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Visas and Immigration

Once you have made your decision to come to University College Birmingham you will need to make final arrangements, which will include, in most cases, obtaining a Visa.

Apply for your visa as soon as possible – this procedure can take some time, especially during the summer months. Each year many students are unable to study in the UK because they did not leave enough time for visa applications.

Points Based System

The UK government made several, important changes to the immigration system for students from April 1st 2009. These changes are likely to affect you whether you are a current student or an applicant and we suggest that you check our web pages regularly to keep up to date as well as looking at the websites we’ve given below. If you have applied through the British Council or one of our local agents, you will also be able to ask them for advice.

There are two main differences from the previous system:

  1. Points Based System: Student visa applications are now points-scored: in other words, your application will be assessed against specific criteria set up by the UK government. It will be possible for you to check that you have sufficient points to be granted entry to the UK, before you make your application, by consulting the UK Border Agency website.
  2. Tier 4 General Student Visa Letter: You will need to obtain a Tier 4 General Student Visa Letter before you can apply for a visa. You can obtain this from the Admissions Office when you have received an unconditional offer from UCB and you are in a position to accept this offer. You will need to provide this letter when you make your application to the British Consulate or High Commission in your home country. It is important that you bear in mind that once a visa letter has been issued, you will be expected to join the issuing institution, so if you change your mind, you will need to contact Admissions so that the UK Border Agency can be informed of your decision and a fresh application will need to be made to the new institution.

To gain a General Student visa, you will have to score points against 2 sets of objective criteria with an overall pass mark of 40 points. 30 points are awarded for the Visa Letter; 10 points are awarded for the Maintenance and Funds Test (you will have to show that you have funds to pay the first year of fees plus £5,400) which means that you must be able to demonstrate that you have and have had for a minimum of 3 months available at least £12,900 for undergraduate courses and £13,400 postgraduate for 2010 entry.

You must also be studying on a full-time course, involving a minimum of 15 hours per week organised daytime study; or a course which includes a work placement element which is no more than 50% of the full course length

You must also choose whether you wish to undertake a work placement before your arrival in the UK.

Please note that the details of the Points Based System have not yet been finalised and are subject to change.

Visa Responsibilities

The British Government is introducing these new immigration controls through the Points Based System to strengthen UK border controls as well as to introduce greater transparency in the decision making process of entry clearance/visa procedures by all British Embassies overseas. The aim is to assist in eliminating the discrepancies in visa application handling that may exist between different countries at present.

As part of this, a number of new responsibilities for University College Birmingham (UCB) will be introduced and both parties will be responsible for ensuring that we comply with the new rules in the Points Based System. By issuing a student with a Visa Letter, UCB is held responsible by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) for ensuring that the student starts, continues and finishes their studies at UCB.

You as the student are responsible for complying with the immigration rules that allow you to enter the UK on a student visa.

The new immigration rules mean that now it is even more important for you to make sure that UCB know if your circumstances change, particularly if that will mean any type of absence from UCB.

Under the new rules UCB is obliged to report students to the UKBA in the following circumstances:

  1. If they don't enrol on to the course.
  2. If a student is absent from their course for more than 10 contact points (defined by UCB) without a member of staff's written permission.
  3. If a student discontinues their studies for whatever reason.
  4. If there are any significant changes to the students' circumstance, e.g. if a student is required to extend their student visa for any reason.
  5. If UCB becomes aware that the student is breaching the conditions of their student visa.
  6. If UCB receives any information that the student is engaging in terrorism or other criminal activity, we are obliged to report the student to the police.

The Admissions office will continue to post information on our website when available but if you require any further assistance in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact us at international@ucb.ac.uk

Extending your visa

If you need to extend your visa, you will need to complete a UK Border Agency (UKBA) application form which you can obtain from the International Student Adviser, 7th Floor International Office, Summer Row. At the time of writing the Immigration and Nationality Directorate at the UK Border Agency charge £357 for an application made by post or £565 for an application made in person.

You should allow enough time to submit your application before the expiry date. If you apply after your permission to stay in the UK expires, then you have no right of appeal if the UK Border Agency (UKBA) refuses your application for an extension. If you apply after the expiry date, you run the risk that you will be asked to leave the UK before your visa application can be considered. For more information see www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk

A member of Student Services staff will be able to send your visa application to the UK Border Agency (UKBA) through the batch scheme (subject to certain conditions). If you use this batch scheme service, your visa extension is likely to be processed more quickly than if you sent your documents yourself. If you have dependants in the UK with you, they are no longer included on your visa extension form. Your dependants will each have to complete for PBS (Dependant) and if applying at the same time as the student, will pay a fee of £50.

For further information on how to extend your visa and documentation required see www.ukcisa.org.uk.

For further information visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk. This is the UK government’s website and offers all the information you need to complete your visa application. We strongly recommend that you read all the information on this website before making your visa application.

UKCISA (Council for International / Student Affairs) is an independent, non-profit organisation committed to promoting educational mobility and providing support to international students and the professionals who work with them. UKCISA provides expert information and guidance on key topics and answers many queries from prospective students from all over the world. We highly recommend that you look at UKCISA’s website www.ukcisa.org.uk.