Canterbury College is a UK Border Agency Highly Trusted Sponsor for the Tier 4 Points Based System, and we are therefore licensed to welcome international students wanting to study in the UK. There are two types of visa for people wanting to study in the UK. A Student Visitor Visa and a Tier 4 Student Visa.

Student Visitor Visa

This visa is ideal for people wishing to study in the UK for short courses at Canterbury College lasting no more than 6 months. The general rules for this visa state:

• You must be aged 18 or over, and you must have been accepted on a course of study with us
• You must support and pay for accommodation for yourself without help from public funds
• You must leave the UK at the end of the visit and you must be able to meet the cost of your return or onward journey.
• You must not: take employment in the UK (including part-time or full-time vacation employment); engage in business, produce goods or provide services within the UK (including selling goods or services direct to members of the public); undertake a work placement or internship (paid or unpaid) as part of your course of study; extend your stay in the UK;; receive private medical treatment; or  be in transit to a country outside the common travel area (the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).

There is also a Child Visitor Visa for students under 18. For full and current information, please refer to the UK Border Agency website using this link: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/student-visitors 

Do you need a Tier 4 Student Visa?

You can study in the UK without needing to apply for a student visa if:

• you are a national of a country in the EU/European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland;
• you are a British overseas territories citizen, unless you are from one of the sovereign base areas in Cyprus;
• you are a Commonwealth citizen with permission to enter or stay in the UK because at least one of your grandparents was born here; or
• you have no conditions or time limit attached to your stay.

However, there may be restrictions on your ability to work during your studies if you are a national of a country that joined the European Union in or after 2004. Please note that although you may not require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK to study with us, you may still be classified as an Canterbury College is fully licensed by the UKBA to sponsor overseas students who wish to study at its premises under the new initiative called Points Based System (PBS Tier 4). As part of our sponsorship of students, we are required to report any unauthorised absences, so all international students will have to abide by our attendance monitoring procedures. 

Please note that this information is correct at time of compilation, but is subject to change. For the most accurate information please refer to the UK Border Agency visa website or ask your immigration consultant.

How Long Can you Stay?

What you need to do to apply

Under the current points based system (PBS) you need 40 points to be able to apply for a student visa and you must provide the proof needed along with your application form.

You must be able to prove that the money you need to apply has been in your account for at least 28 days before your application is submitted.

Money Needed

The money that you need includes course fees and monthly living costs.

Cost of a Tier 4 Student Visa

The student visa application fee depends on where you apply from.

Acceptable Level of Course

You can take courses that lead to an approved qualification and are:

• Approved at level 3 or above on the National Qualifications Framework (if below level 6, the institution needs to be a UK Border Agency Highly Trusted Sponsor under the Tier 4 Points Based System)
• An English Language course at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

If you need to apply for a Tier 4 Student Visa, and you have received an offer from us, we will send out a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies letter (also known as a CAS) once we have received your 50% course fee deposit. This shows that we are “sponsoring” your visa application and it will show all the information that the Home Office requires including how much you have paid us and which documents we looked at to make sure that you are able to successfully complete the course (for example English Certificate, High School Diploma). You will need this document to start gathering together your papers for your Visa application after you have.

Ensure you know what is required before you apply for a course. This way you will not be surprised by any requests the Visa Office makes. Information changes frequently and sometimes without notice. While we have endeavoured to ensure the information is current and correct, we recommend that for the most up-to-date information, you visit the UK Border Agency website  at http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk or consult your immigration specialist.

Working Restrictions

If you are successful in your visa application, there are likely to be restrictions on the number of hours you are able to work while in the UK. As an adult student under Tier 4 you are allowed to:

• work part-time during term time . (Students studying at degree level or studying a foundation degree course will be able to work for 20 hours per week. If you study any other level of course you will be able to work 10 hours per week;)
• work full-time during vacations;
• do a work placement as part of your course provided it does not amount to more than 50% of your course studies and provided you are studying with a Highly Trusted Sponsor institution, such as Canterbury College;
    

For full information check: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/conditions/ which will have the fullest information.