Tier 4 (General) Student Visa
The following information is given in order to provide you with a generalised overview of the Tier 4 (General) points based system. If however you wish to obtain further information or you wish to engage our services, please complete the 'Contact Us Form' at the bottom of the page to enable a member of our team to contact you and advise you further.
The Tier 4 (General) student category is for migrants coming to the UK for post-16 education.
The Tier 4 (General) student must either be doing full-time study in the UK on:
- A full-time course of study that leads to a qualification at Level 6 or above of the revised National Qualification Framework (NQF) or its equivalents; or
- an overseas course of degree level study that is recognised as being equivalent to a UK Higher Education course and is being provided by an overseas Higher Education Institution; or
- A full time course involving a minimum of 15 hours per week organised daytime study and (except in the case of a pre-sessional course) leading to a qualification below degree level but which must be at a minimum of NQF Level 3 or its equivalent. Or undertaking:
- a recognised Foundation Programme as a postgraduate doctor or dentist in the UK work as a student union sabbatical officer. Tier 4 (General) Student Studying at an institution that has a highly trusted Sponsor Licence. A Tier 4 (General) student studying with a Tier 4 Sponsor that has a highly trusted sponsor licence can get a confirmation of acceptance for studies for a course that leads to an approved qualification for UKBA purposes and is:
- Approved at level 3 or above on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) or Qualifications and Credits Framework (QCF) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland;
- Accredited at level 6 or above in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) by the Scottish Qualifications Authority;
- A short-term Study Abroad programme in the UK as part of the Tier 4 (General) student's qualification at an overseas university, as long as the qualification is confirmed as being at the same level as a UK degree by UK NARIC; or
- An English language course at level B2 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Furthermore highly trusted sponsors can offer courses which include work placements. Work placements must be assessed part of the courses and must not exceed 50% of the length of the courses in the UK. Tier 4 (General) Student Studying At an institution that has an A (Trusted) or B (Sponsor) Sponsor Licence a Tier 4 (General) Student studying with a Tier 4 sponsor that has a standard licence and is rated either A (Trusted) or B (Sponsor) can get a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies for a course that leads to an approved qualification for UKBA purposes and is:
- Approved at level 4 or above on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) or Qualifications and Credits Framework (QCF) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland;
- Accredited at level 7 or above in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) by the Scottish Qualifications Authority;
- A short-term Study Abroad Programmes in the UK as part of the Tier 4 (General) student's qualification at an overseas university, as long as the qualification is confirmed as being at the same level as a UK degree by UK NARIC; or
- An English language course at level B2 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Sponsors with a standard Tier 4 sponsor licence rated either A (Trusted) or B (Sponsor) cannot offer courses below degree level (excluding Foundation degrees) that contain work placements. Work placements must be an assessed part of the course and must not exceed 50% of the length of the course in the UK. English language courses A Tier 4 (General) Student can come to the UK to study an English language course. The minimum level of English language study, other than for those exceptions detailed above, is set at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level B2. If a Tier 4 (General) Student wants to do another English language course after his/her first. course, he/she will need to show the formal assessment of the English language level he/she achieved from the first course.
