Welcome to the UK immigration / visa section of the website. Information contained here is primarily aimed at citizens of the People’s Republic of China, wishing to go to the UK to study. Chinese nationals wishing to go to the UK for reasons other than studying, i.e. tourism, business, employment, etc. should visit their nearest British Embassy, Consulate-General or visa application centre. Alternatively, they can visit the Britain in China website at www.uk.cn or visit the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk, for more information.
Below is an overview of UK visa options for students and details of relevant UK immigration policies.
· What is a visa and who needs one?
A visa gives formal permission for a citizen of one country to enter and remain in another country, sometimes referred to as “entry clearance”. UK visas can be applied for and issued at a number of UK visa application centres across China. There are different types of visa for visitors to the UK depending on applicants’ reasons for visiting, their intended activities in the UK and their intended duration of stay. Each type of visa requires applicants to meet certain requirements before they can be issued. Successful visa applicants will have the visa placed on a blank page inside their passport, showing the type of visa it is and what activities the holder is permitted to undertake while in the UK and also the length of time allowed to remain in the UK.
EU (European Union) nationals and citizens from certain other countries wishing to remain in the UK for a short period of time do not require a visa. Citizens from all other countries, including the People’s Republic of China, hereafter referred to as “visa-nationals”; require a visa to enter the UK regardless of their reason for visiting or their intended duration of stay.
· UK visa options for students
Overseas students going to the UK to study will need to apply for a visa before they intend to travel. Visas for students fall into three categories and anyone wishing to study in the UK must apply for one of these visa types. They are:
1.Student visas – for students with an accepted place on a course of study in the UK, lasting more than 6 months.
2.“Student” visitor visas - for students with an accepted place on a course of study in the UK, lasting less then 6 months.
3.“Prospective” student visas – for students without an accepted place on a course, who wish to travel to the UK to confirm or search for a suitable course of study.
Each of these three visa types are explained in more detail below and more information about the application process and requirements can be found here:
Visa applications and requirements
Note that these visas allow students multiple entries (permission to enter the UK multiple times) within their stated duration. Students that wish to return home (i.e. during holiday periods) can do so, and then return to the UK on the same visa, so long as it has not expired.
All overseas students intending to take a course of study in the UK lasting for more than 6 months must apply for a student visa. So long as they meet all the necessary requirements; students taking a course lasting less than 6 months can also apply for a student visa if they wish to work in the UK as well as study (see the section below, Working in the UK while studying) or if they believe they will need to extend their visa while in the UK, if they are considering taking additional courses after their initial course but they have not confirmed the later courses at the time of application (see the section below, Visa status changes and extensions).
Before they can apply for a student visa, students need to be already accepted onto one of the following:
Note that every educational institution in the UK that intends to recruit overseas students must be listed on the UK government’s “register of education and training providers”. Therefore it is of great importance students ensure their chosen institution is on this register, before making their visa application, otherwise it will be unsuccessful. The register can be viewed on-line at www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister.
Students must also be able to cover the costs of their study without taking up paid employment or conducting business of any kind. Costs include tuition fees, accommodation and other daily living expenses. Proof needs to be supplied showing sufficient funding is available from the student themselves, their family and/or other sponsor(s).
Note that certain employment during the course of study is permitted and if this employment is guaranteed and verified in writing by the student’s college or university, pay arising from this employment can be included in the assessment of a student’s ability to fund their studies, when making their visa application. See the section below, Working in the UK while studying for further information about taking paid employment while in the UK under a student visa.
Additionally, students must intend to leave the UK at the end of their course. Student visas permit a student to remain in the UK as follows;
Note that in instances of completion of an initial course leads onto study of a further course (i.e. university preparation / foundation courses); only when progression onto the second course is guaranteed unconditionally by the institution, can a visa be issued to cover the full duration of both courses combined. Alternatively, if conditions still need to be met on completion of the first course, in order to progress to the second course, a visa can only be issued covering the duration of the initial course plus sufficient additional time for the student to extend their visa in the UK if they wish (see the section below, Visa status changes and extensions).
After successful completion of a higher education course in the UK, overseas students might become eligible to remain in the UK for up to two further years and undertake paid employment. (See Working in the UK after studying for more information.)
Students intending to take a course of study in the UK lasting less than 6 months can apply for a “student” visitor visa. These are essentially visitor visas for the purpose of studying. Applicants should fill in the visitor visa application form, indicating they are applying for a “student visit”.
However, if they wish to undertake paid employment in the UK while studying (see the section below, Working in the UK while studying) or believe they will need to extend their visa while in the UK, if they are considering taking additional courses after their initial course, but they have not confirmed the subsequent courses at the time of application (see the section below, Visa status changes and extensions); they should instead apply for a full student visa.
As with student visas above, students applying for “student” visitor visas should be already accepted onto a course of study at an institution that is listed on the UK government’s “register of education and training providers”. They also need to prove that they are able to cover the full costs of their study, including tuition fees, accommodation and other daily living expenses plus intend to leave the UK after their course.
With a “student” visitor visa, permission to remain in the UK is for up to 6 months only. They cannot be changed or extended while in the UK. If a student with a “student” visitor visa wishes to continue studying in the UK on another course they must return to their home country first and apply for a student visa or another “student” visitor visa there before returning to the UK.
