Types of Visa Processing for the United Kingdom

 Home to one of the best universities in the world and apart from being an ideal tourist destination, the UK is on the charts of providing the best education to its national and international crowd. Every year, students from almost every part of the world choose the UK as their educational stop. With eras passing now, UK education has only grown to be one of the most talked about.

 

The interest among international students to study in the UK is visible with the number of students enrolling every year. More than 90 universities in the Kingdom fall under the best universities in the world for higher education and the results are quite obvious too.

 

With such an emerging crowd, it is important to know how this process works as well. There are two types of visas provided to study in the UK for international students. Here is the description of both:

 

1. Tier 4 (General) UK Visa: This visa is for those who are visiting the UK for a long-term course, like for a bachelors, masters, or a PhD degree, and for students who belong outside the EU. Anyone over 16 years can apply for a tier 4 visa.

 

Documents required to apply for a tier 4 UK student visa are:

 

• Proof of offer letter at a place or course in the UK
• Proof of enough bank balance with the help of bank receipts, slips, and recent statements
• A current and valid passport
• Additional documents like medical reports and other proofs of funding may be required

 

Those applying for a tier 4 visa and are under 18 will need to provide valid documents and details of a parent or guardian.

 

Cost of tier 4 general visa

 

• For an individual, a tier 4 visa can cost about £335 (approx. INR 34820)
• An additional £335 may be required for dependents

 

In tier 4 general visas, students are given the flexibility to work part-time, extend their stay, and bring family members. In case a student wishes to extend their visa, it can be done while staying in the UK itself.

 

2. Short-term study visa: A short-term visa is of either 6 or 11 months, depending upon the course a student decides to take.

·        A 6-month term is for non-English language courses

·        An 11-month term is for English language courses

 

To apply for a short-term visa, the following are the necessary requirements:

 

• Proof of acceptance in the UK at a recognized institution or place of study
• Proof of enough bank balance to suffice the entire stay and tuition fee
• A valid and current passport
• Details of the study and stay location
• A letter of acceptance from your institution stating the course name, the study duration, and consolidated cost
• Medical reports may be asked but this varies from country-to-country requirements

The short-term study visa is applicable for students under and above 18. However, if you are under 18, you will need to show valid documents depicting the arrangements for your travel and stay, and valid permission from a parent/guardian along with their valid contact details.

 

Cost of a short-term visa

 

• A 6-month visa costs £93 (approx. INR 9530)
• An 11-month visa costs £179 (approx. INR 18339)

 

Another rule to abide by is that a student cannot work part-time, bring family members, or extend the visa duration on a short-term visa.

 

Another major requirement of studying in the UK, despite the type of visa applied, is the proof of an English proficiency test for students hailing from non-English speaking countries. Valid scores of an IELTS or a TOEFL exam are required while applying for a UK visa.

 

Students can apply for their visa 3 months prior to the intended date of visit and can move to the country 1 month before the commencement of their course, provided the course must be for more than 6 months.

 

A UK student visa can be applied online (here - https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk). This process may be a little difficult for freshers. Hence, it is recommended to seek expertise. We are one of the leading overseas education consultants and can help you reach your destination safely. Book a call with us and clear out your queries, if any.

 

Read more: UK Point Based Immigration System - Summarised

Here's How to Apply for New Zealand Student Visa!

 

New Zealand is known for its picturesque landscape, excellent quality of education, high standard of living and top-class educational institutions and is the country that offers Indian students an opportunity to study there.
For pursuing higher education in New Zealand, students are required to obtain a New Zealand Student Visa.  There are four types of visas offered by New Zealand to pursue education. Let us know about those:

• Fee Paying Student Visa:

This type of student visa is applicable for the students willing to study full-time for up to four years.

• Exchange Student Visa: 

This type of visa is for the students willing to study a full-time program for up to four years for an approved student exchange program.

• Foreign Government Supported Student Visa: 

This type of visa is for the students willing to study full-time for up to four years on a foreign government loan or scholarship.
All the above-mentioned visas are applicable for students over 18 years of age.

