Points Based System
On 31 March 2009, a new student visa system was introduced in the UK, called Tier 4 of the Points Based System (PBS).
The intention behind the new system is to base visa decisions on objective rather than subjective criteria. In other words, a student will be granted a visa if they can demonstrate they have enough points (40 points in total).
- 30 points will be awarded for having a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) – a valid offer of a place at a UK educational institution.
- 10 points will be awarded for having enough Maintenance Fees – money to live on in the UK and pay tuition fees.
Types of visas
There are two types of student visa under Tier 4:
- General Student Visa (GSV)
- Child Student Visa (CSV)
English UK members act as sponsors of students holding these visa types.
The Student Visitor Visa, Extended Student Visitor Visa, Child Visitor Visa and Prospective Student Visa are not part of Tier 4 and have a different set of rules. However you may wish to recommend these visas to your students depending on what course they intend to study and what their future plans are.
The following table summarises the key advantages and disadvantages of a GSV (Tier 4 visa) and a SVV, and may be useful when deciding which visa is most appropriate.
|
General Student Visa |
Student Visitor Visa |
| Any course duration | For a maximum of 6 months (or 11 months if applying for an Extended Student Visitor Visa) |
| Can extend visa in UK | Cannot extend visa in UK |
| Can work (10-20 hours in term-time depending on course level, full-time in holidays) but only if studying at a publicly funded institution | Cannot work |
| Costs £289 | Costs £78 |
| Applicant must be CEFR level B1 or above | No minimum English requirement |
| Ties the student to the sponsor institution (students cannot change schools without making a new visa application) | Students are free to change institution or course |
| Sponsor institution must be accredited AND on the UKBA Register of Sponsors | Sponsor institution must be accredited |
Making an Application
To make an application students should refer to the UKBA website. By following the links and/or prompts you will be able to download the latest application forms and find out where the nearest application centre is located.
Only those currently holding visas in certain categories are allowed to apply for a Tier 4 visa from within the UK. These categories include:
- Tier 4 (GSV and CSV)
- Tier 2
- Prospective Student Visa
- Anyone who still has a student visa that was granted under the pre-Tier 4 rules
It is important to remember that students cannot make an application for a Tier 4 visa:
- more than 3 months before the start of their course
- if their CAS was assigned (created) by their educational institution (sponsor) more than 6 months ago – it expires
- if their CAS has already been used once in a visa application
- if their sponsor decides to withdraw sponsorship and cancels the CAS
Students will need to know what qualifications and test results their sponsor used to assess their suitability for a course, because these documents must be included with their visa application. English UK member centres will provide this information to students.
English UK's activities
While English UK does not provide assistance with making visa applications, we work with member centres and agents to try to influence the UK Border Agency at a policy level.
English UK is part of the UK Border Agency's Joint Education Taskforce and UK Visas User Panel and provides regular feedback to government on the Tier 4 visa system. English UK also responds to UK Border Agency consultations and reviews.
In December 2009, we produced a response to the Tier 4 Review called by the previous Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. We then lobbied the UK Border Agency on behalf of our members. Unfortunately, the decision was made to raise the level of English proficiency required for a Tier 4 visa from A1 to B1 on the CEFR for all courses below degree level. This means that students studying below degree level must now prove that they have reached level B1 when they apply for their visa. This includes students who want to learn English in the UK, although prospective English language students do not need to take one of the UK Border Agency's secure English language tests.
In December 2010, a further review of Tier 4 was announced and a public consultation was published. This consultation is seeking views on a range of possible measures including reducing the number of students who come to study below degree level courses, tightening English language requirements further, and limiting students' entitlements to work and bring dependents.
English UK will again be producing a response to this consultation, and will continue to lobby and represent the interests of both our members and agents to Government and the UK Border Agency, to ensure the best possible outcome for the sector.
We will regularly update the English UK website with visa-related information of interest to agents, as well as include updates in our quarterly e-newsletter - English UK News.
You can also check our news column for all the latest updates.
Downloads
To download English UK's essential information for agents as a printable document, please click here.
