Students
The are a number of general requirements that have to be met if you wish to enter the UK as an ordinary student:
- You must have been accepted on a course of study by an organisation which is included on the DfES' register of Education and Training Providers (see http://www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister/) and which is a university or a private college.
- The course must be a full-time course. A collection of part-time courses at a number of educational establishments will not be acceptable. 15 hours per week is accepted as "full-time" by the Home Office. However if you enrol on a full-time degree course at a recognised university, or at a private education institution where the degree will be awarded by a recognised UK university, this will automatically satisfy the "full-time" requirements and the hours of study per week will not be investigated by the Home Office.
- You must intend to leave the UK at the end of your course of study. If you are seeking entry for courses that lead to the award of a degree or equivalent, or are a student nurse, postgraduate doctor or dentist, you may not be required to demonstrate an intention to leave the UK on the completion of your studies and should contact us for legal advice and assistance on this issue.
- You must not intend to work in the UK during your studies. However, you may take part- time employment of up to 20 hours a week during term-time and full-time employment during vacations.
- You must be able to meet all your costs without having to work or have recourse to public funds (i.e. claiming any money from the UK government). Evidence of your financial ability to support yourself should be in the form of bank statements, wage slips, employers' letters or similar evidence. Vague, unsubstantiated assertions in letters are not accepted by the Home Office. Evidence may also be necessary to show that funds abroad are transferable to the UK. The costs may be met by you, a sponsoring government or international agency, a parent or close relative, or a sponsor in the UK. Further please note that, although the Home Office allows students to take employment on a part-time basis during term-time and on a full-time basis during vacations, you cannot rely on any such future income trying to prove your ability to meet your costs in the UK.
If you are not yet enrolled on a course in the UK, you may enter into the UK as prospective students if you:
- have genuine and realistic intentions of studying in the UK within six months of the date of your entry;
- intend to leave the UK on completion of your studies or on the expiry of their leave to enter if they do not qualify for further stay as an ordinary student or a student nurse;
- can, without working and without recourse to public funds, meet the costs of your
intended course and of your own maintenance and accommodation while making
arrangements to study and during the course.
However, please note that entry as a prospective student may involve a more thorough investigation by the Home Office into your circumstances.
In addition to entry as an ordinary student or as a prospective student, there are other more specific categories of students (e.g. student nurses, doctors, etc) and more detailed legal advice should be sought in such cases.