Ravensbourne Tier 4 (General) student visa Application Guidance Immigration and visas. Innovation in digital media and design ravensbourne.ac.

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1 Ravensbourne Tier 4 (General) student visa Application Guidance Immigration and visas Innovation in digital media and design ravensbourne.ac.uk

2 Contents Immigration and visas 2 What is an International Student? Who needs a visa? What is the Tier 4 (General) student visa category? When will I get my CAS? (30 Points) Maintenance Fund Requirement (10 Points) 3 Money to cover your course fees Money to cover your living cost Established Presence What evidence is required a proof of sufficient funds? Can I use overseas account evidence? Bank and Financial Institution Accepted by the Home Office How long do I have to hold the required funds in my account for? Can I use more than one bank account? Can someone financially sponsor me? What evidence do I need to show as evidence of my financial sponsorship? English Language Requirement 6 English Language test Degree taught in English Making a Tier 4 Application 8 When should I make my Tier 4 (General) student visa application? Where should I submit my Tier 4 (General) visa application? What documents must I submit with my application? What s Next 9 Submitting your application Biometrics appointment Credibility Interview English Language Ability Immigration History Education History and Intentions Your knowledge of your course at Ravensbourne Intentions Other Requirements 10 Tuberculosis (TB) Certificate (if applicable) Police Registration Translations For applicants who are already in the UK For applicants who are overseas Additional requirement if you have official financial sponsorship Additional requirement if you are 16 to 17 years old 5-year Cap on Degree Level Study Low risk nationalities Visa Processing Times 12 What should I do next after I received my visa? What should I do if my Tier 4 (General) student visa application is refused? Can I apply for Tier 4 (General) Student Visa inside the UK? 13 When should I extend my student visa? How do I extend my student visa? Visa Application Fee Premium Service Making an appointment Standard Service (Postal Service) Supporting Documents Checklist 15 Contact 16 1

3 Immigration and visas What is an International Student? If you are not an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, you will be classed as an international student and will require a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study at Ravensbourne. However, you will not require a student visa if you currently have permission to be in the UK in a residential category which allows you to study and this permission is valid for the full length of your course. Who needs a visa? Immigration requirements are determined by nationality. If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss passport holder, you will not need a visa to study at Ravensbourne. A non-eu/eea/swiss national wanting to come to the UK to study at Ravensbourne for a course of six months or more must obtain a Tier 4 (General) student visa before travelling to the UK. What is the Tier 4 (General) student visa category? The Tier 4 (General) student visa category is for adult students, aged 16 or over, who wish to study in the UK. In order to obtain a Tier 4 (General) student visa, students must attain a total of 40 points under the UK s Points Based Immigration system, which are defined as follows: 30 Points for a Certificate of Acceptance for studies CAS ) letter issued by a recognised sponsor; and 10 Points for satisfactory finances to support their studies. When will I get my CAS? (30 Points) In order to accept your offer at Ravensbourne, please complete and sign the acceptance form included in the offer letter and send it back to us as soon as possible. If you have applied through UCAS or UKPASS, you will need to accept your offer on the UCAS or UKPASS Track websites respectively. Once you have formally accepted your offer, you may then either pay your course fees in full, or pay a 50% deposit. However, please be aware that you will be eligible for a 5% discount if you pay the fees in full before 1st September In addition, you will also be required to provide the university with your bank statements or financial sponsorship before we can issue you with a CAS. You CAS number will remain valid for six months and can only be used within three months of the start date of your course. Please note that a CAS number can only be used once, if your visa application is refused, you will need a new CAS to re-apply. In the event of a visa refusal, please contact the international admissions team as soon as possible Please also be aware that you cannot use your CAS after the latest joining date of your course, usually two weeks after the course start date. Ravensbourne Checklist to obtain a CAS: You have formally accepted your offer by signing you course acceptance form which can be found on the last page of your offer letter and have sent it to the International Admissions Team; and You have provided all necessary evidence requested by Ravensbourne; and You have provided Ravensbourne with evidence that you have the necessary maintenance funds by way of bank statements for a consecutive 28 day period ending no more than 31 days before the date of your visa application. (please see the UKVI Tier 4 Guidance for more information on money and the documents you can use to meet this requirement) You have either paid your course fees in full or a 50% deposit; and NB, A CAS is usually issued within five working days of having received all of the above information. 2

