Students Visa for reaching UK

Visa Description

There are two student categories under Tier 4 of the points-based system:

Tier 4 (General) student – This category is for students coming to the UK for higher education and the applicant must be at least 16 years old.
Tier 4 (Child) student – This category is for children between 4 and 15 years old coming to the UK for their education. Children between 4 and 15 years old can only be educated at independent fee-paying schools.

If you are enrolled in a bachelors degree program or higher at a UK college that is listed on both the official ‘UKBA Sponsor list’ and the list of ‘recognised bodies’, you are allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week and work full-time during vacations or summer holidays.

Cost of Visa

The fee for the Tier 4 general visa is £310, which converts to approximately Rs 32,000. The methods of payment are stated below.

Online using either a MasterCard or Visa card
Through demand draft at the visa application center and selected branches of Standard Chartered Bank.
Through Cash at the visa application center and selected branches of Standard Chartered Bank.

Documents

Student visa requires you to carry a lot more documents than you would for a tourist visa, by comparison. You need the mandatory documents along with supporting documents of financial and academic records. Make sure you refer to this checklist before going to the consulate for the visa interview.

You should have the following documents before applying:

A completed student visa application form
A letter of acceptance on the course - Your approved education provider will give you an acceptance letter (CAS) and a visa letter which are official and unconditional offers of a place on a course of study. The visa letter must be issued no more than six months before you apply. The applications where the visa letters are older than six months will be refused.
Having a visa letter does not guarantee the application will be successful. The applicant must meet all the requirements of the category and any other requirements of the immigration rules.
Proof of funds - The money you need to show covers your course fees for your first year of study and living costs for up to a maximum of nine months. The amount you will need depends on whether you are applying as a child or adult and also whether you will be studying in or out of London. You must show that you have held the money for at least 28 days. The end of that 28 day period must not be more than one month before the date of your application.

You must show the following amount of money to meet basic living costs (not including fees) for a period of up to nine months: £800 per month if you are living in London; £600 per month if you are living outside London.

Visa fees payment confirmation receipt
Pay slips
Original mark sheets/provisional certificates
Score sheet of exams like TOEFL, GMAT, IELTS etc.

How to Apply

There are several steps to apply for a visa. UK student visa applications are processed within three weeks of the completed application being lodged.

Step 1 - Check if you qualify

You must be able to show that you have:
A confirmed place at the school, university or college where you intend to study. It is called a ‘confirmation of acceptance for studies’ (CAS).
Enough money (also known as ‘maintenance or funds’) to cover your course fees and living costs in the UK.

Step 2 - Get your documents ready

Step 3 - Apply online

You will need to register and create an account on the official UK Visa website.
When you have completed your online application form, you will need to print and sign your completed form. You must use the online appointment calendar to book an appointment at the visa application center. When you have completed your online application, you will receive an email message containing your application number.

Step 4 - Pay your application fee

There are 4 ways to pay your visa application fee.

Payment at Standard Chartered Bank - You can pay your fee at some branches of the Standard Chartered Bank. The bank will issue a demand draft in favor of the 'The British High Commission'.
Demand draft from a nationalized or foreign bank - You can pay your fee by getting a demand draft issued by a nationalized or a foreign bank. Bank charges for this service will vary. The demand draft must be in favor of the 'The British High Commission’.
Payment at the visa application center - You can pay the visa application fee at the visa application center when you submit your visa application.
Pay online - You can pay your visa application fee online using a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card.

Step 5 – Visit the visa application center on the appointed date

You must book and attend an appointment at the visa application center to submit your application and facial photograph and fingerprints.

Note: UK immigration minister James Brokenshire announced a priority visa service for Indian applicants by March 1, 2016. UK Visas and Immigration will now issue student visas within 3-4 working days under this super-priority scheme.

Dependents

Wife or children get a Dependent Visa for the same duration as the primary applicant. This is applicable for Master's degree application only. Undergraduates cannot take dependents with them to the UK.

If you have a Student visa, your dependents apply as 'dependent of a Points Based System migrant'. Each dependent completes a separate application form and pays a separate fee.

Along with your own maintenance funds, you need to show an additional £600 for each dependent for each month that you are applying for up to a maximum 9 months' maintenance funds. You can use a scholarship to cover the maintenance funds for your dependents if you already have got a scholarship. The scholarship letter must state that funds are also intended for your dependents.

Additional Information

From April 6, 2012, Tier 1 (Post-study work) was closed to new applicants. So technically you don't get Post Work Visa with Student Visa. But if you want to work there after your studies, then you need to apply for Tier 2 visa which is meant for Highly Skilled Workers. So along with your student visa, you don’t get a work permit. You need to apply for a work visa separately.

Your spouse may work in the UK if the grant of leave is for more than 12 months. If your visa was granted for a period of fewer than 12 months or you are participating in a course of study below degree level, your spouse will not be allowed to work in the UK.

Where to apply

The process of getting a Tier 4 visa is completely online. Below is the link where you can fill the form –

Online visa application form

For Biometrics interview you need to visit the VFS global’s visa application centres–

Delhi -
Upper Ground
Floor, S-2 Level,
International Trade
Tower, opposite Satyam Cinemas, Nehru Place,
New Delhi 110019

Check the list of all visa application centers

UK Embassy and Consulates addresses-

1. British High Commission New Delhi

Shantipath, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110021

2. British Deputy High Commission Mumbai

Naman Chambers,
C/32 G Block Bandra Kurla Complex,
Mumbai
Bandra (East) 400 051

3. British Deputy High Commission Chennai
20 Anderson Road
Chennai 600 006