The Student Life team have created a page of other things you may need to consider before applying for your Student visa.
If you need any more information or have a specific question, you can contact us by email.
If you have previously studied a course in the UK using a Tier 4 or Student visa, you must be able to show that you have met the academic progression requirement, or that you are exempt from it, to be able to apply for your Student visa in the UK.
The Gov UK guidance on how to demonstrate Academic Progress and who is exempt from it can be found under the section Academic Progress requirement for a Student (ST 14.1-ST14.5). If you are unsure of anything written in this guidance and have questions, you are welcome to get in touch with Student Life.
UKVI have time limits on the amount of time you can spend in the UK on a Student visa for some courses. You need to think about these limits as you plan your studies. UEA Admissions may ask you about previous courses you have done in the UK to make sure you have enough time to complete your chosen course within these time limits. You can find further information about time limits on the UKCISA website.
If you apply for a Student visa in the UK with the help of the Student Life team, you will be given an address at UEA to enter on your visa application.
If you apply from your home country, you can use the ACL code (Alternative Collection Location) listed in your CAS for your visa application. UEA’s ACL code is 2HE564 and using this would mean your BRP card will be delivered to UEA. You may also choose to have your BRP card delivered to a post office. Your BRP card collection location will be on your confirmation letter from UKVI.
To enter the UK, you will use the entry clearance sticker in your passport (visa vignette) and will pick up your BRP card when you arrive in Norwich. You will be advised on how you can collect your BRP card when you register at UEA. If you are an EEA or Swiss national, your Student visa may be issued digitally.
If you are under 18 when you start at UEA or when you make a Student visa application there are some extra things you need to think about. This is because, under UK law, you are still classed as a child until you are 18.
You will need to show additional evidence in your visa application demonstrating you have parental consent to travel and study, even if you will be 18 by the time you travel. You will also need to show this evidence when you register at UEA. You can find further information about what this consent letter must show on UKCISA’s website under ‘Evidence’.
We recommend that you travel to the UK first and then make arrangements for your family to join you later. Your family are not required to apply for visa permission at the same time as you. By travelling to the UK before them, you can secure appropriate accommodation for all of you before they arrive and settle into your course. This will hopefully make the transition to a new country easier for you and your family.
Some students can have family with them in the UK as their dependants. You can find out which students can have dependants and other useful information on UKCISA’s website. This includes if a dependant can work and the type of work they are not permitted to do.
Your children will be able to enrol in local government schools between the ages of 5 and 16 and you will not need to pay for this.
It is really important that you read about what you will need to consider if you have a baby in the UK on UKCISA’s website. You can find this information under the section ‘Children born while Student in the UK'.
Your baby will be covered by their mother’s Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) until they are 3 months old. After that they will need to have their own dependant visa and have paid the IHS. To get a dependant visa for your new baby, you must be able to provide a full UK birth certificate showing the names of both parents.
You can find further information on what a dependant can and cannot do on the Gov UK website under ‘Dependants of a Student’, section ST 39.1 to ST 39.3.
Student Life can support you to make your dependant visa application whether you and your family are in the UK or not. You can start this process by emailing Student Life.
Please note that the UEA has limited family accommodation available and is not able to accommodate children (under 18s) in the majority of its student residences. It will be your responsibility to find suitable accommodation for your family whilst in Norwich.
Dual Nationality means that you are a citizen of two countries at the same time. This may be because of where you were born or the nationality of your parents, grandparents or spouse. You will have two passports or be entitled to two passports.
When you apply to UEA and for your visa, you will need to think about how each nationality impacts on your studies at UEA. There may be implications on:
- Your fees
- Whether you need a visa
- The risk level of your visa application
- Whether you can apply for Student Finance in the UK
As well as your nationality, where you have been living for the past three years and the reason for living outside the UK will be taken into account in deciding whether you will be classified as a ‘Home’ or ‘Overseas’ student.
For example, if you were born in the US to British parents and had both US and UK passports, you would be able to study in the UK without a visa. However, if you had always lived in the US then you may have to pay overseas fees and be unable to get a student loan from Student Finance England (SFE).
When you have decided which of your nationalities is most appropriate for your applications you should consider that your “primary” nationality, in respect of your time as an international student, and should use that documentation for all of your dealings with UEA and UKVI. This includes your applications, travel to the UK, when you register at UEA and when you travel home during vacations.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss how your dual nationality will affect your application to and studies at UEA.
Further Information:
If you are coming to the UK for more than six months and you have been in one of the countries on this list for six months or more before your Student visa application, you will need to provide a medical certificate from an approved clinic confirming you do not have tuberculosis (TB).
You can find further information about TB tests, including where to book them, on the Gov UK website. UKCISA also have a section on their website under ‘Where, when and how to apply’, ‘Medical Checks’