4 Maintenance Fund Requirement 10 Points Tier 4 (General), if studying in inner London For applications up to and including 30th June 2014: 1,000 per month for up to nine months, for entry clearance applications 1,000 per month for up to two months where the applicant has an established presence in the UK, for leave to remain applications Maintenance Fund Requirement (10 Points) To attain 10 points for your Maintenance Fun Requirement, you must show evidence that you: have paid all or part of your course fees (please see website for more information); and/or are receiving financial sponsorship; and/or Have enough money to cover your living cost and remaining course fee (if applicable) For applications from 1st July 2014 onwards: 1,020 per month for up to nine months, for entry clearance applications 1,020 per month for up to two months where the applicant has an established presence in the UK, for leave to remain applications For a Tier 4 application, you must show UK Visas and Immigration ( UKVI ) you have enough money to pay your course fees for the coming academic year as well as your maintenance to cover your living costs for yourself and your dependants (if applicable). Money to cover your course fees If you are applying to start a new course, you must show that you have enough money to pay for your course fees for the first year of your course (or for the entire course fee, if it lasts less than a year) If you have already started your course at Ravensbourne and you are applying to extend your visa to continue that course, you must show that you have enough money to pay for your course: To the end of the current academic year; or For the next academic year, if you will continue your course at the start of the next academic year. The tuition fees you need to show as evidence to the UKVI will be indicated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). If you are unclear of this information, please contact the International Admissions Team at or fees@ravensbourne. ac.uk to confirm your fees have already been paid. Money to cover your living cost The level of maintenance funds you need to show varies depending on where you intend to study in the UK and on whether the UKVI classes you as having an established presence in the UK or not (see below for clarification on what counts as an established presence). As Ravensbourne is considered an inner London institution, (you can confirm this location by entering Ravensbourne postcode at About my vote ), your maintenance requirements are as follows: 1000 for each month of your course for a maximum of nine months, if you do not have established presence in the UK, for applications up to and including 30th June 2014; or 1000 for each month of your course for a maximum of two months, if you already have established presence in the UK, for applications up to and including 30th June 2014; or 1,020 for each month of your course for a maximum of nine months, if you do not have established presence in the UK, for applications on or after 1st July 2014; or 1,020 for each month of your course for a maximum of two months, if you already have established presence in the UK, for applications on or after 1st July NB, the issue of a CAS is at the discretion of Ravensbourne based on the bona fide evidence provided by the applicant. The UKVI has very specific requirements regarding documents that they will accept as evidence of your finances and this must be studied closely before submitting your application. You will find more information in the UKVI Tier 4 Guidance. NB, One of the most common reasons of students being refused a Tier 4 (General) student visa is the failure to provide financial evidence in the precise format required by the UKVI. Please note that you are not required to provide documentary evidence of finances to the UKVI at the time you submit your application if you are from one of the UKVI s published list of low risk nationalities. However, the UKVI can request this evidence at any time and you will therefore need to keep this documentary evidence at hand just in case it is requested. NB, failure to provide the required evidence if requested will result in your application being refused. 3

