With the reinstation of the two-year post-study work visa for international students by the UK government, most of the Indian students are planning to pursue their higher education in UK from 2020-21. All the non-EU students aspiring to study in the UK need a Tier-4 visa. This article provides you with all the information you need to know about Tier-4 UK student visa.

This Tier-4 visa of the point-based system is categorized into two types

1. Tier-4 General Student Visa - This is for students who want to do their higher education in the UK and must be at least 16 years old.
2. Tier-4 Child Student Visa - This is for children between 4 and 15 years who wants to study in the UK. These children can study only at independent fee-paying schools.

It is important for all the students to understand that the UK Tier-4 visa is a point-based system and in order to be eligible for the visa, applicants need to meet all the requirements and should gain 40 points. However, gaining confirmation of acceptance for your studies (CAS) from a licensed Tier-4 sponsor yield you 30 points while having proof of enough funds to cover your course and living expenses yield you the other 10 points.

How much is the UK Tier-4 student visa application fee?

To apply for a UK Tier-4 student visa, you need to pay an application fee of £348 (approximately 32,444 INR). You can make the payment Online (through master or visa card) or through Demand Draft or Cash. Demand Draft or Cash payments can be done at the Visa Application Center or at the selected branches of Standard Chartered Bank.

What are the documents required for applying to a Tier-4 UK student visa?

To apply for a Tier-4 student visa, you need to have certain documents. Below is the list of documents that you need to have in order to apply for the UK student visa. Ensure that you refer to the below list of documents before going to the visa interview.

• A duly-filled Visa Application Form
• A Letter of Acceptance - This is the letter provided by your approved education provider in order to confirm your place and course of study without any conditions. Along with the acceptance letter, they also provide you with a visa letter which will be issued no more than six months before the course start date. The acceptance and visa letters older than six months will not be accepted. Having a visa letter doesn’t give you any guarantee of a successful visa but, it is mandatory to meet all the requirements as needed by the Tier-4 student visa and the immigration rules 
• Proof of Funds - You need to provide proof that you have the money required to cover your tuition fees and living expenses for 9 months or for the complete duration of the course (if the duration is less than 9 months). The amount you need to show depends on whether you are living in or out of London and whether you are a child or an adult. You need to show that you have held the amount in your account for a period of at least 28 days in case of self-funding. The end of this 28-day period must not be more than a month before your visa application date. If you are showing any scholarships or loans as proof of funds, make sure you keep all the related documents ready. Below is the amount of funds that you need to show as your living expenses
  • £11,385 (approximately 10.64 lakhs INR)for nine months if you wish to stay in London
  • £9,135 (approximately 8.54 lakhs INR) for nine months if you wish to stay out of London
• Confirmation of Visa Payment
• Test Scores of exams like IELTS, GMAT as required
• Payslips
• Mark Sheets and Provisional Certificates (Original)
• Tuberculosis Test Certificate - You need to go through the tuberculosis test prior to applying for the visa and provide the certificate at the time of application

When and how to apply for a Tier-4 UK student visa?

You are eligible to apply for the visa as early as three months prior to the course start date. You will get your visa in 15 days but can take up a little longer at peak times. It is advisable to apply early so as to overcome last minute hassles.

Here’s a step-by-step process on how to apply for a Tier-4 UK student visa.

1. Accept unconditional offer letter from the university on the place and the course. If the university requires you to deposit tuition fees, do the required.
2. Check the information available on your CAS thoroughly to find if there are any errors. If you notice any errors, report the same to the university officials. Once you verify that the information on the CAS is correct, then you will receive the CAS in 5 working days.  You will receive the CAS no more than 4 months of your course start date. Ensure that your CAS is mentioned with the tuition deposits that you paid and the scholarships you received. Please check that carefully as you need to show the outstanding funds via proof of finance. 
3. Arrange all the documents as mentioned above under the list of documents
4. Apply for Tier-4 UK student visa online. You need to pay the visa application fee of £348 (approximately 32,444 INR) or more if you want to opt for priority visa services. Contact our student support team for any visa application guidance.
5. You will also be asked to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge so as to access the National Health Service (NHS). This will cost you £300 (approximately 28,062 INR) for your entire visa duration and are required to pay an additional £150 (approximately 14,031 INR) per year.
6. When applying for your visa online, you need to book a personal appointment to attend the Visa Application Centre and submit all the documents. You need to give your biometric information as well.
7. Once you are done with all the processes, you will get your passport printed with a Vignette Visa Sticker and this is valid for about 30 days allowing you to travel to the UK. Apart from the vignette visa sticker, you will also receive a confirmation letter from the UK visas and immigration. Once you reach UK, you need to submit both the vignette visa and the confirmation letter at the UK border.
8. You will receive your visa printed on the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) which you need to collect within ten days of reaching UK from the university or designated post-office. 

Can students with Tier-4 UK student visa work while studying?

With a valid Tier-4 UK student visa, you can work for up to 20 hours a week and 40 hours during semester breaks and holidays while studying. 

For any queries on Tier-4 UK student visa application or your study in UK journey, feel free to contact our student support team. We will be happy to assist you.