Sam Murray, The Regional Communication Manager, UK Border Agency (UKBA) said “The new Visa rules support good institutions and students. We want UK to remain the study destination of choice for high quality Indian and other International students." The report says, if you are a student studying for a degree or a higher qualification at a university, you will need to be proficient in English language to B2 CEFR level, but your university will be able to assess your ability. The UK Border Agency has also implemented tougher accreditation and investigation requirements for sponsors, which means that only good education providers will be able to sponsor high quality students.
What Were The Changes Undertaken ?
The changes as per announced in March 2011 says the reforms are being introduced in phases so that students and education providers can adapt more easily to them. The first set of changes was introduced in April 2011. They included changes to English language provisions for students.
The second set of changes was introduced in July and included tighter restrictions on the ability of students to work and bring their dependents. But if you are studying for a degree or a higher qualification at a university, there is no change and you will still be able to work up to 20 hours per week during term-time and full-time in the holiday's.
On April 2012 the third set of changes will be introduced, which includes restrictions on work placements, but not for university students. Students will also be permitted to study for a maximum of five years above degree level, but there will be exceptions to this rule. While the post-study route will close in April, there will still be opportunities for students to stay on to work in graduate level employment in the UK.
Below are the Checklist for VISA Application :
- Apply for your Tier 4 student visa in good time.
- Allow at least 15 working days for your visa to be processed.
- It is important you follow the current tier 4 published guidance as you complete the visa application forms. The guidance and the forms that is VAF 9 and appendix 8 for general student are available at the Website.
- Book an appointment at your nearest UK visa application centre to submit your application.
- Complete the application forms fully and honestly and to submit the correct documents-these are set out in the Tier4 guidance, and should be original
- Please take time to read the tier4 guidance carefully so that you understand what is required.