5 Established Presence A student is considered to have an established presence in the UK if: he/she has valid entry clearance, leave to enter or leave to remain as a Tier 4 migrant, as a student, or as a postgraduate doctor or dentist when applying for further leave and on the date of application; and at the date of application: has finished a single course that was at least six months long within the applicant s last period of entry clearance, leave to enter or leave to remain, or is applying for continued study on a single course where the applicant has completed at least six months of that course. The above definition of established presence applies for applications made both in the UK and overseas. What evidence is required as proof of sufficient funds? You can use evidence of personal cash funds held in your own or a joint account (where both account holders names appear on the statement) or you can use money held in an account owned by your parents/legal guardian. Please note that the Home Office have strict requirements on what information must be included when submitting your documentary evidence of your funds from your bank. For more information about the required format of bank letters and statements, please refer to the UKVI Tier 4 Guidance. If you will be using your parents /legal guardian s bank account you need to provide the following documents in addition to their bank statement or bank letter: Your birth certificate showing the name of your parents (with translation if required) please refer to the UKVI Tier 4 Guidance for translation requirements. A letter from your parents confirming the relationship between you and them and confirming that they have given their consent to you using the funds to study in the UK. You will need to show evidence of the required funds every day for the 28 consecutive days mentioned above prior to making your application. To avoid problems with the suitability of bank statements, you are advised to request monthly postal bank statements. Can I use overseas account evidence? Yes, the Home Office will accept this evidence provided that the overseas bank and bank statements issued meet the requirements under the UKVI Tier 4 Guidance. If you are using an account that shows foreign currency, you will need to covert the amount of the closing balance of the account using OANDA, the official currency converter the Home Office is uses. Bank and Financial Institution Accepted by the Home Office For the purpose of verifying applicants maintenance funds under the points-based system, The Home Office has published lists of financial institutions in some countries that do not satisfactorily verify financial statements or whose financial statements are accepted. This means that if you submitted any financial statements from a financial institution that appears on the list that are not accepted by the Home Office and your application will be refused. Currently, the list affects financial institutions in Cameroon, India, Ghana, Pakistan, Iran, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The list will be reviewed regularly. Please check the updated list of countries in Appendix P of the Immigration Rules. How long do I have to hold the required funds in my account for? You need to have had the required funds in your account for a consecutive 28-day period not ending more than 31 days before the date of your application. If you are applying from outside the UK, the date of your application is the date you pay your visa fee. This date is also shown on your payment receipt, either a receipt when you pay in person at a visa centre or an online receipt when you apply online. 4

6 Can I use more than one bank account? If you are providing two or more accounts to support you application, the UKVI will assess the funds available to you as being: the closing balance, plus any additional money available to you on the date of the closing balance for which you have provided. The UKVI will always use the closing balance from the account that favours you. Can someone financially sponsor me? Yes, you can be financially sponsored if you are given money to cover some or all of your course fees or living costs. According to the Tier 4 Policy Guidance, you can receive official financial sponsorship from the UK Government, your respective Home Government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or UK independent school. However, if your financial sponsor is only covering some of your fees or living costs, you must show that you have the rest of the money needed for your studies in the UK. What evidence do I need to show as evidence of my financial sponsorship? If you are given Official Financial Sponsorship, you must provide a signed letter of confirmation from your Official Financial Sponsor and it should be on the organisation s headed paper and it must have its official stamp (and/or seal). The letter must show the following information: Your name; and The name and contact details of your financial sponsor; and The date of the letter; and The amount of money your sponsor is giving to you or a statement that your official financial sponsor will cover all your fees and living cost. Ravensbourne will include the details of your Official Financial Sponsorship on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). If you qualify for the differentiation arrangements published by the UKVI and you are considered to be low risk, you are not required to include the evidential documents from this section of your application. You must however, confirm on your application that you meet the requirements and that you hold the documentary evidence in case the UKVI request these documents in support of your application. 5

7 English Language Requirement International applicants whose first language is not English are required to show that they have a certain level of English ability. You will meet the requirement if you are able to show that you: Are a national of an English speaking country; or Have passed and English language test approved by UKVI at the appropriate level; or Hold a degree that was taught in English and is equivalent to a UK bachelor s degree or above standard. National of an English speaking country Nationals of the countries listed below are considered to be from a majority English speaking country and automatically meet the English language requirement. Antigua & Barbuda Australia The Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Dominica Grenada Guyana Jamaica New Zealand St Kitts & Nevis St Lucia St Vincent & the Grenadines Trinidad & Tobago The United States of America To prove you meet the English language requirement, if you are a national nationals of any of the above countries you must submit either your current, original passport, or travel document. English Language test If you any using any of the approved Secured English Language Test (SELT) providers, you must attain the minimum requirement of CEFR Level B2 in each of the four sub-components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening) to study an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Degree, while CEFR Level B1 if you intend to study a Foundation programme. Please check the Ravensbourne website for specific course requirements. Degree taught in English You can be awarded 10 points for a degree taught in English if you have the relevant level of English as shown in the section English Language test above. You must also have an academic qualification (not a professional or vocational qualification) which is considered by the National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UKNARIC): To meet the recognised standard of a bachelors degree (not a masters degree or a PhD) in the UK, and UK NARIC has confirmed the degree was taught or researched in English to level C1 or above of the Council of Europe s common European framework for language learning; or To meet, or exceed the recognised standard of a bachelors or masters degree or a PhD in the UK and is from an educational establishment in one of the countries listed below: Antigua & Barbuda Guyana Australia Jamaica The Bahamas New Zealand Barbados St Kitts & Nevis Belize St Lucia Canada St Vincent & the Grenadines Dominica Trinidad & Tobago Grenada The United States of America Republic of Ireland 6

