PBS for Tier 4 student application for non- EEA

• The international student who intends to study in the UK, must able to meet a total 40 points of the Point Based System of UK Visa and Immigration, where 30 points is allotted for Confirmation of Acceptance Studies (CAS), this is a document issued to the student from a fully licensed Tier 4 Sponsor, and have an enough money to cover the tuition fee cost and living costs (maintenance funds) to have an additional 10 points- for a total of 40 points. The applicant should support an evidentiary genuine document as required by the UK Visa & Immigration, and the documents must all be written in English and supplied with the original and clear photocopy and in the ‘right format’, verifiable and credible in level.

What is Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS)?

• This is a virtual document that usually issued by the licensed registered sponsor in the UK,

which contains, course of study, relevant personal information of student, course fee embedded with a unique reference number. Apart from CAS, your Tier 4 sponsor must provide the student with the course details and any additional information regarding the course fee, and information as to how the student has qualified or have been admitted to the course program of the licensed registered sponsor or any document showing how they assess the applicant to qualify for the course i.e, the assessment of the student English language level of competency as part of their academic assessment - as this would also be submitted with your application for Tier 4 student visa and it is crucial to note that the application for student visa, is to submit 3 months before the actual commence of the course in the UK. The validity of CAS is within the 6 month period prior to the submission of your application for Tier 4, taking into consideration that CAS is issued only once, and an applicant may only request for another CAS to the sponsor (if the CAS is already invalid) or the application has been refused and wanting to reapply again.

How to compute your Maintenance Funds? • Essentially the maintenance funds may differ from the individual

circumstances of the application; such as how long the propose course program of the student, or where he/she will be studying in the UK. The finances is sufficient enough to cover the course fees for your first period of study or if you are continuing a course for the next period of study, and living costs for up to maximum of nine months, if the student will be studying at ‘inner London’ the amount is 1,265 pounds per month or a total of 11, 385 pounds, if the course program lasts for nine months or more. And if the student will be studying at ‘outside London’ the amount is 1,015 pounds per month or a total of 9,135 pounds, if the course program lasts for nine months or more.

“Your living costs might include payments towards the costs of your accommodation or Tier 4 Policy Guidance purchasing study materials such as books or stationery. A maximum of £1,020 paid to your sponsor in advance for your accommodation can be deducted from the amount of maintenance you must show that you have, even if you have paid more than £1,020 in advance. From 12 November 2015, a maximum of £1,265 paid to your sponsor in advance for your accommodation can be deducted from the amount of maintenance you must show that you have, even if you have paid more than £1,265 in advance”

Or if there’s any additional family member/s included in the application, please see the Points Based System (Dependant) Policy Guidance of family member of Tier 4 General Student Visa pages 5 and 6 as to whether the student can qualify to bring his/her dependent(s).

• In the event when the criteria for Tier 4 student visa is able to meet with the applicant, he/she should also prove to the ECO that his a genuine student, surpass the ‘interview’ and the application do not relatively falls to the general grounds for refusal.

• The date of the application for Tier 4 General Student Visa only considers to be dated when

an applicant has paid the application fee that appears on the receipt of payment made at UK Embassy, or through online, or from the visa application center. In addition, the student is also required in applying and getting the Biometric Residence Permits (BRP’s), when seeking an entry clearance in the UK for more than six months as a student; additionally the applicant would also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of 150 pounds for the UK’s National Health Service if the applicant is non – EEA national and would study for more than 6 months in the UK.

• The processing time as to get the result of the decision of your application may differ from country’s specific ‘time duration’ as expected. Contact Visa Online Assistance for your Tier 4 General Student Visa application at info@visaonlineassistance.com

Source: Tier 4 Policy Guidance 08/2015 , UKVI