Student Route Background
As of 5 October 2020, the former popular Tier 4 (General) Student Visa was replaced with the “Student Route”. This novel student visa is designed to encourage prospective international students to come to the UK to study. It was made available to all EU/EEA nationals hoping to study in the UK from 1 January 2021.
Student Route Definition
All students planning to take their studies in the UK are required to obtain a visa which will allow you to live in the country for an extended period. This Student Route Visa therefore enables students to undertake a range of courses across many UK institutions. Courses that last longer than 6 months allow students to arrive in the UK up to one month before their start date whilst courses that last less than 6 months allow students to arrive in the UK up to one week prior to their start date. However, it is hugely important that students make clear their intention to return to their country of origin after completion of their studies.
Student Route Visa Eligibility
To be considered eligible for a Student Route Visa, there are several criteria that must be satisfied. Therefore:
- Applicants must be aged 16 years or over.
- Applicants must have been accepted on a course at an eligible UK educational institution.
- Applicants must have enough funds to support themselves and pay for their course.
- Applicants must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English at the appropriate level as certified by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) – B2 for degree courses and B1 for courses below degree level.
- Applicants must have obtained consent from parents or guardians if aged 16 or 17 years old.
Student Route Visa Documents
Applicants will have to provide several documents to prove their eligibility in coming to study in the UK. Accordingly, they are:
- A current passport or other verifiable form of documentation.
- A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which is a digital record containing an applicant’s personal details from their course provider. CAS records will include a unique reference number that must also be entered on an applicant’s visa application.
- Proof that an applicant has enough money to support themselves and pay for their course although this requirement is variable depending on circumstance.
- A valid Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if needed for their specific course and nationality.
- Proof regarding relationship with their parent or guardian if aged 18 or under.
- A tuberculosis test result (travelling from a country that UK requires TB testing certificate).
- Written consent from a financial sponsor if an applicant has received sponsorship for their course fees and living costs over the last 12 months.
- Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) (if coming to the UK for longer than 6 months).
The UK Home Office will contact an applicant should there be a need for additional documents in support of their claim. However, if aged 18 years or under then there will be a need for written consent from both parents or legal guardians in respect of their visa application, possible UK living arrangements and travel to the UK. There will also be a need to provide a copy of your birth certificate that verifies the names of your parents. Applicants should also ensure that there is a blank page in their passport for their visa to be included.
Student Route Visa Application Process
The Student Route application process is dependent whether an applicant makes their application inside or outside of the UK. For applications outside of the UK, the earliest date that you can apply is 6 months prior to the start of your course, and 3 weeks is the general period where you will obtain your visa decision. Applications that are made within the UK can only be done 3 months in advance of a course start date and 8 weeks is the general period where you will obtain your visa decision. An applicant already living in the UK must make their Student Route Application before the expiration date of their current visa and their new course start date must begin within 28 days of this expiration period also. If an applicant must provide their biometric information at a visa immigration centre, then it might be possible to pay for a prompter decision although this option is variable.
Student Route Visa Costs
There are variable costs of a Student Route Visa depending on whether applications are made inside or outside the UK. Therefore, it costs £348 for a student to make a claim outside the UK and £475 to extend or switch to a student visa from inside the UK. There are also additional fees if dependants join a family member in the UK as well as a Healthcare surcharge which is also variable if there are other dependants. However, there are another two types of costs associated specifically with a Student Route Visa and must be considered. Accordingly:
- Tuition Fees
Students must have sufficient funds to pay for their course for 1 academic year (9 months) and the required amount will be detailed on their CAS document. However, if a student has lived in the UK with a valid visa for a minimum of 12 months then there is no need to prove this financial requirement.
- Money for Living Costs
Students must be able to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves unless they have lived in the UK with a valid visa for a minimum of 12 months at the date of their application. In terms of living costs, the financial requirements themselves are dependent on both the location of a university and the duration of a course. To evidence proof of funds, students may submit bank statements, bank letters or letters from financial institutions but all documentary evidence must be up to date.
Validity
A Student Route Visa is valid depending on the length of your course and all previous studies that you have completed. For applicants aged 18 or over who are undertaking degree level courses, a student visa will generally be valid for a period of 5 years. For applicants undertaking courses below degree level, a student visa will generally be valid for a period of 2 years. It is possible for an applicant to extend their visa if all eligibility criteria has been satisfied whilst it is also possible for a student to switch to a student visa from another visa type if already present in the UK.
Working in the UK
It is possible for international students to undertake work whilst completing their studies in the UK. However, there may be restrictions on the number of hours that you are permitted to work depending on your course and whether the work is in or out of term-time. Whilst on the Student Route Visa, students are also not able to claim public funds (benefits & pensions) or be self-employed. Students are also prohibited from certain types of work (professional sportsperson or sports coach). Furthermore, if a student elected to end their studies prior to finishing the course then the student would no longer be permitted to work in the UK and would in fact be in contravention of the terms of their visa.
Additional Advice
The Student Route Visa requires various documentation and eligibility requirements. It would therefore be advisable to enlist specialist immigration advice in respect of your application. Our legal team are both knowledgeable and experienced in guiding applicants through their application towards a successful outcome. Our legal team understand the significance for students to meet their academic needs without difficulty therefore please do not hesitate to get in contact if you require assistance with your application.
Our experienced immigration lawyers are on hand to offer you expert advice whatever your immigration case, contact us to book your consultation. Consultations are priced at £199 including VAT.
