Applying for a UK Student Visa? Here Are Your Options

You’ve decided to come to the UK as an international student to expand your academic profile.

The quality of education provided in the UK is highly regarded and acknowledged worldwide.

However, before you can start short listing high schools, colleges and universities, you should know about different UK student visa options that exist. After all, to pursue education in the UK as an international student, you will need a student visa.

In this blog, we introduce 2 basic types of UK student visas that you can apply for, based on your eligibility and future plans.

Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa

A Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa is for those students, aged between 4 and 17, who want to study at an independent school in the UK. However, with a Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa, you cannot study at a local authority funded school, or pursue college education.

How long can you stay in the UK if you have a Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa?

That depends on your age, at the time of application.

• If you are aged between 4 and 16, you can stay for up to 6 years, with the option to extend your student visa for an additional 4 months.
• If you are aged between 16 and 17, you can stay in the country for up to 3 years, with an option of a further 4 months.

When can you apply for the student visa?

You can apply for a Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa only after you have received an absolute offer of a place on course from one of the local educational institutions accredited as a Tier 4 sponsor. The earliest you can apply is at least 3 months before the course commences.

Tier 4 (General) Student Visa

A Tier 4 (General) Student Visa is for those students, who are aged 16 or above, and want to study at a high school, college or a university.

Most of the non-EEA international students apply for a Tier 4 student visa in the general category, since it offers many benefits over the other two student visa categories. This includes, but not limited to:

• The option to extend your visa.
• Work as an employee in most jobs.
• Pursue higher education in the form of post graduate, doctorate and post doctorate, while initially being enrolled in a more basic level of education program.
• Call your parents to the UK.

How long can you stay in the UK if you have a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa?

You can stay for the full duration of your program, with the option to exercise an extension depending on your future plans.

When can you apply for the student visa?

You can apply for the student visa, 3 months at the earliest, before the start of the program in which you have been enrolled.

We hope the information shared in this blog would serve to be a valuable resource for our readers. If you have any more questions or want professional assistance in applying for a UK student visa, the team at Wembley Solicitors can help.

Our highly trained and experienced team of UK immigration lawyers are able to provide legal advice about the eligibility requirements and can assist you with the preparation of your student visa applications.