8 To show you have gained the qualification you must provide either the: Original certificate of the award; or An academic transcript (or original letter for a PhD qualification) from the institution who awarded the qualification, on official headed paper if you: Have not yet graduated after successfully completing the qualification; or No longer have the certificate and the institution who awarded it is unable to provide a replacement. The academic transcript (or original letter for PhD qualification) must show the following details: the applicant s name the name of the institution that awarded the qualification the title of the award confirmation that the qualification has been awarded, and the date the certificate will be issued (if the applicant has not yet graduated) or confirmation the institution is unable to re-issue the original certificate or award. If the applicant is required to be competent in English to level A1 (see rows G and H in the table in the English language test section using the link on the left), 10 points will be awarded for a degree taught in English if the applicant has the relevant level of English language (see link on left: English language test section) and: has obtained an academic qualification (not a professional or vocational qualification) which is considered by UK NARIC to meet or exceed the recognised standard of a bachelors or masters degree or a PhD in the UK provides the documents specified above which show they have the qualification, and provides an original letter from the awarding institution on its official headed paper, which clearly shows: the applicant s name the name of the institution that has awarded the qualification the title of the award the date of the award, and confirmation the qualification was taught in English. All applicants score points if UK NARIC has assessed the degree as being taught in English to C1 level. 7

9 Making a Tier 4 Application When should I make my Tier 4 (General) student visa application? We recommend submitting your visa application as early as possible. Please note, however, that you cannot apply for your visa more than three months before the start date of your course, and it is only possible to apply for your visa after you have been issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) by Ravensbourne. Remember, your CAS is only valid for six months, so, if it has not been used within this six month period, it will be invalid. If you are applying from outside the UK, the date of application is the date you pay your visa fee. This date is also shown on your payment receipt; the official receipt when you pay in person at a visa centre and hand in your documents or an online receipt when you apply online. Where should I submit my visa application? You must make your Tier 4 (General) Student Visa application in your respective home country or from the country where you are officially resident. If you wish to submit your visa application from outside your home country or the country you are officially resident, you will need to contact the British Diplomatic Post to ensure that your application will be processed. What documents should I submit with my application? UKVI have specified that all documents submitted must be original and in English or Welsh otherwise you are required to include certified English translations that can be independently verified by UKVI if necessary. You can check the UKVI Guide to Supporting Documents to help you decide which documents may be useful in supporting the statements that you have made on your visa application form. All Tier 4 (General) student visa applicants will need to complete the VAF9 and Appendix 8 forms. In some countries the VAF9 form is online. Please check the website for more information. Please be advised that before you start to fill in the application form and Appendix 8, you read the Tier 4 Policy Guidance carefully as well as the VAF9 Guidance Notes. If you require more information on how to complete your visa application please do not hesitate to contact our Tier 4 Compliance Officer or the International Admissions team at international@rave.ac.uk. Alternatively, you may seek advice from an immigration adviser/ solicitor to help you out with your application. Student visa applications are usually submitted at a Visa Application Centre, British High Commission or consulate closest to your country. 8

