Visa Information

Writtle University College is a Licensed Student Sponsor and is classified as a Higher Education Institution (HEI). Our Sponsor Licence number is 4TJPFDP34. As your sponsor we take responsibility for all of our sponsored students while we are sponsoring them, including by doing all we can to ensure that when you are a prospective student that you are a genuine student and that you enroll, comply with your conditions of leave and inform the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) if you do not arrive for the start of your course, you withdraw from your course, you defer or suspend your studies or if you do not attend classes.

To show you have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with Writtle University College we will send you a unique 14 digit reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) once we have offered you a place on a course. You will need this number to apply for your visa. The CAS will not be issued to you, known as being assigned to you, until you have met all the conditions of your offer (if applicable) and we receive your deposit or government sponsorship letter.

Writtle University College will send you a copy of the 'CAS' which we will print and send to you by e-mail if you are applying from outside of the UK. The printed copy of the CAS is not required for your Student application, but it gives you a lot of information that you will need to complete the visa application form and it is also advisable to submit a copy of the printed CAS with your online application as one of the supporting documents. You must check the copy of the CAS carefully as any differences between the information we have given the UKVI and what you provide on the application form could mean that your application is refused.

Application requirements

You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you are over 16 years and you:

• Have been offered an unconditional place on a course by a licensed student sponsor;
• Have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course, known as 'maintenance';
• Can read and write and understand English;
• Have the consent from your parents if you are 16 or 17 years of age and you will need evidence of this in a form of a letter from your parents when you apply.

Visa terminology

• Entry Clearance Applications: This is when you apply outside of the UK in your country of nationality or in your country of residence where you have permission to live other than as a Visitor. You must apply before you travel to the UK and you can only submit and pay for your application once you have been issued a CAS, see below.
• Further leave to Remain in the UK Applications: This is for applications you submit while you are in the UK when you apply to switch into the category of Student from a different immigration category or you apply to extend your leave if appropriate.

Fees

It costs:

• £348 to apply for a Student visa from outside of the UK, an entry clearance application plus £348 for each dependant if appropriate ;
• £475 to extend or switch into a Student visa from inside the UK plus £475 for each dependant if appropriate;
• £19.20 for your Biometric enrolment.

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

As part of your application for a Student visa whether outside of the UK or within the UK you will have to pay a healthcare surcharge called the Immigration healthcare surcharge or IHS, if your course is over 6 months in length from either outside of the UK or from within the UK as part of your immigration application. You must pay the IHS for you and any dependants as part of your online visa application, when you pay the application fee.

You will have to pay:

• £470 per year for a student visa so for a three year course it will be £1,410

You will pay half of the yearly amount if your application includes part of a year that is less than 6 months. You will pay for a whole year if your application includes part of a year that is more than 6 months.

Knowledge of English

You must prove your knowledge of English when you apply.

You can prove your knowledge of English by:

• passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider; or
• having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18

Level of English

You must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to a certain level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

If you are studying at degree level of above the level of English is equivalent to CEFR level B2.

If you are studying below degree level the level of English is equivalent to CEFR level B1

Please see the Writtle University College English Language Requirements page for the latest information on what we will accept as proof of your English language capabilities.

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in one of the following countries or you are a national of one of these countries:

Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Ireland; Jamaica; Malta; New Zealand; St Kitts and Nevis; St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; UK; USA.

You also do not need to prove your knowledge of English if one of the following applies:

• You are a national of Canada;
• You are applying to come to the UK for a study abroad programme as part of a university degree course in the USA; or
• You proved your level of English in a previous visa application.

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts. You must apply before your current visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring. To extend your visa you complete the online form: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/extend-your-visa

You may be able to switch to a Student visa, applying online: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/switch-to-this-visa if you already have permission to be in the UK in another immigration category.

You cannot switch to a Student visa if you are in the UK with a visa under the following categories:

• A visit visa - includes those countries who are non-visa nationals i.e. countries where you do not need a visa to come to the UK as a visitor;
• A short-term student visa;
• A Parent of a Child Student visa;
• A seasonal worker visa;
• A domestic worker in a private household visa;
• Leave outside of the Immigration Rules

If you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you do not need to apply for a visa.

Academic Progression

If you are currently studying in the UK, you will usually need to show your studies will be at a higher academic level than your current course.

Your new course must be one of the following:

• At a higher academic level than your current course;
• At the same level and related to your previous course or career aspirations - it must be degree level or above
• Intercalated to a medicine, dentistry or medical science course you started studying under your Student visa (including a Tier 4 (General) student visa).

