FAQ for International Students to Study in the UK

Ans: British education providers are internationally recognized, and universities in the UK have the best academic standards worldwide. The UK provides a shorter degree with vast opportunities for international students. That’s why the UK is an excellent study destination for international students.

Ans: There are enormous benefits of studying in the UK. Having a degree from the UK will be recognized and respected worldwide. Receiving a degree in the UK will build a solid foundation and make your CV stand out among other candidates.

Ans: The Uk education system is divided into 4 parts. Such as-

⦿ Primary Education
⦿ Secondary Education
⦿ Further Education
⦿ Higher Education

Ans: A student visa is granted for the duration of an applicant’s course and an additional four months following the end date. If an applicant wants to take further education, he can extend the visa. To extend the visa, applicants may need to pay £490.

Ans: A standard bachelor’s degree in the UK usually takes 3 years to complete. But an exception is found in the Scottish degree, which takes 4 years. However, there are also shorter degrees available in the UK. Such as Accelerated degrees in the UK.

Ans: If you have lived in the UK for 5 or more years, you can apply for permanent residence in the UK. An individual can live and work in the UK indefinitely with a permanent residence. There will be no immigration restrictions on working and living in the UK.

Ans: To apply for permanent residence in the UK, an individual may need to pay £2389. Permanent residence in the UK is also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain. After 12 months of it, you may also be able to apply for British Citizenship.

Ans: To apply for permanent residence in the UK, an individual may need to pay £2389. Permanent residence in the UK is also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain. After 12 months of it, you may also be able to apply for British Citizenship.

Ans: You can get a student visa in the UK if you have the following course requirements-

⦿ A full-time below-degree level course is referred to as RQF level 3,4,5. This also includes A level, the last 2 years in high school, apprenticeship, or the first 2 years of the bachelor’s degree.

⦿ A full-time course leads to a degree level or above degree level. It may include RQF levels 6,7,8.

⦿ A degree-level part-time course above RQF 7.

⦿ An approved study program for postgraduate dentists or doctors.

⦿ An English language proficiency test score matches the course’s entry requirement.

Ans: You can apply for a student visa in the UK if-

⦿ You are 16 or above.
⦿ A licensed student sponsor has offered you a course.
⦿ You are financially stable to support yourself and the course tuition fees.
⦿ You have sufficient English proficiency in speaking, writing, and reading in English.
⦿ If you are 16 or 17, you should have consent from your parents when you apply.

Ans: The 28-day rule means you should keep any money you use for maintenance ( living costs and tuition fees for up to 9 months) in the bank for 28 consecutive days. The end date of 28 day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for the visa.

Ans: It is better to hold money in the bank until you get a UK student visa. Usually, the funds in your bank must be available for 28 consecutive days and must not fall below the required amount. While submitting the visa application, the fund cannot be older than 31 days.

Ans: No specific fund or bank balance is required for a UK student visa. The bank statement you need depends on the tuition fees and the living cost for up to 9 months in the UK.

Ans: You should have the required English language proficiency score to study in the UK. Different courses required different test scores. Suppose you want to pursue an undergraduate degree. For it, a student needs a minimum IELTS 6.0 with no band less than 5.5. If a student takes the PTE test, you need 54 points with a minimum of 51 in each component. Besides, if you have more than 70% English score in high school, you can also enrol at some UK university. Other English proficiency tests are also available to study in the UK.

Ans: MOI stands for Medium of Instruction. If your medium of instruction is in English, you can study in the UK without any English language proficiency test. Some of the UK universities accept MOI. Before applying, make sure a UK university accepts your university. Some universities in the UK accept 3-5 year’s old MOI.

Ans: 
⦿ University of Portsmouth
⦿ The University of South Wales
⦿ University of Suffolk
⦿ University for the Creative Arts
⦿ The University of Brighton.

Ans: OIETC stands for Oxford International English Test Center. OIETC offers English Language Level Test (ELLT), and it is part of the Oxford International Education Group. OIETC has four modules- Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. As an international student, you can study in the UK with OIETC. You can study Bachelor’s in the UK if you have a B2+ with B2 on each scale. Besides, if you have C1 with B2+ on each scale, you can study postgraduate in the UK.

Ans: The OIETC accepted universities in the UK are-
⦿ Bangor University
⦿ Birmingham City University
⦿ De Montfort University
⦿ London South Bank University
⦿ Robert Gordon University
⦿ Staffordshire University
⦿ The University of Birmingham
⦿ The University of Chester
⦿ The University of Hertfordshire
⦿ The University of Leeds
⦿ The University of Westminster
⦿Canterbury Christ Church University

Ans: If you are coming to the UK for more than six months, then a medical test is required to study in the UK. You need to have a TB test, where you will be given a chest x-ray.

Ans: If you are an international student heading toward the UK, you need health insurance. More specifically, if your study program is 6 months or more, you can acquire the National Health Service as an international student in the UK.

Ans: A visa interview is a part of a UK visa interview. It is a personal interview as a part of the visa procedure. All people must attend a visa interview after completing an online application and submitting the report.

Ans: As a part of your student visa application, you must provide your identity through biometric information. You need to provide your fingerprint and photograph at the visa application centre.

