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Our International Support Services team provide information and advice about how to apply for your student visa. Our leaflets for international students provide essential information on how to apply for Tier 4 General student visas and student visitor visas from overseas and from within the UK. Members of the International Support Services team also run regular student visa presentations throughout the year. Email notifications will be sent to students about these presentations at key times during the academic year.
The Tier 4 General Student visa is part of the Points-Based System. The system is made up of five tiers, as a student you will be applying under Tier 4. To get permission to come to study in the UK you will need to pass a points-based assessment. You will need 40 points to qualify.
You will get 30 points for the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) given to you by the University. The CAS is not an actual certificate or paper document, it is a unique reference number which allows access to a database record which contains all the relevant information about you and the course you will study. A CAS will be provided automatically to unconditional offer holders who have firmly accepted their offer to study here. The CAS is sent no more than four months before the start of the course.
Visit our page on obtaining your CAS for more information.
You will earn 10 points if you show that you have enough money to cover your course fees and living expenses - also known as maintenance.
Please see our 7 simple steps to getting your Tier 4 visa for clear step by step advice.
There are two Tier 4 application processes depending on whether you are in the UK when you apply or overseas.
If you are applying from overseas, please see our information guide ─ Applying for your student visa from overseas .
You can also use the guidance below to help you to complete the overseas visa application forms:
If you are applying from within the UK, please see our information guide ─ Extending your Tier 4 student visa in the UK .
For help on completing the Tier 4 'Print and send' online application form, see our sample form with guidance notes:
You should think very carefully about the institution you wish to study at because the visa issued to you under Tier 4 will be linked to a specific institution ─ the one whose CAS certificate you use to apply for your visa. You will not be able to study at a different institution until you have applied for a new visa.
International students entering the UK to study for a period of 6 months or less are advised to apply for a Student Visitor visa. If you are a visa national, you will need to apply for Entry Clearance as a Student Visitor before you travel. Applications should be made through the British Diplomatic Post in your country. You will need a Student Visitor Visa Letter from the Admissions Office (Study Abroad / Exchange students please contact the Study Abroad team in the International Office).
If you are a non-visa national, you will be able to apply for a Student Visitor Visa on arrival in the UK. For more information on how to apply for a student visitor visa, please refer to our information guide Applying for your Student Visa Overseas.
It is important to note the restrictions attached to a Student Visitor visa:
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