Understanding the Changes in UK Visa Process
The recent no IELTS requirement
for certain courses in UK is a huge advantage for Indian students,
especially those in the Punjab region. Experts say that though some
education institutions in the UK accept students without IELTS, it
is in the students' interest to be proficient in the English
language. The Points-based Immigration System introduced earlier
this year for people wanting to study or work in the UK are easy to
understand and follow for Indian students, and a large number of
students are flying to Britain every month. In fact the popularity
of the United Kingdom as en education destination for students
abroad has escalated vastly from previous years. The short visa
processing time makes UK more attractive to students. Here’s a
detailed look at the Points-based Immigration System. This system
for supporting entry to the UK for the purposes of work, study and
training comprises of five tiers and is being introduced gradually,
tier by tier. Tier-4 will affect all international students from
outside the European Union and European Economic Area applying for
entry clearance/student visa for the UK. Under the tier 4 system,
when applying for entry clearance, a student will be required to
pass a points-based assessment and score 40 points in order to
qualify for entry to study. The 40 points are split as follows -
Funds requirement: This is
about maintenance of funds that are necessary for studying in
that country. The money that a student needs to show is to cover
his/her first year's tuition fees and monthly living expenses
for the first nine months' stay there. It is noteworthy that the
UK Border Agency recognises that a student has to show one
year's tuition fee and living expenses for nine months, which is
fixed. If it is in London, it is 7,200 pounds (approx Rs
5,73,000) and if it is outside London it is 5,400 pounds (approx
Rs 4,29,624). Britain is currently accepting one-day old funds
but it should be either in the student's personal account or
joint account.
To clarify, under tier 4, student visas are being granted to enable the student to enter the UK for the purposes of completing a course at a specified institution. They will be able to change from one course to another at the same establishment without needing to submit a new application however, changing the sponsor will require a fresh application. Also, they should have an unconditional offer (Visa Letter) from an institution in the UK, where they have secured an admission. Add Comment CommentsYou may also like to read
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