10 What s Next? Submitting your application Once you have completed the VAF9 Application form, Appendix 8 and have gathered all the necessary relevant documents listed on the guidelines, you will need to submit your application to the British Diplomatic Post or Visa Application Centre. For more help on how to submit your application can be found at the UKVI website. Biometrics Appointment All Tier 4 (General) student visa applicants will be required to provide biometric information when submitting their application, the relevant personnel from the British Diplomatic Post or Visa Application Centre will take your photograph, fingerprints and signature. These details are kept on record by the Home Office. Credibility Interview The Home Office have introduced credibility interviews into the Tier 4 (General) student visa application process. Please note, that if you are a low risk national you may not be called for a credibility interview. There are two types of credibility interview. The first type the interview will take place at the same time as you submit your application to the British Diplomatic Post or Visa Application Centre. The Interview will last approximately five minutes. The purpose of this interview is to check your credibility as a genuine student, your reasons for choosing the UK, Ravensbourne and your programme of study. The interview will be via video link with the Home Office in the UK. The Home Office will record it and will send it to the Entry Clearance Officer who will decide on whether a second and more detailed interview at the Embassy is required. If you have been invited by the Entry Clearance Officer to attend an interview at the British Embassy, it could be to check your English language ability, your immigration history, your education history and intentions and/or your financial ability to fund your studies. The information below may help you prepare if you have been invited to attend an interview. English Language Ability In order for the entry clearance officer to assess your English language ability, you must be able to hold a conversation in English to the standard expected on your course without any help or the use of an interpreter. If the Entry Clearance Officer ever asks you if you would like the help of an interpreter, always say No! Immigration History At this stage the Entry Clearance Officer will likely check you immigration history. If you have previously been refused entry to the UK then you may be asked to explain these. If you are unsure about this stage, or if you need further advice before your interview, please contact us at international@rave.ac.uk Education History and Intentions The Entry Clearance Officer may also ask about your previous educational qualifications and how they relate to your chosen course at Ravensbourne. If your previous course does not relate to your current course then you should be able to explain why you have decided to change to a new field of study. If you have had a long break in studying since your last course, you should be able to explain why you have decided to return to education. Your knowledge of your course at Ravensbourne If the Entry Clearance Officer has requested for more information from you about the course you are going to study at Ravensbourne, it is always good idea to read as much as you can about the course in order to be able to answer as many questions as possible. In addition, you should also be familiar with similar courses being offered in your home country and be able to explain why the course at Ravensbourne is better suited to you. Intentions In this stage you should be able to show a clear plan of your future plans and how you think the course at Ravensbourne will help you achieve these goals. 9

11 Other Requirements Tuberculosis (TB) Screening If you are studying in the UK for more than six months, nationals from certain countries have to be screened for TB before applying for a visa to come and study in the UK. The Home Office provides a list of countries where TB testing is mandatory. If you are from one of these countries you will have to get a certificate from an accredited clinic showing that you are free from infectious tuberculosis. If you are required to but have not provided a certificate, you will usually be refused a visa. Police Registration If your visa states that you need to register with the police you must report to them within seven days. This is only required if mentioned specifically on your visa in your passport or stamped in your passport by the Entry Clearance Officer when you arrived in the UK. You must register at your local police station. Registration is a routine procedure and there is no need to worry about it. Translations If any of your documents are not in either English or Welsh, it is imperative that the original must be accompanied with a full translation that can be independently verified by the Home Office. For applicants who are already in the UK If one of your documents is not in English or Welsh, you must send the original and a fully certified translation by a professional translator or translation company. This translation must include: details of the translator or translation company s credentials; and confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document; and the translator or translation company s contact details. It must also be dated and include the original signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company. For applicants who are overseas If you send a document that is not in English or Welsh in support of your application, this document must be accompanied by a full translation that can be independently verified by the Home Office. The original translation must contain: confirmation from the translator or translation company that it is an accurate translation of the original document; and the date of the translation; and the full name and signature of the translator or of an authorised official of the translation company; and the translator or translation company s contact details. If you send a translation of an overseas qualification or award certificate, the UKVI will not consider it as a direct translation of the academic level of that award; the UKVI will always use UK NARIC to assess the equivalency of all overseas qualifications. Additional requirement if you have official financial sponsorship An official financial sponsor is an organisation that wholly supports you to study in the UK by giving you the finances to cover your course fees and your living costs. The UK government, your home government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or UK independent school can be an official financial sponsor. You will need your official financial sponsor s permission to continue studying in the UK as a Tier 4 student if it is currently supporting you (or was supporting you within the past 12 months) to study in the UK as : a Tier 4 (General) or Tier 4 (Child) student; or a student under the Immigration Rules that were in force before 31 March 2009; or a student nurse; or a student re-sitting an examination; or a student writing up a thesis; or a postgraduate doctor or dentist. In addition, you will need to provide UKVI with your financial sponsor s unconditional permission in writing. The financial sponsor must confirm that it has no objection to you continuing your studies in the UK. If the financial sponsor does not give its consent, UKVI will refuse your application. Additional requirement if you are 16 or 17 years old If you are 16 or 17 years old, you have the legal right to live independently in the UK, and you may make your own arrangements for accommodation. However, you will need the permission of your parent(s) or legal guardian if you want to: live independently while you are in the UK; and travel to the UK (if you are applying from overseas). If you will be living independently, you must send UKVI a letter from your parent(s) or legal guardian, confirming: their relationship with you; and that they have given their permission for your application; and that they have given their permission for you to live independently in the UK; and that they have given their permission for your independent travel to the UK. 10