You do not need to show your studies are at a higher level if you are doing one of the following:

• Re-sitting exams or repeating modules;
• Applying for the first time to the University to complete a course you started at another institution that lost its student sponsorship licence;
• Applying after working as a student union sabbatical officer to complete a qualification you started studying under your last Student visa (including a Tier 4 (General) student visa);
• Continuing your medical, dentistry or medical science degree after completing an intercalated course;
• Applying to extend your stay to complete your studies because you have done, or want to do, a work placement or study abroad programme.

You apply online and complete an online application form https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/apply

The earliest you can apply is 6 months before you start your course.

Some people will need to register with the police after arriving in the UK with a visa or after extending their leave in the UK. If you need to register with the police you must do so within 7 days of you arriving in the UK if you applied for a visa from outside of the UK or getting your BRP if you applied from within the UK.

If you applied outside of the UK

Check the vignette (endorsement) in your passport. If it states 'Police Registration' or 'Register with police in 7 days of entry' on it, then you must register. If you do not register your permission to stay in the UK might be shortened and you'll have to leave the UK.

After you register, the police will give you a registration certificate. Keep it while your visa or permission to stay in the UK lasts so that you can prove you are registered with the police; you can tell the police if your details change; return to the UK if you travel and apply to extend your leave in the UK.

If you lose your certificate, you will usually need to register again.

Maintenance

You must have enough money to pay for your course and support yourself in the UK. How much money you need depends on your circumstances and what you are applying for.

Course Fee

You need enough money to pay for your course for 1 academic year (up to 9 months). The amount you need to pay will be on your CAS. If you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, (it does not have to have been a Student visa, you can have switched from another immigration category), you do not need to prove you have this money for your visa application.

The Financial Requirement - Money to support yourself

You need to show you have enough money to support yourself unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application. (The date of your application is when you pay the application fee)

You will need £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses at Writtle University College as we are situated outside of London.

If you are applying for the Doctorate Extension Scheme and you have been in the UK for less than 12 months, you need to prove you have a total of £2,046 for your course.

You must have this money for at least 28 consecutive days with the end date of the 28 day period dated no more than 31 days of the date you apply for your visa. For example if you submit your application on 1 September you would have to show that the money was in your bank account for at least the 28 day period ending on 1 August.

If you have a student loan or financial sponsorship you will need to provide evidence of this from your loan or sponsorship company.

Read the guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.

You do not need to prove the financial requirement if you have had a UK visa for 12 months prior to the date of your Student visa application if you are in the UK when you apply. You also do not need to meet the requirement if you are applying as a student union sabbatical officer.

Applying from a country listed under the 'differential evidence requirement'

You do not need to prove you have enough money to support yourself if you’re a British national overseas or from one of the following countries or territories:

Australia; Austria; Bahrain; Barbados; Belgium; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei; Bulgaria; Cambodia; Canada; Chile; China; Croatia; Republic of Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; The Dominican Republic; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Japan; Kazakhstan; Kuwait; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macao; Malaysia; Malta; Mauritius; Mexico; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Oman; Peru; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Serbia; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; South Korea; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Taiwan; Thailand; Tunisia; United Arab Emirates; and United States of America.

However you might still be asked to provide the evidence before a decision is made on your application. You still have to ensure you have the required evidence to show you meet the financial requirement.

If you bring dependants with you, your partner or children you will also need to show you have enough money (£680 per month for up to 9 months for each dependant), to cover their living costs. To bring dependants with you, you must be one of the following:

• A full-time student on a postgraduate level course (RQF level 7 or above) that lasts 9 months or longer;
• a new government-sponsored student on a course that lasts longer than 6 months; or
• a Doctorate Extension Scheme student.

You will need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply such as a marriage or civil partnership certificate for your partner and a birth certificate for your child.

If you are applying at the same time as your partner or child (so you are applying together as a family) you will need to prove you have both money to pay for your course and to support yourself and additional money for each of your dependants.

If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you, (they are applying separately, they only need to prove they have money to support themselves. They must have had this money for at least 28 consecutive days with the end date of the 28 day period within 31 days of the date they apply for their visa.

If you have a student loan or financial sponsorship you will need to provide evidence of this from your loan or sponsorship company. If your loan does not cover your partner or child you will need to prove you have money to support them.

If they have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months they do not need to prove they have this money. If you and your partner or child are from a country listed under the 'differential evidence requirement', please see above, they do not need to prove they have money to support themselves.

However, if they do not have to prove they have the required amount of money to support themselves, they may still be asked to provide this evidence before they get a decision on their application. They would be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) if they do need to provide it after they have submitted their application.

Dependants applying outside of the UK

Your partner and child must apply online:

• apply online as your partner
• apply online as your child

They will need your application number which you get when you apply, called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You will find it on e-mails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

As part of their application, they will need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre to get a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).

If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.

