placements can constitute up to half of the total length of a course at degree level or above if the sponsor is a higher education provider with a track record of compliance or an overseas higher education institution, or the course is part of a qualification recognised by Ecctis as being at UK bachelor's degree level or above where the Student is undertaking a study abroad programme in the UK. In all other cases work placements can only constitute up to one third of the total length of the course spent in the UK.   Writing Up A postgraduate student can be sponsored to write up a thesis or dissertation as long as sponsor compliance duties can be met.   Entry Clearance and TB Screening Where an applicant is outside the UK, or is in the UK in a route from which they are not able to apply to switch in-country, they must first apply for and obtain entry clearance in this capacity. If they are applying for entry clearance and have lived in a country listed in the Immigration Rules appendix T; Tuberculosis Screening for more than six months immediately before their application, the applicant must provide a valid certificate from an approved medical practitioner confirming that they are free from active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Maximum Period Of Study Requirement All applicants for study at degree level or below are subject to limits on the total length of the Student permission they will be granted from the age of 18. The rules state that for courses below degree level, the following limits from the age of 18 apply:

• two years, or
• three years for a specified maritime course

For courses at, but not above, degree level, the limit from the age of 18 is five years, unless the course falls into one of the exceptions listed below:

• architecture
• medicine
• dentistry
• veterinary medicine and science
• music at a music college that is a member of Conservatories UK
• law, where the person has completed a course at degree level or above in the UK and is progressing to:
  • a law conversion course validated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board in England and Wales
  • a Masters in Law (MLaw) in Northern Ireland or
  • an accelerated graduate LLB in Scotland

• there is no time limit on study at postgraduate degree level or above
• any time spent in the UK under the age of 18 does not count towards these limits, nor does time in any other category. Where a Student turns 18 during a period of permission, the calculation will start from their 18th birthday
• if the student is applying for permission to study below degree level, only periods of permission previously granted for study at that level are included in the calculation. Likewise, students applying to study at degree level will be assessed on the basis of previous periods of permission granted to study at degree level. Courses below and above degree level will not be included in the calculation
• time will be counted in months, with individual days rounded upwards or downwards to the nearest month. Dates falling on the middle day of the month will be rounded downwards and time must not be double counted
• time spent as a Student Union sabbatical officer is excluded from the calculations as the CAS for these students is not issued for a course of study, but for a salaried role

The Home Office will consider applications that would result in permission exceeding the relevant limit. The only examples provided are of serious illness or disability. Where this applies, the CAS should explain the situation, and the application should be accompanied by:

• supporting evidence to substantiate the period of time that studies were interrupted and the existence of the compelling and compassionate circumstances, and
• supporting evidence to substantiate the existence and duration of the compelling and compassionate circumstances

In addition to the period granted to the applicant to undertake their course of study, time will also be granted to the applicant before and after the course. These additional time periods count towards the maximum period of study permitted. Validity Requirements There are now separate requirements covering validity of an application in this category; which mean that the application may be rejected rather than refused if they are not met. This can have implications on a person's permission, as a rejected application will not have triggered the statutory extension of permission under the Immigration Act 1971, section 3C if their previous permission expired following submission of the application. The validity requirements for the main applicant are as follows:

• the application must be made online using the correct specified form
• the applicant must be at least 16 years old on the date of application
• any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid
• the applicant must have provided any required biometrics
• the applicant must have provided a passport or other travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality
• the CAS reference number must be no more than six months old on the date of application
• if the applicant has, in the last 12 months before the date of application, completed a course of studies in the UK for which they have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship by a government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and living costs for study in the UK, they must provide written consent in relation to the application from that government or agency. Note that:
  • this does not apply to a person applying for permission to complete a course, and since 5 October 2020 it no longer applies only to those whose fees and living costs were wholly covered by government or international scholarship agency funding
  • this requirement does not apply where the student is, or has been, sponsored by other types of official financial sponsor
• an applicant who is in the UK on the date of application must not have, or have last been granted, permission:
  • as a visitor
  • as a short-term student
  • as a parent of a child student
  • as a seasonal worker
  • as a domestic worker in a private household
  • outside the immigration rules (unless granted leave outside the Immigration Rules for the explicit purpose of finding a new student sponsor, eg applicants cleared of cheating on a TOEIC English language test)

Suitability Requirements In order to meet the suitability requirements, the applicant must not:

• fall for refusal under the grounds for refusal set out in the Immigration Rules, Part 9
• if applying for permission to stay:
  • be in breach of immigration laws, except that where the Immigration Rules, para 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded, or
  • be on immigration bail

• previously been convicted of a criminal offence
• previously admitted a criminal offence (including where they received a caution)
• previously had a civil judgment made against them
• previously received a civil penalty under the UK Immigration Acts
• an outstanding criminal charge against them, or
• an outstanding debt to the NHS where they have failed to pay a charge or charges with a total value of at least £500
• failed to pay litigation costs awarded to the Home Office, or
• previously breached UK immigration law

Dependants The two main groups of Student who can have dependants with them in the UK are:

• government-sponsored students on full-time courses of at least six months long
• students sponsored by higher education providers with a track record of compliance to study full-time postgraduate courses at least nine months long

Spouses, civil partners, unmarried or same-sex partners of Students who are aged 18 or over may be eligible to obtain entry clearance to accompany or join their main applicant family member. They may also switch into the category from the UK, where this is permitted.  Unmarried partners are required to have cohabited with the main applicant for two years prior to the application and they must be able to evidence this. Dependent children may also be eligible to apply, provided they are under the age of 18 when they make their first application. If the child is aged 16 or over on the date of application, they must not be leading an independent life. In all cases, the main applicant must be applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a Student or have permission as a Student. A dependent child can be the child of the partner of a Student.  The validity and suitability requirements are the same as for the main applicant, excluding the requirement to be at least 16 years of age, but including the requirement to provide written consent where the dependant has been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship by a Government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and living costs.  Also, in line with other simplified routes, the relationship requirement under eligibility also appears under validity, to confirm that where applying as a dependent partner or child, the application will only be valid where the main applicant:

• has made a valid application for entry clearance or permission to stay under the Student route that has not been decided, or
• has entry clearance or permission to stay on the Student route

TB screening requirements are the same, and eligible dependants are required to obtain points for finance as outlined above under the section 'Financial requirement'. They must show the required funds unless applying at the same time as the Student and the differential arrangements apply. Dependants do not need to meet the English language requirement. There are additional eligibility requirements relating to the relationship of partners and children with the main applicant, and care arrangements for the child in the UK, which are common to many categories in the Immigration Rules.

• Surinder Singh Application – Standard Fee – £750; Complex Cases – £1,000
• Pre-Settled/ Settled Status Application – Standard Fee – £400; Complex Cases – £1,250
• Application For A Family Permit For A Spouse Or Dependant Relatives, Under The EU Settlement Scheme – Standard Fee – £1,000; Complex Cases – £1,500
• Administrative Review (AR) Of Family Permit Refusal – Standard Fee – £450 – £800
• Administrative Review (AR) Of Refusal Of Pre-settled/Settled Status Application – Standard Fee – £400 – £750
• Application For Frontier Worker visa – Standard Fee – £500 – £850