12 If the letter is signed by only one parent or legal guardian, it must confirm that they have legal custody or sole responsibility for you. If they do not have sole custody, the letter must confirm that each parent or legal guardian agrees to the contents of the letter, and must be signed by each parent or legal guardian. 5-year Cap on Degree Level Study On 6 April 2012, the Home Office imposed a time limit of length of time for Tier 4 (General) or General students to study a degree-level programme in the UK. The length of time that you can hold a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa is as follows: You cannot study in the UK on a course that leads to a qualification below degree-level for more than three years in total as a Tier 4 (General) student; and For courses at degree level or above, you must not spend more than five years at this level for a new Tier 4 application. Any time spent in the UK under Tier 4 (or as a pre-tier 4 student) counts towards the five years except for the time given before and after a course. There are some exceptions to the five-year limit: If you have successfully completed a UK degree course which was at least four years long and your Tier 4 application is to study a Master s degree at a higher education institution (recognised body or institution in receipt of public funding), the limit is six years; and If your Tier 4 application is to study a PhD at a higher education institution, there is no limit while you are studying the PhD; and If you have already completed a PhD, any new Tier 4 application is subject to an eightyear limit (including courses below degree level); and Courses in architecture, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and science, or music at a conservatoire are exempt from the limit; and If you have completed a UK degree, and your current Tier 4 application is to study certain legal qualifications (CPE, GDL/LPC or BPTC), the legal qualification is exempt from the limit. UKVI will not grant further leave to someone whose current Tier 4 application means they will exceed these limits, unless there are compelling and compassionate circumstances such as injury or disability. If you require further information, please visit the UKCISA website. Low risk nationalities The Home Office has introduced differentiation arrangements for students of certain nationalities which are considered to be low risk. Applicants who are considered low risk may normally be required to provide fewer evidential documents. However, the Home Office reserves the right to request a full range of documents from you at any point during the application procedure. Failure to provide the requested documents within the specified period may result to your application being refused. Please note that Ravensbourne will still request for you to provide all documentary evidence at the time of your application to us before we can issue you with a CAS in order to make sure that you will be able to provide all the supporting evidence when asked. You will qualify for differentiation arrangements if: You are sponsored by a Highly Trusted sponsor; and You are applying for entry clearance in your country of nationality for leave to remain in the UK; and You are a national of one of the following countries. Argentina Barbados Brunei Chile Malaysia Oman Singapore Trinidad & Tobago Australia Botswana Canada Japan New Zealand Qatar South Korea United Arab Emirates United States of America Your nationality will be confirmed from your passport which you are going to submit to UKVI in support of your application. The differentiation arrangement is reviewed on an annual basis. Please check Appendix H of the Immigration Rules for updates. 11

