VISA TO STUDY IN THE UK
Are you wondering if you need a student visa to study in the UK? If you are not a UK citizen and do not have a valid UK passport, then you will most likely need a visa to study in the UK. If you’re a non-UK student interested in studying in Britain for six months or more, you will need a student visa in order to enter the country to enrol at a UK university.
From 1 January 2021, all non-UK students need a visa to study in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. You cannot travel to the UK on a tourist/visitor visa if you plan to start studies or work there.
How can Across the Pond help with your student visa?
Since 2004, Across the Pond has helped students from various countries with the information they need in order to apply for a UK student visa. Our visa guidance contains all the information and tools you will need to easily apply for a visa to study in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
The visa application process can feel daunting and requires attention to detail, a surface understanding of legal terminology, determination, and patience. The visa application should not be approached carelessly or casually. In essence, by submitting a visa application, you are asking another country to “let you in” for an extended period of time with a specific reason, proving you will not be a drain on, or a threat to, their economy and citizens. One misstep could result in delay, added fees, refusal, or rejection.
Feeling a bit intimidated? We don’t blame you! The visa application is a serious matter, which is why Across the Pond takes it so seriously as well.
Across the Pond offers a free service to students looking to pursue their education in the UK. From identifying students’ best university matches to helping them write their personal statement to information about the visa application, we are there for you every step of the way! The UK visa application contains very precise requirements and minute details that, if missed, could jeopardise the application. Across the Pond knows what to look out for and how to avoid common mistakes. We start preparing our students who have applied for UK universities months in advance so that they are fully equipped for the process when the time comes to complete the visa application.
WORK VISA FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM
In connection with Brexit, there have been major changes for international and EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who want to travel to Great Britain outside of holidays. Students must now have a visa, and if you intend to seek employment in the UK after your studies, you need to plan for a work visa. This means that non-UK citizens can no longer simply travel to the UK to look for a job.
The UK maintains strict regulations for entering with the intention to work or even to seek employment. International citizens, including EU, EEA and Swiss nationals in connection with Brexit, are required to apply for visa which permits work in order to enter the UK to job-hunt. Non-UK citizens can no longer enter the UK as a visitor to look for a job.
Please note that application costs, fees to access health services (International Health Surcharge), visa regulations and visas available may change while you study. The options listed are available at the time of writing, but may be updated at a future date. The work visa options listed below are available as of the time of writing but may be updated by the UK government at a future date. Other visa types may also include the option to work while in the UK but are not discussed here.
WORK VISA WITH A UK EDUCATION (GRADUATE ROUTE VISA)
From July 1st 2021, fully qualified international students in the UK were given the opportunity to apply for a completely separate graduate visa, subject to the condition that they have not breached the rules of the student visa they had been on before. After you have completed your degree and received your final results from a British university, you can apply for a two-year work visa in the UK (Graduate Route). If you have taken a doctorate, this visa is for three years.
You can NOT apply for this visa if you have studied in a country other than England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. The UK university is responsible for notifying the Home Office that you have passed your course. You therefore will not need to submit this confirmation yourself, but as part of the graduate route visa application, you will need to have access to the CAS number from your student visa, so make sure you keep this safe.
This graduate route visa must be applied for while you are still in the UK, and to qualify, you must have passed your course. The degree must have been completed in the UK, your student visa must still be valid, and you cannot leave the country until the new visa is approved. If you leave the country before the new visa is approved, your application will be automatically cancelled and you will have to start over (including paying the application fee again). If you apply for this visa from outside of the UK, the visa will be automatically refused. Additionally, you will be refused entry and thus lose the opportunity to apply for this visa from within the UK.
You can work while waiting for a response to your visa application, but the same restrictions associated to your student visa will still apply to you. However, you CANNOT study while you under the graduate route visa (with some exceptions).
When applying, you will have to pay both an application fee and an annual NHS access fee, and these costs are expected to rise slightly each year. There are a number of requirements and restrictions (which fortunately do not affect most people) associated with this visa, and when the time comes for you to consider applying for this, the university you attend will help you with further information and answers to your questions about the visa application.
The graduate route visa is a "one-time visa" that cannot be extended and can only be used once. You do not need to have a job or prove that you have a job while on this visa, and there are no minimum salary requirements. This visa gives you the opportunity to stay in the UK for up to 2 years to work, look for work, or potentially find work as a "Skilled Worker", which can give you a further work visa if the employer is able to "sponsor" your visa. Sponsorship does not necessarily mean that the employer will pay for the visa, but that the employer has a "licence" to be able to employ non-British citizens who need a work visa and who meet eligibility requirements.
OTHER WORK VISAS
When you get a job in the UK, employers can "sponsor" a visa for you (Skilled Worker Visa), meaning your residence in the UK could potentially be extended. This is something to consider when you are looking for a job; if you want to stay in the UK you should check whether your employer has a license to be able to sponsor a subsequent visa. There are a number of requirements for obtaining such a visa, so you must check this when it becomes relevant for you. Potential employers should be able to help you with information about this.
There are also other visas that are available at the time of writing but will not be available to most people. You should therefore check with the UK immigration authorities about what is available after you graduate if you do not qualify for the visas outlined above.