Ans: The visa processing time in the UK is generally 3 weeks for students, visitors or workers. But the non-settlement visa application time has increased to 6 weeks since March 2022. The settlement visa for spouses or dependents usually takes 12 weeks after biometrics.

Ans: To apply for a student visa in the UK, you must provide-

⦿ Recent passport or other valid travel papers/ documents.
⦿ CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from the sponsor.
⦿ Financial evidence that you can support tuition and living costs in the UK.
⦿ ATAS certificate ( if it is asked to provide)
⦿ If you are under 18, proof of parental or other legal guardian consent.
⦿ If you are under 18, provide proof of your relationship with your parents.
⦿ TB test result certificate.
⦿ If you have received the sponsorship for the course and the living cost for the last 12 months, you may need to provide written consent for your application.
However, depending on the circumstances, you may also need to provide other documents.

Ans: The living cost for international students in the UK usually depends on the location. If you are staying in London, the cost will be higher than staying outside of London.

⦿ Inside London living cost- The average monthly cost is £1334. ( as per UKVI)
⦿ Outside London, living costs- The average monthly cost is £1023. (as per UKVI)

Ans: If you had a UK visa for 12 months before your student visa application date, you do not need to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself in the UK.

Ans: The documents that are needed to apply to a UK university are-

⦿ Application form
⦿ Academic transcript of 10th and 12th class if you want to pursue a Bachelor’s degree. And Academic transcript of 10th, 12th, and Bachelor’s degrees if you want to pursue a Master’s degree.
⦿ English Language test scores/ MOI
⦿ Birth Certificate
⦿ Passport
⦿ Reference Letter
⦿ SOP
⦿ Degree/ Diploma certificate copies.
⦿ CV

Ans: After getting an unconditional offer letter, it is advised to apply for the visa with a ready bank statement.

Ans: CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. It is an electronic record that is required for the university application.

Ans: A pre-CAS interview is held before the CAS is issued. Taking a Pre-CAS interview is to find the real reason behind a student’s interest in studying in the UK. The university authority will determine a student’s true intention through the Pre-CAS interview. The interview will be held electronically and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Feedback regarding the interview will be provided within 2 to 3 working days.

Ans: CAS deposit is a sum of money you need to pay so that they can issue an electronic confirmation for the acceptance for studies can be given.

Ans: CAS number is a unique 14-digit reference number given to you by the sponsor. To confirm that you are a genuine student, UKVI will use this number.

Ans: A graduate visa will allow you to stay in the UK for two years after you have completed your graduation there.

Ans: The post-study work visa allows international students to stay in the UK for 2 years after completing their education there.

Ans: Generally, a 2-3 years study gap after completing high school is accepted in the UK to pursue a Bachelor’s degree. However, if you have more than 5 years of study gap, then you are less likely to be accepted by a UK university for undergraduate. Besides, for a postgraduation degree, with a study gap of 10-12 years, you can study in the UK for a valid reason. Many universities may accept a student with a higher study gap if he can justify the reason.

Ans: Students who are unable to match the entry requirements to study in the UK may need to take pathway programs to get eligibility. Pathway programs are preparatory courses that help students to get the required eligibility to take an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in the UK. If you have a study gap or unsatisfactory result, then you can study in the UK by taking a pathway or foundation program.

Ans: IELTS 6.0 with no band less than 5.5 is required for the undergraduate degree. And IELTS 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 is necessary for the postgraduation degree. And for the foundation courses, the IELTS score is 5.5, with no band less than 5.5 required.

Ans: Under a student visa, a student with a full-time degree level course can work up to 20 hours per week during the university term. As per UKVI, the week starts on Monday and ends on a Sunday. Besides, a student may work up to 40 hours per week on holidays.

Ans: The UK Government offers hundreds of bursaries, scholarships, and additional funds to students from many countries. The top 5 scholarships in the UK for international students are-
⦿ The Chevening Scholarships
⦿ Euraxess UK
⦿ The Commonwealth Scholarships
⦿ The Royal Society Grants
⦿ Scholarships from UK universities.

Ans: If your course is six months or longer, or a pre-sessional course is less than 6 months, you can arrive in the UK up to one month before the course start date. However, if your course is less than 6 months, you can come to the UK seven days before your course start.

Ans: There are many types of student accommodation available in the UK. Such as Halls of residence, Private student halls, private rentals, homestays, University managed houses and rooms.

Ans: UCAS stands for the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. It is a UK-based organisation whose main role is to operate the British university’s application process.

Ans: IELTS UKVI is a government-approved Secure English Language Test. It means that, in support of a UK visa and immigration application, IELTS is used to prove the international student’s English language proficiency.

Ans: The duration of UKVI IELTS is valid for 2 years.

Ans: There is no change between IELTS and IELTS for UKVI in the content, format, scoring, and difficulty level. The main difference is the extra security protocol applied to it to measure the authenticity of a student’s proficiency level.

Ans: Yes, it is possible to study in the UK without IELTS. Other English language proficiency tests are also available to study in the UK. You can take the internal test too. Besides, if you have MOI, you can study at some of the UK universities.