13 Visa Processing Times The processing time begins when UKVI or one of their commercial partners such as VFS Global, has received your completed application form together with all the supporting documents necessary for your application, biometrics registration and relevant application fee. It ends after a decision has been made on your application and your passport is available for collection. To find out the most recent visa application processing times of the country from which you are applying, use UKVI s Guide to visa processing times. Given the guidelines on the processing times, we highly advise for you not to confirm any travel arrangements to come to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your visa. It is also a good idea for you to check any announcements on the UKVI website section for your respective country. NB, UKVI defines one week as five working days. What should I do next after receiving my visa? Once you have received your visa, you MUST inform us immediately at international@ rave.ac.uk and send a copy of your visa vignette and a copy of your travel confirmation. You will also need to inform us if you require any specific travel arrangements on arrival, such as airport transfer. If you have a visa other than your Tier 4 (General) Student Visa, please ensure that you enter the UK using your Tier 4 (General) student visa, and that your visa vignette is stamped by the Immigration Officer of the date of your arrival. Once you have accepted our offer, we will send an enrolment pack providing you with all the necessary details about enrolment, orientation and induction. Please ensure that you arrive at Ravensbourne in time for enrolment, if not, you must tell us as soon as possible so that we can inform UKVI of your late arrival. Further information on how to prepare for your studies at Ravensbourne is available in our International Student Guide. If you would like Ravensbourne to help you with finding accommodation in London, just us at international@rave.ac.uk with Ravensbourne Accommodation Required in the subject line and state your name, telephone number and course of study. What should I do if my Tier 4 (General) Student visa application is refused? If your visa is refused, you must inform us immediately at international@rave.ac.uk and send us a copy of the refusal decision letter in order for us to advise you accordingly. There is no full right of appeal if you apply for a Tier 4 visa from outside of the UK and your application is refused. However, if you believe the refusal to be erroneous based on the evidence submitted with your application, you can ask for an Administrative Review of the decision to refuse it. There is no fee for this but you must request the Administrative Review within 28 days of the date you receive your refusal notice. You cannot produce additional or replacement documents for Administrative Review. The process is explained in full at Annex 4 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance. You may also wish to seek legal advice at this stage. 12

14 Can I apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa from inside the UK? The Immigration Rules only allow people who were last granted leave in certain immigration categories to make a Tier 4 application from within the UK. These categories are: Tier 4 (General) Student; and Tier 4 (Child) Student; and Tier 1 (Post-study Work) Migrant; and Tier 2 Migrant; and Prospective Student You may also make a Tier 4 application in the UK if you were last granted leave in one of the old immigration categories that were in place before the introduction of the Points Based System: Participant in the International Graduates Scheme (or its predecessor, the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme); and Participant in the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme; and Postgraduate Doctor or Dentist; and Student; and Student Nurse; and Student Re-sitting an Examination; and Student Writing-Up a Thesis; and Student Union Sabbatical Officer; and Work Permit Holder If your current or last grant of leave was not one of the categories listed above then you must return to your home country and apply for a Tier 4 Visa from there. However, there are three exceptions to this Immigration Rule, please follow this link for more information. When should I extend my visa? It is imperative that you apply for your visa before your current permission expires. If you wait until your visa has already expired then you will be classed as an over stayer and you will lose your right of appeal if your application is refused. We highly advise that you begin thinking about your immigration applications at least two months before your visa expires so you have enough time to prepare everything properly, as completing the form and collecting the documents may take some time. Please be aware that the International Office is unable to complete any applications for any applicants. If you are applying for a visa extension because you are starting a new course, please note that you can only apply if your current visa ends within one month of the start of your new course or after it begins. If your current visa ends more than one month before your new course begins, you must return home to apply for a new visa. How do I extend my student visa? You must select to either apply online or apply by post on the on the UKVI website. If you would like the International Office to help you check your application, please international@ ravensbourne.ac.uk and book an appointment. Please note, however, that the International Office is very busy and we may not have appointments available immediately. To avoid disappointment, we recommend that you book your appointment early. Please be advised that it is your responsibility to complete your visa application form as our adviser will not be able to complete it for you. Once you have completed your form you will need to save it in order for our adviser to review your answers on each section. You are also advised to bring all the supporting evidence with you during your appointment, in order for our adviser to cross check your answers with the evidence you have provided. What next? Print and sign your application Scan, save or photocopy your application and all the documents that you will submit to UKVI to support your Tier 4 (General) Student visa application. Once you have completed the above steps, you can choose any of the following services to submit your application to the Home Office. 13

