UK Student Visa Rule Changes. BID introduced. Begins in March 2015

From March 2015, UK visa rules for students (Tier 4 visa) bring in a huge change. 

The UKVI is introducing a new system for issuing entry clearance to people going to study in the UK on a visa for more than 6 months.

Current UK Student Visa System:
Students apply for their visa in home country and they receive an 'entry clearance' vignette (sticker) in their passport. The duration of the visa is equivalent to the total course duration plus an additional short period (generally 4 months)

New UK Student Visa System (starting in March 2015):
When students apply for a visa, students will have to confirm what town they are going to stay in when they first arrive in the UK. They will be issued a short-term entry clearance vignette in their passport. This gives them 30 days in which to both, travel to the UK and go to a particular Post Office near the UK town they identified in their application, to collect a ‘Biometric Immigration Document’ (BID). The BID shows their leave to remain for the rest of the course (and an appropriate period afterwards which generally would be 4 months). Applicants will no longer be issued with an entry clearance before they travel that covers the full length of their course.

Here's what will happen (step-wise):

1. Students fill the online student visa application form confirming what town they will stay in once they first arrive in the UK
2. Students book their student visa appointment through the VFS
3. Students attend the visa appointment, submits relevant documents and biometric information, finishes the short video interview and awaits a decision
4. Students confirm which town in the UK they will land 
5. Students will be issued a short-term entry clearance sticker on the passport (should be valid for 30 days)
6. Within 30 days from the receipt of the passport, students will travel to the UK and go to the post office that they have been asked to visit
7. At the post office, students will carry their passport and offer letter (or CAS) copy and collect the BID

Some view points and important information to consider:

1. Travel Date: It will be imperative that the student calculates the right date of travel and enters it in to the visa application form. This is especially important since students can apply for a student visa anytime within 90 days of the course start date
2. Passport vs BID: Assuming BID will bring up the information about long a student can stay in the UK will mean all internal and external systems will perhaps now require BID as the primary document rather than the passport
3. Loss of Passport: It is likely that the BID will be connected to the Passport Number. In case of loss of passport in the UK, students may have to redo the process of collecting the BID
4. Private Accommodation: Many students prefer to live in private apartments. Passport and visa information while booking the accommodation is important. However unless the student has collected the BID, the accommodation booking may have problems
5. Rush: Especially during the September intake which is a universal start month for all Universities, popular towns like London, Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham can see a student rush at the post offices

The new system will be phased in over 5 months as follows:

• It will start (in March 2015) with people who apply in Pakistan
• It will then extend shortly afterwards to people who apply in the following countries (no date has been specified yet): Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Gibraltar, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Libya, Maldives, Malta, Nepal, Netherlands, North Korea, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, and Vietnam
• It will extend to people who make applications in the following countries from 29 May 2015 onwards: Afghanistan, Ascension Island, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Bermuda, Brunei, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Guyana, Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, St Helena, St Lucia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, USA, and Yemen
• It will extend to everyone who applies from anywhere in the world apart from the UK from 31 July 2015

If you have any queries, write to Mumbai@ilwindia.com. You can get in touch with ILW Overseas Education Consultants for complete support with applying to UK Universities

Indian students will face UK visa interview from 31st July 2012

UK Border Agency may invite Tier 4 UK (Student) Visa applicants for an interview to determine whether to award an entry clearance (or grant you a visa to study in the UK). UK Visa interviews will begin on or after 31st July 2012. If students do not attend the visa interview, they may face a visa refusal.


Full ministerial statement about student visa interviews and genuine student rule is available here.


Students joining UK Universities in September / October 2012 intake will possibly be the first ones to face these interviews.


The 9th July 2012 update on the UKBA website suggests that a student could be asked numerous questions about a student's immigration and education history, study and post-study plans, and financial circumstances. Student may face a visa refusal if the visa officer is not satisfied with the genuineness of the student. The update also mentioned that up to 14000 students are expected to be interviewed over a one year period.


We believe that the visa interview will primarily have the following key objectives:
a. whether the student is able to communicate well in English
b. whether the selected course of study at the selected UK Institution is justifiable
c. whether the student's objective is to genuinely study (and not work)
d. whether the student's documentation is appropriate (genuine)


The UK visa interview will NOT be for all (Indian) students.


Thus, students having good academic scores, good IELTS score (typically -- 6.0 overall and above for Masters, MBA, other PG courses; 5.0 overall and above for Bachelors and other UG courses), and meeting the financial requirements (of being able to prove having adequate finance covering the full tuition fee and maintenance funds) may not even face an interview. (Note: these are perceptional thoughts; there may certainly be more factors that the British High Commission may wish to assess in an applicant).  


Students with long gap years between studies (barring MBA programmes that require adequate work experience) or students having low academic and/or IELTS score or who have selected a different course progression (eg. BCom students applying for MSc Hospitality Management) may have a higher chance of being called for a UK visa interview.   


Again, the fact remains, if a student has wisely selected the study option, ideally the student need not worry about the interview. Really, what they wish to assess is your true motivation (to study) and that you have not lied on the UK visa application form.

