An easy guide to the UK’s Student Visa Process

If you are student looking to study in the UK, the following guide is your holy grail:

All international students, including those from EU/EEA and Switzerland currently require a student visa to pursue their undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the region. Essentially, there are three types of student visas that one can opt for in the UK and these include:

1. Short-term Study Visa: This is a six month long visa for students above 18 years of age opting for enrollment into a short course
2. Child Student Visa: This is for students below 18 years of age opting for enrollment in an independent school
3. Student Visa: This is for students above the age of 16 opting for enrollment in university

Students can begin their visa application process three months prior to the start of their coursework in their respective institution. They must submit their application on the British government’s official website, and the average student visa application process requires six basic components:

1. A valid passport
2. A recent picture
3. An offer of enrollment and acceptance from respective institution
4. A document proof of English language skills
5. A document proof of financial support and assistance
6. A probable test for tuberculosis and/or self-isolation upon arrival

Students ought to be careful while processing their visa application and the following tips can come in handy:

1. Owing to Brexit, the visa process for the UK could potentially see changes in he 2021, and students ought to be on the lookout.
2. Students ought to ensure that the institution that they are accepted to is licensed with the UK government
3. Students ought to consult trained visa advisors at universities or get in touch with student visa immigration solicitors to make the process stress-free
4. Students ought to remain pro-active and make necessary preparations for their application process well in time to avoid any mishaps.

Owing to UK’s political climate and the probable tightening around UK’s student visa regulations, students ought to exercise caution, and follow the listed below DON’TS:

1. Don’t Lie: This is a no-brainer, but students often tend to forge documents in a positive light to guarantee acceptance. Lying or submitting a fraudulent application should be avoided at all costs as not only would it threaten your application, but also hold you accountable in the eyes of law.
2. Don’t be a rebel: This goes to say that students ought to follow all rules that guide their visa status – both before and after acceptance. Overstaying or working if not permitted are not recommended courses of action as they could pose a severe penalty and the student be charged legally.
3. Don’t be ambiguous: Any ambiguity or room for confusion could further delay the application process when you could already be on a short notice. If the officer in-charge has to call you multiple times to review or get clarification on your application, it indicates to them that you did not do thorough research or given enough thought – which is always a bad sign.

That’s that: Get to work and complete your application on time!