The United Kingdom is rightly regarded as one of the leading countries in the world with respect to education. This means that students from all over the globe flock to the UK to learn new skills and develop a career path. There is a sense of tradition around the UK educational system but there is also a thriving focus on modern technology and changing the world. No matter what a student is interested in, there is something of interest and merit on offer in Great Britain.
This is why many students are keen to come to the country but they can’t just turn up in the UK and hope to get on a course. Students from many countries around the world need to obtain a visa to study in the UK and the visa that is relevant to most students is the Tier 4 student visa.
When it comes to applying for a visa, it is best to be prepared in advance of your start date. Students are able to apply for their Tier 4 student visa three months in advance. This means you shouldn’t be looking to apply too early but equally, there is no need to leave everything to the last minute. Moving to the UK and leaving family and friends behind can be stressful enough as it is, which is why it is often best to arrange as much as you can in advance. This is why applying for a visa in advance of arriving is the sensible option.
You need your CAS Document
When applying for a student visa, you will need to have your certificate of acceptance for studies and this is known as CAS. You will receive this from your place of study when they provide access to the course and you will need to have this on hand when you make your application.
In addition to the certification of acceptance for studies, there will be other documents that need to be provided at the time of application. You will need to prove you are who you say you are and there is a strong chance that you’ll be asked to provide information about your accommodation during your stay. It may well be that this is something that will be provided by the college or university, but you should have written confirmation of suitable accommodation.
You may need to provide evidence of suitable funding
It is also likely that you will have to provide a bank statement which indicates that you have sufficient maintenances funds available in your bank. Depending on where you hail from the requirements may be different but you will likely have to show that you have had sufficient funds in your account for at least 28 days.
Depending on where you are coming from, you may need to prove certain health aspects. From countries like Malaysia, students are asked to provide a TB certificate, which they should obtain from an approved TB clinic. No matter where you are coming from, you should take the time to see if you have to provide any health results before you are allowed into the country.
Some students applying to study in the United Kingdom may need to provide an ATAS certificate or an English Language Test certificate. There is also the fact that if a student is providing documents that are not in English, they will be required to provide a certified translation of any non-English language document.
When completing any forms to facilitate moving to the UK, all forms should be completed in English. There is a priority return service, over 3 or 5 days, for people who have left it very late to submit their application but by applying in advance of your starting date, there is no need to leave yourself in a position where you have to take this option.
Moving to the UK is an exciting option for many people but it can also be a stressful time for many people. Anyone looking for guidance or specialist assistance when it comes to finding completing and submitting an application form for a suitable student visa will find that calling on the services of an experienced immigration solicitor will make a massive difference.
When it comes to peace of mind, calling on the experts is always a smart move.
Andrew Reilly is a freelance writer with a focus on news stories and consumer interest articles. He has been writing professionally for 9 years but has been writing for as long as he can care to remember. When Andrew isn’t sat behind a laptop or researching a story, he will be found watching a gig or a game of football.