Here is what we expect the UK Tier 4 visa interview questions to be (random questions order):

1. Why did you select the UK for higher studies?
2. Isn’t this course offered by any university or college in your country?
3. Why did you choose this UK university and how did you find about it?
4. Why have you selected this course? Is it relevant to your previous studies?
5. What is the location of the university/college?
6. What is your IELTS score?
7. Your score is low. Will you be able to understand the studies?
8. Your academic score seems to be very low. Why do you think your University has offered you an admission?
9. What is the scope of your course?
10. Why are you taking this course?
11. What is the course structure? (Course content)
12. Do you intend to work in the UK after completion of your studies?
13. What do you intend to do after completion of your studies?
14. What are your future plans?
15. What benefit will this course bring to you?
16. How much money can you earn after your completion of studies?
17. Are you aware about the part-time work rules in the UK for students? Will you be willing to work part-time if you get an opportunity?
18. How many hours of study per week is suggested by your University?
19. Where will you stay in the UK? Are you going to live in private accommodation? Have you booked any UK accommodation?
20. Who is your sponsor? How much do they earn in a year?
21. What is the source of income of your sponsor?
22. Do you have any relative or friend in the UK?
23. What is the course commencement date?
24. What will be the total cost of studies per year?
25. What will you do during the off period/semester?
26. How much money is available for your stay in the UK?
27. Have you researched your career prospects?
28. Tell me about some Companies that can hire you after finishing your course in the UK
29. Tell me about the place where you university is?
30. If you get an employment opportunity in the UK after your studies, will you be willing to take that up?

Good luck to students!

UK Student Visa Rule Changes. Tier 4. 6 April 2012 is the date

April 6, 2012 is the date that the new UK visa rule changes for the Tier 4 (students) comes in to effect. And also come along a list of changes to Post Study Work (PSW) Visa, maintenance fund requirements, new graduate entrepreneur route and more.

Synopsis - some concrete changes to note:

UK Student Visa - Maintenance Funds Requirements
Main Applicants (students who have a CAS): Previously, students had to prove they had:

• £7200 (£800 multiplied by 9 months) if the UK University was in London (inside of inner London boroughs) and 
• £5400 (£600 multiplied by 9 months) if the University was outside London (outside of inner London boroughs)

Apart from the programme tuition fee at respective Universities, the living cost stated above remained constant irrespective of the course duration (for UK student visa purposes only). While that understanding remains unchanged, the new fund requirements for UK student visa maintenance funds are as follows for students (main applicants):

• £9000 (£1000 multiplied by 9 months) if the UK University is in London (inside of inner London boroughs) 

eg. if you have a study offer and CAS from University College London (UCL) or University of Westminster or any London Colleges, you will need to show £9000 towards living costs

• £7200 (£800 multiplied by 9 months) if the University is outside London (outside of inner London boroughs) 

eg. if you have a study offer and CAS from a British University (including a University in England) outside of inner London Boroughs like the University of Manchester, University of Birmingham, Durham University, Aston University, or from a University in Wales (like Cardiff University, Bangor University or other Universities in Wales) or from a University in Scotland (like the University of Strathclyde, University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, and other Universities in Scotland), you will need to show £7200 towards living costs.

Thus, any applicants applying for Tier 4 UK visa after April 6 (2012) must adhere to the new rules.

For (adult) dependants, the following fund must be shown:

• £5400 (£600 multiplied by 9 months) if the University of the main applicant is in London (inside of inner London boroughs)
• £4050 (£450 multiplied by 9 months) if the University is outside London (outside of inner London boroughs)

Working in the UK. Work Visas: Students in perspective
Post Study Work (PSW) Visa to be replaced:

• PSW Abolished: The post study work visa under Tier 1 visa category where students used to get a two year work permit to work in the UK after successfully completing their Bachelors degree or Masters Degree (in general) has been abolished. A more "selective system" will come into effect allowing retention of only the most talented international graduates who can apply for work permit to stay in the UK for work purposes
• Graduate Entrepreneur Route: A new graduate entrepreneur route opens up with up to 1,000 places for students working on world-class innovative ideas who want to stay and develop them but do not meet the requirements of the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route
• Young entrepreneurs or small company directors can stay on in the UK after their studies if they have £50,000 to invest in their business thereby boosting the UK economy favourably
• Graduates from a UK University with over £20,000 salary (or more in some cases) can continue to live and work in the UK. The job must also be offered by a reputable employer accredited by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). Ideally, this would mean that students can then convert their visa in Tier 2 later

Read the full visa rule changes document: 
UK government's plans to make changes to Tier 4 (Students) and Tier 1 (Post-study work) of the points-based system are available to read in the following document.
Source: UK Home Office Publications

You may also wish to read:

UK Student Visa Rule Changes. BID Introduced. Effective March 2015

Indian students will face UK visa interview from 31st July 2012

How to apply for a visa? UK Student Visa. Tier 4 (Students) Category