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Student Route Visas

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If you require a visa to study in the UK, and your studies are for more than six months you will need to apply for a Student Route visa.

You can find information on the Student route visa below. You can also view our Applying for Visa video here.

If you are a current student you can access the Help and Support section of your Student Portal for information.

Do you need a Student Route Visa?

If you are unsure if you need a visa to study in the UK you can check by entering your details on the GOV.UK website. This tool will tell you if you need a visa and if it is a Student Route visa. 

Documents to provide with your Student Route application

Depending on your course, and if you have studied in the UK before you will have to provide the following: 

  • Confirmation of Acceptance or Studies (CAS) 
  • Passport 
  • Biometrics Residence Permit (BRP) – if you have a current UK visa 
  • Financial Evidence – if applicable (The University will ask students to provide financial evidence of outstanding fees and maintenance requirement even if they have been in the UK for 12 months or more when making an in-country visa application inside the UK)
  • Qualifications used to meet the course requirements - You should refer to your CAS to ensure you provide the correct qualifications 
  • ATAS Certificate (this will be stated in your offer if required) – information about ATAS applications and how to apply can be found here 
  • Tuberculosis (TB) testing evidence (if required). 
  • Any English Language evidence as listed on your CAS
  • Official translations of any documents not in English 
  • Under 18 consent form – if you are under 18 years of age 

If you are a national of one of the exempt countries listed here, the Home Office specifies that you can be considered under the differential evidence requirement. 

While this means that you do not need to send financial and educational qualification documents with your visa application, you must still ensure that you obtain them ahead of applying. This is because the Home Office can request the evidence as part of their decision process and they will refuse your application if you are unable to provide it within the specified time-frame. 

You will still have to send your original passport and all other relevant supporting documents.  

Student Route Requirements

To apply for the Student Route you must meet the requirement of 70 points:

Points Type  Relevant requirements Number of points
 Study
  • CAS for studies requirement – given to you by Northumbria University
  • Course requirement
  • Qualification requirement
  • Level of study requirement
  • Place of study requirement
 50
 

Financial 

  
  • Relevant evidence that you have funds covering any unpaid fees and maintenance 
  10
 English  
  • English qualification at CEFR B2 or above* 
  10

*offers may require an English qualification higher than CEFR B2 

For more information on eligibility and how to meet the requirements, visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) pages. 

Student Route Responsibilities

Once you have your Student Route visa and are studying in the UK, there are certain responsibilities which both yourself and the University must meet.

 
 

Your Responsibilities  

  

University Responsibilities 
To provide the University with a copy of your passport and visa/biometric ID card when this information is requested once you arrive in the UK. To take and keep copies of the passport and visa/biometric ID cards for students who are non EEA nationals.
To keep your contact details in the UK up to date via the Student Portal. Hold copies of all documents used to assess the student’s suitability for the academic programme prior to making the offer.
To register for your course on time. To ensure contact details are up to date and to keep a record of any changes of address.
To study whilst you are in the UK –ensuring that you have good attendance on your course and no significant gaps or absences. To check registration and to report non-enrolment to the UKVI.
To follow University processes if you decide that you would like to defer or suspend your studies or withdraw from your course. To monitor attendance and engagement and to report on any unauthorised non-attendance to the UKVI.
To return home if you stop studying in the UK for example if you defer or suspend your studies, withdraw from your course or your course is terminated. To monitor changes of status and to report deferrals, suspensions, withdrawals and course exclusions (including financial exclusions) to the UKVI.
To notify the UKVI by email if you change your course or your Education Provider i.e.Northumbria University to another approved provider after you arrive in the UK. For visas issued on or after 5th October 2009, it will be a criminal offence to register for studies at an institution other than the one shown on the visa  
To observe the Immigration Rules and not to work more than 20 hours a week during University term time, or the hours stipulated in your visa. To notify the UKVI of any significant changes in your circumstances such as a change of course or the successful completion of your course where this is earlier than expected.

Visa Processing Times

The busiest time of the year for the Home Office is the summer period, therefore you should submit your Student Route visa application as soon as you have received your CAS letter and gathered the correct documentation.

Please do not travel to the UK until you have received your Student Route visa and only travel from or after the first date that visa is valid.

Once you have submitted your visa application online, the waiting time starts when you either:

  • Attend your appointment and provide you biometric information at the visa application centre.

  • Verify your identity using the UK immigration: ID check app. This will depend on the visa you apply for; you will be advised by the Home Office whether you can use this.

You should receive a decision on your application within 3 weeks after you have attended your visa appointment or verifying your identity using the ID check app, however, this could be longer during busy periods.  

Always check with your visa application centre how long their processing times are. Due to higher demand than usual over the summer could mean that there may be a delay in processing your visa application.

Please note that priority and super priority visa services refer to the visa processing times and do not account for the time it takes for your documents to arrive at the Visa application centre for collection.

We understand that delays to your visa application process can be distressing, however we advise that you do not apply for a Visitor visa to travel as you are unable to switch from this visa into the Student Route from within the UK.

Once you have received your visa decision and you have booked your flights please visit our Meet and Greet Service web page for further information. This service is open to new students who are arriving at Newcastle airport prior to the start of their course.

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