An Indian student willing to study in New Zealand will be most probably applicable for a Fee-Paying Student Visa. To apply for the same, applicants are required to fulfil the New Zealand student visa requirements. They are as follows.

Documents required to obtain a New Zealand Visa: 

All the mentioned documents are required to obtain a Fee-Paying Student Visa.

• Applicant’s valid passport
• Letter of acceptance at the New Zealand University. The letter should mention the duration of the program, tuition fee, and the course should be approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
• A written guarantee from an applicant or the university that suitable accommodation is available for the applicant in New Zealand.
• An evidence to buy a return ticket after the completion of the course.
• Evidence of sufficient funds to cover the living expenses during the stay in New Zealand which will be NZ$ 15,000 for a year.
• Academic documents like transcripts, diplomas, degrees or certificates.
• Student visa application forms
• Visa application fee
• Passport-sized photographs

The process to apply for a New Zealand Student Visa:

Applicants must apply for a New Zealand student visa online via the New Zealand Immigration website (https://cutt.ly/3bZlHTo ). A student from India is required to make the payment for applying for the visa.

• Online Application: NZD 330 (approx. INR 16,500)
• Paper-Based Application: USD $ 222 (approx. INR 15,300)

Applicants must apply at least 120 days prior to the intended date of the program. The application date is considered when the student pays the application fees.
 

English Language Requirements: 

It is a must to provide evidence of proficiency in the English Language to obtain a New Zealand Student Visa. For this, students need to appear for the IELTS examination and secure the required bands.
Applying for a Student Visa can be a daunting task, do consider contacting us as we will guide you on how to go about the entire visa application process. We have been working in the study abroad service sector for over two decades now and know how exactly it works.

Know Entry Requirements to Get US Study VISA

 

Pursuing higher education in the USA opens many avenues for the students. The government of the USA provides ample opportunities to Indian students to pursue their higher education in their country on obtaining a US student visa. There are three types of US Government visas and they all have different requirements.

Types of Student Visas:

• F-1 Student Visa: To study bachelor’s or master’s degree at an accredited US institute

• J Exchange Visa: To participate in exchange programs

• M Student Visa: To study vocational and non-academic courses

On getting the offer letter from the university, students are required to request the university for I-20 and on receiving it from the International university, they can proceed for the study visa.

USA Visa Requirements:

To apply for a student visa, students must meet the USA Study Visa Requirements. They are as follows:

• An applicant must have a valid passport with a validity date at least six months beyond your period of stay.

• An applicant must have a recent passport size photograph.

• An applicant must show the confirmation page of DS-160.

• An applicant should have a Form I -20.

• An application must have made the payment of application fees for SEVIS.

• An application must be non-immigrant.

Additional documents for the US VISA:

• Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates to show the academic preparation documents.

• Evidence of having sufficient fund to take care of the living expenses and other required charges during the period of the stay.

• Bank Statements

• For living expenses and accommodation charges, financial undertaking by a sponsor

• An Air ticket to the home country to show the evidence that an applicant will leave the country after the successful completion of the course.

After graduation, students are eligible to work for 12 months on the OTP i.e, optional practical training. Students can work on their visas for a year on the successful completion of their degree course. This is temporary employment permission that allows students an opportunity to gain practical experience in the field of their study. After expiring the student visa, applicants are required to apply for a work visa if they wish to continue working in the USA.

In case if the student is married and is taking the spouse along in the USA, then the spouse will be on the F2 dependent visa. It is a type of non-immigrant dependent visa where immediate family members of the F1 student visa holders can allow to come to the USA. Dependents on the visa include unmarried children under the age of 21 and spouse.

English Language Requirements:

In order to get F-1 and F-2 visas, it is important that the applicant and co-applicant must be well-versed with the English language. They must provide the evidence of English language proficiency. For this, the applicant and the co-applicant must appear for IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL examination.

So, there were the student visa requirements for an applicant. Applying for a student visa can be a daunting task, feel free to get in touch with us. Schedule a free counselling session with us.