Students in the UK under “student” visitor visas are strictly prohibited from undertaking any form of paid employment or conducting business of any kind.
Note that “student” visitor visa applicants must be aged over 18. Applicants under the age of 18, taking a course of study in the UK lasting less than 6 months, should apply as a “child visitor’, not a “student visitor”, although similar application requirements still exist.
Students that do not have a firm acceptance of a place on a course of study can still be allowed to enter the UK and remain for up to 6 months under a “prospective” student visa. This applies to students who;
Such students will need to satisfy the UK visa office that they genuinely intend to commence a course of study within 6 months of arriving in the UK once a suitable course has been found and/or confirmed. In addition they need to prove they are able to cover the full costs of their prospective course of study, including tuition fees, accommodation and other daily living expenses plus intend to leave the UK after their course.
Once the student is in the UK and has enrolled onto a course, they should then change their “prospective” student visa to a full student visa giving them permission to remain in the UK for the full duration of their chosen course of study (see the section below, Visa status changes and extensions).
Note that students in the UK under “prospective” student visas are strictly prohibited from undertaking any form of paid employment or conducting business of any kind.
· Visa status changes and extensions
Visa-nationals that wish to go to the UK for the purpose of studying must ensure they apply for one of the above visas for students before traveling to the UK. Visa-nationals that are in the UK under a normal visitor visa or any other non-student type visa will not be permitted to undertake any course of study or to change their status to “student” while in the UK. Effectively, they will have to return to their home country first and apply for a student type visa there before being allowed to return to the UK to study.
Only visa-nationals that arrive in the UK under a “prospective” student visa and subsequently enroll onto a course of study within 6 months of arriving are permitted to change their status to a student visa so long as they meet all the necessary requirements.
Only students holding full student visas are permitted to extend their visa. “Student” visitor visas and “prospective” student visas cannot be extended. Student visa extensions commonly apply to students taking a series of consecutive language courses and students taking foundation (university preparation) courses whose student visa only covers their initial course. Note that in instances of completion of an initial course leads onto study of a further course (i.e. university preparation / foundation courses); only when progression onto the second course is guaranteed unconditionally by the institution, can a visa be issued to cover the full duration of both courses combined.
Applications for visa status changes or extensions in the UK follow a similar process to applying for visas initially, whereby a fee must be paid and all the necessary requirements must be fulfilled for the application to be successful. Visa status changes and extensions are handled in the UK by the Border & Immigration Agency (BIA). Further details can be found and the application forms can be downloaded from their website at www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk.
Note that it is strongly advised that students do not wait until their current visa has almost expired before trying to change or extend it. Students should also make sure they do not remain in the UK once their current visa has expired, unless they are awaiting approval of a visa change or extension that they applied for before their visa expired.
· Working in the UK while studying
Overseas students in the UK under student visas are permitted to work part-time, up to 20 hours/week, during term time and full-time during holiday periods. Some colleges and universities can help students find and arrange such paid employment, sometimes even before the student has enrolled at that institution.
In addition, many colleges and universities offer “sandwich courses” in which higher education courses combine study with practical work experience during term time. Most undergraduate sandwich courses involve two years of study followed by one year of work followed by a final year of study (2-1-1). Other undergraduate sandwich courses have one year of work experience at the beginning and end of a course (1-3-1) and some mix up the studying and working throughout the course. Colleges and universities can help students to find and arrange sandwich course work placements, usually relevant to their course of study, sometimes even before the student has enrolled at that institution. However, work placements are not usually guaranteed and it is the students’ responsibility to secure employment as part of a sandwich course. Most institutions will allow students to find sandwich course work placements outside the UK, allowing overseas students to search for employment in their home country if they wish. Sandwich courses in the UK are very popular as they can provide students with valuable, practical work experience in addition to academic qualifications, improving their future employability and salary expectations after graduation.
When applying for a student visa, before traveling to the UK, overseas students must be able to prove they can fund their studies without having to work, so students cannot expect to finance their studies by working in the UK. However, if their part-time, holiday and/or sandwich course employment is guaranteed and verified in writing by the student’s college or university, pay arising from this employment can be included in the assessment of a student’s ability to fund their studies, when making their visa application.
Note that after successful completion of a higher education course, overseas students might become eligible to remain in the UK for up to two further years and undertake paid employment.
For more information see: Working in the UK after studying
Students in the UK under “student” visitor visas or “prospective” student visas are strictly prohibited from undertaking any form of paid employment or conducting business of any kind.
Blue Sky Study offers a full range of services for Chinese students wishing to study in the UK. We offer students assistance in applying for UK visas, including help with completing the application forms, giving pre-assessments of student’s application documents and translating them into English as well as giving assistance finding and applying for suitable courses, finding and applying for possible scholarships, arranging accommodation, travel and insurance plus a range of pre-departure and post-departure services. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.
For further information about UK visas and immigration we have provided a few useful website links below.
In English;
In English and Chinese;
More in this section:
For the latest news and most up to date information about UK visas:
For information about UK scholarships:
For more information about applying to courses in the UK:
For information about life in the UK:
