Study Abroad General Information for Foreign Students

General Information for Foreign Students
Recently, the UK government has announced a new Point Based System to simplify existing immigration rules for international students and crack down on bogus colleges. Educational institutes must now be equipped with a license from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) stating that they can sponsor foreign students to come to the UK. As per the new guidelines, universities and colleges have to take responsibility for their foreign students and report abuses, failing which their license will be cancelled. Thus, educational institutes can now be banned from recruiting overseas students if they deviate from the rules as per the new Points Based System. Educational institutes must now:

Alert the UKBA in case any qualified students fail to enroll in spite of being accepted in the institute

Report to the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in case any student stops their studies

Inform UKBA about unauthorized absences

Maintain updated contact details of international students

Maintain copies of foreign students' passports

• Student Tier information

The new Point Based System has designated the entry of students through two visa routes:

• General Student

All international students planning to come to UK for their post-16 education (class X)

will fall under this category

• Child Student

All international students from 4-16 years of age who will receive their education in the UK independent schools fall under this category

• Student Visa Information

If you want to get your visa processed without any unnecessary delay, make sure that you follow the given instruction and make your study plan accordingly.

To be eligible to apply for a UK student visa, students must now:
Be sponsored by a licensed education institution (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies - CAS)
Obtain an identity card in advance from their sponsoring institute
Have a good academic track record
Demonstrate their ability to financially support themselves and any dependants
apply for a course that leads to an approved level of qualification

• Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

All prospective international students wishing to go to UK for further studies will require an immigration sponsor before applying for visa. This sponsorship has to come from the UKBA licensed educational provider in whose establishment the student is going to be admitted.

• Role of Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) plays a major role in your visa application because:

a) It is a confirmation from the educational provider about your capability of following a particular study program

b) It is also an assurance by the educational institute that it will be responsible for you during your entire period of stay in their establishment

c) The UKBA does not allow any international students to apply for visa without the CAS. This rule is in compliance with the new Point based System

However, do take note that CAS does not guarantee a visa.

• Selection of educational institute and course:

As per the new Point Based System, the course that you apply for must fulfill at least one of the given criteria. Your study program should be:
A recognized full-time degree course
A course that includes minimum 15 hours of weekly organized daytime study
A full-time course conducted by an independent fee paying school
A study /research program longer than 6 months which forms part of an overseas degree course

As per the UKBA rules, the institute that you are applying to must be a:
A publicly funded institution (university/college) of higher education with maintained records of enrolment and attendance which are readily available to the UK Border Agency, or
A genuine private education institution, or
An independent fee-paying school

In addition to the above mentioned requirements, you should also be able to prove:
Your intention to join and complete a chosen course
Your intention to leave the United Kingdom after you complete your studies

Note: If you are interested in a study program of maximum six months duration, it is possible that you may qualify for entry under the new category of student visitor.

• Financial Proof

International students will have to provide proof of their financial ability to sustain themselves and their dependants without relying on public funds or having to work during their study period. Details are given below:

• Students on a course of less than 12 months

Tuition fee for the entire course
800 per month as living expense for the entire period of stay

• Students on a course for more than 1 year

Enough funds to pay the first year tuition fee
9,600 to cover the one year living expense in UK

• Students with dependants

Sufficient funds to cover their tuition fee
535 per month for each dependant for the entire period of stay

On the basis of your CAS and financial documentation proof, you will be allotted the following points:
Stages
Points Allotted

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
30

Maintenance and Funds Test (General Students)
10


Custom regulation and entry rules for foreigners are subject to frequent changes. If you want to receive updated immigration and visa information, register with StudyPlaces.

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Study Abroad :- New Student Visa System for UK

• New Student Visa System for UK

United Kingdom has introduced a new points-based assessment for those students who aspire to study in UK and seek a student visa.

Effective from March 31, 2009 UK is bringing a new student visa system called 'Tier 4' of the Points Based System (PBS). In this applicants need to score 40 points in order to qualify for a student visa - 30 points for a visa letter issued by a licensed sponsor and 10 points for showing you have enough money to cover your course fees and living costs (maintenance). The visa letter should not be more than six months old.

The visa letter is an 'unconditional offer' from an education provider (university/college). It shows that the education provider will act as the student's 'immigration sponsor,' and is confident that he/she is capable of doing the course of study for which he/she has applied, and accepts responsibility for the student while he/she is in the UK.

As a result of the new visa new system which includes visa letter, students will be tied to one education provider. So, while students may still receive multiple visa letters, they can use only one to apply for the visa. If the student wants to change institutions after obtaining the visa, he/she would need to take permission from the UKBA (United Kingdom Border Agency).
The 'Tier 4' system is said to be simpler, more objective and more transparent.

• Highlights of new visa system

Educational institutions in the UK will need to take full responsibility of students who go there to study; this will be far greater degree of responsibility than before. Institutions will have to make a judgment on an individual whether he/she is capable of pursuing the chosen course. The new system will help to weed out bogus students and facilitate genuine applications.
Under Tier 4, it will be checked whether university/college is taking the onus of ensuring a prospective student's ability and English language proficiency.
Any institution that wants to sponsor foreign students will have to get a licence from the UKBA, which is an agency of Home Affairs that is responsible for protecting the UK border. Therefore, students must study with an education provider that is registered with the UK Border Agency as being permitted to recruit international students.
The visa officer will mainly be responsible for checking whether the student is capable of financing his/her study and stay in the UK.