Apply inside the UK, to extend their visa or to switch

You can apply for your partner or child's visa at the same time as you extend or switch your own visa. If you cannot apply at the same time, your partner or child can apply to extend or switch their visas at a later date but it must be done before their current visa expires.

Your partner and child must apply online. They must either:

• apply as a partner
• apply as a child

They will need your application number which you will get when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

As part of their application, they’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide their biometric information (fingerprints and a photo).

They will also need to submit their supporting documents. They can:

• upload them into the online service;
• have them scanned at their UKVCAS appointment;

Your partner or child cannot apply to switch in the UK if they have one of the following visas:

• A visit visa;
• A short-term student visa;
• A parent of a Child Student visa;
• A seasonal worker visa;
• A domestic worker in a private household visa.

They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. If they do their application will be treated as being withdrawn.

Fees

Each person will need to pay £475 for the visa and also pay the immigration healthcare surcharge - check how much they’ll have to pay. They may also need to pay £19.20 each to have their biometrics taken.

Accepted financial evidence for your application and your dependants' applications

Evidence to show you meet the financial requirement can be shown by:

• An official financial or government sponsorship or grant;
• A student loan from a government, government sponsored loan company or a regulated student loans scheme;
• Your own money;
• Your parent's money (they will need to provide a letter confirming their agreement);
• Your partner's money if your partner is present in the UK or applying at the same time.

Evidence not accepted to show you meet the financial requirement

• Overdrafts;
• Bitcoin savings;
• Stocks and shares;
• Pensions;
• Bank accounts that are not regulated by the financial body in the country you are applying from;
• Bank accounts that do not use electronic record keeping.

Control of the funds

You, or the account holder, if the evidence is in your parent's or partner's name, must have control of the funds you are relying on. The funds can be held in any form of personal or building society account including: a current account; deposit account; savings account; pension savings; investment account.
Cash must be in an account that allows you immediate access. Funds must have been acquired legally and if you were in the UK you must not have earned them while working illegally.

Evidence of the funds

If you are using your own money or your parent's or partner's money you will need to provide evidence to show you have the required amount of money in an account. This evidence can be:

• Bank statements showing the date the statement was issued; your name, or your parent's or partner's if in their name; the name of the bank or building society and the balance on the account, which should be dated no more than 31 days before the application is submitted.
• Building society passbooks;
• Certificates of deposit;
• A letter from you bank or building society

You can provide a download of electronic bank statements as long as it has the above information. You do not need to have these statements stamped by the bank.

If the money is held in a foreign currency this will be converted into pound sterling (£) using the spot exchange rate on OANDA for the date of application.

The amount of money you have to show

Your CAS will show your course fees. The amount of money to show you can support yourself and any dependants are as stated above. (You - £1,023 for each month of the course up to a maximum of 9 months, £680 for each month for up to a maximum of 9 months for each dependant)

How long you can stay as a Student in the UK depends on the length of your course and what study you have already completed.

• If you are aged over 18 years and the course is at or over degree level you can usually stay in the UK for up to 5 years.
• If you are aged over 18 years and the course is below degree level you can usually stay in the UK for up to 2 years.

You will be granted a period of leave depending on the type and length of course as follows:

Working during your studies

If you are studying a full-time course at degree level at Writtle University College then you can work as follows:

• Part-time during term time (up to a maximum of 20 hours per week);
• Full-time during vacation periods including the period before the course starts;
• On a work placement as part of the course; or
• As a Students’ Union Sabbatical Officer for up to 2 years when permission has been granted for this purpose.

If you are studying a full-time course below degree level at Writtle University College then you can work as follows:

• Part-time during term time (up to a maximum of 10 hours per week);
• Full-time during vacation periods including the period before the course starts;
• On a work placement as part of the course; or
• As a Students’ Union Sabbatical Officer for up to 2 years

If you are studying a part-time course at post-degree level then no work is allowed including work placements as part of your course.

These hours are not an average per week. It is very important that you do not at any point during term time exceed the permitted hours per week. If you do exceed these hours you will be in breach of your Student Visa and your leave may be curtailed.

When you are on your course

• Keep good attendance on your course and comply with the attendance monitoring scheme operated by Writtle University College. Unauthorised absences will be reported to the UKVI.
• Report any change of address or contact details to the College immediately.
• Do not interrupt or defer your studies, change course, college or university without talking to the International Student Advisor about how this could affect your immigration status.
• Do not work more than the hours permitted by your visa.
• Keep your passport and BRP safe. If it is lost or stolen this will need reporting. (Please speak to a member of the Admissions Team).

Changing institution

Think very carefully before choosing your course. If you apply for a course using a CAS provided by Writtle University College your visa will be issued on the basis of that CAS. This will mean that you can only study at Writtle University College with that CAS.