You gained admittance to a UK university as a result of your hard work. But before packing your bags, you need to make sure you have the important paperwork ready.
Applying for a visa
International students from outside the UK must follow the UK student visa process to apply for a student visa if starting a full-time degree course in the UK. Students can not apply a student visa for part-time courses and a students’ eligibility is calculated using a point-based system.
Meeting the financial requirements for a Tier 4 visa makes up 10 points of the 40 points required, so it’s important that you understand exactly how much money you need beforehand and can provide evidence that you have enough money to support yourself during your studies.
Money you’ll need to show
UK Visas & Immigration believe you to show the following levels of funds available:
Financial Calculations:
|
Tuition Fees |
1st year’s fees or full course fees if your course is less than 1 year |
|
Living Expenses |
All students will need to show £1015 per month for the duration of their course or 9 months, whichever is shorter towards the Tier 4 visa maintenance requirement |
Dependants
If you have dependants in the UK with you, you will also need to show a minimum of £680 per month (up to a maximum of 9 months) for each dependant. You will usually need proof that you have £6,120 for each dependant for courses of over nine months.
Financial Evidence
Immigration is very strict about the financial documents you need to show you have enough money for your visa. The money you are required to show for your maintenance can be in your bank account, in parent’s accounts or in a joint account with your name. In case you are relying on funds in your parent’s accounts, you must show the following documents:
- Parent’s letter confirming that you are their child and that they will be paying all of your expenses.
- Your original birth certificate
- Your parent’s financial documents
In case you are relying on funds in a family member’s account other than your parents then they will need to transfer the required funds into your account or joint account with your name.
Financial evidence from anyone other than you or your parents will not be accepted by the Home Office except from an official financial or government sponsor. The UKVI define an official sponsor as:
- Your country’s government or the UK government
- British Council
- Any international organisation
- Any international company
- Any university
Required Documents
The home office is very specific and there are strict requirements that these documents required must be produced when requested.
- Bank statements
- Building society passbooks
- Letter from the bank.
- Overseas account statements/letters
- Letter from a financial institution regulated by the Financial Services Authority
- Letter confirming a loan. The loan must be provided by your national government, their state or regional government, a government-sponsored student loan company or part of an academic or educational loan scheme
If any of your documents are not in English then include translations that meet the specific requirements for translations.
The 28-Day Rule
The funds you use for maintenance must be in your account for a consecutive period of 28 days. Your application will be refused if you will not meet the Home Office requirements or this money drop below the required amount even for a single day. Your bank statement must be no more than 30 days old on the date of your application.
Apply for your visa through SI-UK
If you need further assistance applying for a visa to study in the UK, arrange a free consultation today.
I sincerely thank SI-UK for getting me accepted to UCL. The MSc in Urban Development and Planning is extremely competitive, but the right guidance provided by SI-UK made my dream of studying at University College London a reality. The services were exceptional from beginning to end. 