Many students receive multiple offer letters, which makes it increasingly difficult to keep track of which university/college they eventually enrol in. But, with the new visa tying a student down to a specific university/college, this will no longer be the case. This will further ensure that those going to the UK on a student visa are, in fact, there to study.

The new system will ensure students are going to study and pay for credible institution/university in the UK, as only education providers approved by UKBA will be able to provide visa letters. It will also prevent unscrupulous colleges from misleading overseas students.

• Work visa

Students who successfully complete a Bachelor's programme or higher degree can apply for a work visa under Tier 1 (post-study and highly skilled workers), within a year of graduating. This allows them to stay and work in the UK for another two years.
Also, it is not necessary for the student to return to India as the application for switching from a 'student visa' to a 'work visa' can be made while in the UK itself.

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Study Abroad :- Study in the United Kingdom, General Information

• What is the Application Procedure for UK?

You need to apply through UCAS (University College Admission Services). Through this application form you can apply to maximum 5 universities of your choice with an application fee of £ 15. UCAS forms should be ideally submitted before 15th December of the preceding year. Students can start applying even if they have received their final results. However, even after 15th December, applications can still be processed in the normal way until 30th June. After that, applications will be handled through "Clearing Process".


Note: For Oxford and Cambridge
Students must apply before 15th October of the year preceding their year of proposed entry
There are specific forms to be filled and sent to the universities
You cannot apply to both the colleges in the same academic year
For entry into Oxford, Cambridge and London University, "A" level results are required. This in the Indian context would mean one year in college after 12 years of education

Postgraduate Programs

For Postgraduate programs, you can apply through the regular University application form of colleges of your choice. For Masters very few universities have an application fee.

Application Requirements:
Academic Records
Standardized Tests
Work Experience Details
Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose (SOP)

For management programs, there are separate application forms for each university. Few universities may also charge application fee. Along with the above mentioned documents, you also need to submit Personal Essays and Resume to the University.

• What are the Visa Application Requirements?

To be eligible for Visa, applicants need to fulfill the criteria of the Points Based System (PBS) which is a system for managing migration for those wishing to enter the UK for work or study. The first stage of Tier 4 (General) Student and Tier 4 (Child) Student rolled-out on 31 March 2009. If you are overseas, you have the option of applying online.

To qualify for Tier 4 of the PBS, you must be able to demonstrate that you have adequate tuition fee and funds to support yourself and any dependants during the period of your stay. The maintenance amount for the main applicant is calculated at £ 800 per month, if you intend to study in the Inner London Boroughs; and £ 600 per month, if you intend studying elsewhere. For courses of up to nine months duration, you will be required to show that you have the full tuition fee plus the appropriate monthly amount for the entire period of your stay in UK.

On a course of more than nine months, you will be required to show that you have the first year of the tuition fee plus either £ 7, 200 or £ 5, 400 depending on whether you intend to study inside or outside of the Inner London Boroughs.

These amounts must be held in your personal bank account for a minimum period of 28 days. The end of that 28 day period must not be more than one month before the date of your application, for which you must show bank statements/other evidence.

If you apply before 1st June 2009, you will only need to show proof that you have the money needed, on the day that you apply. You must also provide the correct documents to support your application. If you are under 18 years of age, you need to have the sponsor.

You should complete application form VAF9 with your personal details. You will need to give a full-face digital photograph as well as your biometric details which include a scan of all ten fingers. You will need to provide your biometric details in person. The whole procedure should take no more than five minutes to complete. Your visa application will not be processed until you have met this requirement.

• How much does UK education costs?

Undergraduate course: GBP 8, 000- GBP 13, 000 per annum approx

Postgraduate course: GBP 8, 000 - GBP 15,000 per annum approx

MBA: GBP 6,000 - GBP 45, 000 per annum approx

• What are the Living Expenses?

London GBP 8,000 - GBP 8, 500 per annum approx

Areas apart from London GBP 5,500 -7,000 per annum approx

In Scotland: GBP 7, 000 - GBP 8, 000 per annum approx

In Wales: GBP 6, 000 -7, 000 per annum approx

• What are the advantages to study in UK?

The advantages of studying in UK are as follows:
It requires only 15 years of education for direct entry into postgraduate program
International students studying at UK institutions are not required to obtain permission from the job centre to take spare time or vacation work
You can apply through one centralized application form for undergraduate courses
Generally no application fee charged for postgraduate courses
Most undergraduate degrees take only three years while postgraduate degrees take one year; thus, you spend less time away from home and less money on course fees
UK qualifications are recognized and respected worldwide
There is a high success rate for international students in the UK education system
Health insurance is free to students who are studying in UK for six months or more
You can stay for one year in UK after the course and look for a suitable job
Easy Visa rules for international students

• Can I work whilst I am studying?

Yes, as a International student you are allowed to work part-time for 20 hours per week in UK.

• Can I stay in UK to work after I have finished studying?

Yes, you can stay and work in UK after finishing your studies.

• Are Scholarships available?

Yes, UK offers a number of private and government scholarships for international students. Some universities also provide scholarships for specific programs. However, scholarship grants are very competitive and available on merit basis.

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