15 Visa Application Fee If you are applying online, you must pay your Leave to Remain Application fee online as part of your application. Please check the UKVI website for more information on Tier 4 Application Fees. Premium Service The premium service is an in-person, appointment based system to apply for Leave to Remain in the UK as a student. This is more expensive than the postal service; however, the main advantage of this service is that if your application is straightforward, you will normally receive a decision on the day of your appointment. Ravensbourne only recommends this service if you have future travel plans as the postal service may take longer and your documents including your passport may not be returned in time. Once you book an appointment for this service, you will be required to give your biometric information which will be taken during your appointment. Making an appointment If you have chosen to use the Premium Service, you will need to book an appointment in advance online. From 5th April 2013, booking appointments are now part of the Tier 4 student print and send application and cannot be done separately. We highly recommend you start your application as early as you can to give plenty of time before your visa expires in order for you to have time to arrange your appointment. When you book your appointment, you will be directed to pay a booking appointment fee of 100 per applicant. Once you have made the payment, an electronic payment sheet will be available for you to download and print. This includes a unique payment reference number. You must bring the payment sheet to your appointment with your signed application form and supporting documents. If you do not bring the payment sheet, your appointment will be cancelled and the 100 appointment fee per applicant will be not be refunded. If you are unable to attend your appointment you must notify UKVI in advance as soon as possible. If you do not notify UKVI in advance you may lose your 100 fee and will need to pay again to book your appointment. If your application is successful, you will have your passport back and documents returned to you on the same day. However, your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) will be sent to you separately within five working days. Standard Service (Postal service) This service means that you will submit your application either by post or online. If you use this service UKVI will send you a biometric notification letter after they have received your application. You must enrol for your biometrics at one of the participating post office branches within 15 days of the date of your biometric notification letter. You will be able to enrol your biometric information at a number of participating post offices nationwide, this is a walk-in service with no need to book an appointment, but please ensure that you bring your biometric notification letter sent to you by UKVI. If you do not do this, the Post office will not be able to proceed with your enrolment. Please note that you will be charged an additional handling fee for this service, payable to the Post Office. Along with the biometric notification letter, you will also receive a biometric residence permit leaflet containing more general information about biometric residence permits. 14

16 Supporting Documents Checklist Document Information Who is it relevant to? Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) Letter This is the letter that Ravensbourne will give to you once you have been given an unconditional offer and your fees have been paid. The CAS letter contains the unique reference number that you will need when completing your online or paper application form All Tier 4 (General) student visa applicants Passport You must submit your current and valid passport. If you are applying inside the UK and have used any other passport when entering the UK, you will need to submit it along with your current passport. Please remember that your passport must be valid for at least six months before the date of application. All Applicants 1x photograph To ensure your application is processed without delay, you must submit the correct format of your photograph. Please read the UK Visa and Immigration Photograph Guidance. All Applicants Educational Qualifications Along with your visa application you must also submit your original educational qualifications which you have used to obtain an offer at Ravensbourne. These will be listed on your CAS Letter. All Applicants English Language Skills Assessment Your CAS Letter will state how we have assessed your English Language ability. If we have assessed your English language using any of the UKVI approved test providers, please ensure to include the original copy when sending your application. We will state on your CAS how we assessed your English language ability. Some students CASs may state that no evidence is required (for example, nationals of English speaking country or holds a degree from a majority speaking country). Financial Evidence You must show that you have sufficient funds to cover your course fees and living expenses for the first year of the course. Please see above for more information on maintenance fund guidance or UKCISA for more detailed information. All applicants are required to have this evidence available. For Low risk nationals you will not need to submit this along with your application, however, you will need to show this evidence to us before we can issue you with a CAS. This is to ensure that you can provide this evidence to UKVI or the Entry clearance Officer if required. 15 Translations If any of your documents are not in English or Welsh, you must provide the original document(s) accompanied with a full translation that can be independently verified by the Home Office. All Applicants (if applicable)

17 Contact Contact the International Admissions Team Luis Granja Tier 4 Compliance Officer Gulnoza Alimova International Admissions Officer Jennifer Kumpelis Postgraduate Admissions Officer Join us on our UniversityLinkedIn page and download the Ravensbourne app on Google Play Christophe Castiglioni International Recruitment Projects and Partnership Officer international@rave.ac.uk Telephone Address Ravensbourne 6 Penrose Way Greenwich Digital Peninsula London SE10 0EW Web ravensbourne.ac.uk 16