Reasons of Student Visa Reject for Foreign Education and Tips to Avoid Them

 

 Hurrah!!!
Your presence on this page shows that you have received letters of confirmation from universities of your choice. Congratulations!
The visa interview process is the next step to be taken. Well, getting a visa grant is completely dependent on you and the visa interviewer to certain extent. Situations and circumstances also create visa rejections like the present pandemic. US being the worst hit these days due to COVID-19, there are chances that US student visa might get rejected if all the told requirements are not fulfilled.

If there is a high demand, then there is a certain count of students that are given visas. Your financial credibility, scores of undergrads or schooling is what the rejection is centered around along with the relevance to the current course you choose to pursue and if you have any work experience, and of course your work experiences. 

But again, to make sure the visa is nor rejected, it depends on you being honest with the application and also the interviewer. Being honest will be very beneficial in face-to-face interviews like for the UK student visa. Your chances of securing a visa are highly dwindled if your documents are proven falsified or untrue in some way or the way and also with any kind of discrepancies in your name or other official document details.

The reasons of the possible student-visa rejection in general are mentioned below for you, so that it can be avoided. 

 

Inadequate Documents: 

At the time of submission of your visa application make sure to carry or send across all the important documents. To avoid any mistakes here it is well advised to get guidance from immigration and study visa experts.

 

Fiscal Steadiness:

The authorities finding out that you are not financially sound and won’t be able to support yourself while studying in there is one of the major reasons behind student visa rejection which is a common scenario seen in Canada student visa. To support yourself until you are in a foreign country you need to show that you can arrange sufficient amount of funds for the tuition fees and your stay there.

 

Non-Healthy Relations with Home Country:

Your intention of going abroad is purely for studying purposes must be known and believed by the authorities and that you are not to stay there permanently or work outside the allowed time. To ensure this, you will have to prove that your bonds are strong with your home country and you are bound to go back without even a ray of hope by showing supporting documents like house property, family obligations, emotional dependency, etc. 

 

Scholastic Performance:

As mentioned by the educational institution that you’re applying for, you must have the adequate credits to get the visa approval. 

 

Letter of Acceptance:

You need to prove that you received a letter of acceptance from a registered university or institution in order to apply for a valid study permit and also meet all the requirements for the program you applied.

 

Unmatching IELTS or Other Entrance Exam Score:

A particular English Proficiency Test Score or any entry criteria need to be fulfilled. If this is lacking and rest of the fields are matched, there are chances that the visa might get rejected. So, this is a mandatory criterion.

 

Drastic Change in Course Selection:

In case you are changing the course at the time of visa application then proper justification for the same needs to be given. Since you would have already received the offer letter from the desired university, it becomes necessary to give convincing proofs.

Although we know most of them, we tend to take them lightly and think that if we are not fulfilling any one of the criteria but fulfilling the rest of them, we are not in much of a problem. But that’s where we create problems for ourselves. 

 

Read on some tips to avoid study abroad student visa rejections.

•    To support yourself with all the proof of funds ensure that you have at-least one-year tuition fee and living expenses.
•    To avoid student visa rejection all the documents should be arranged properly and much prior to the visa application.
•    A well-written SOP without any grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors which is convincing.
•    Justification for all the claims in your applications and SOP must be produced with relevant certificates.
•    No fake work experiences to be shown; Honestly explaining any gap in your resume with convincing answers.
 

This was all about the reasons of visa rejection and tips to avoid them as well. Hope you remember them while applying for foreign education.
Good Luck!

Study in Sweden: The Basics

 

Is Sweden on your mind but are you worried about the visa process?

Read on to be relieved that Sweden has a clear easy-to-follow process to apply for studies in Sweden. One great benefit in Sweden is that you have the right to work in Sweden while you study after being granted a residence permit! You'll also be able to stay in Sweden 6 months after graduation as Sweden is also interested in retaining foreign talent so you can apply for jobs in Sweden too.

Is a Visa required to study in Sweden?

Well of course, all the countries demand a visa to permit entry into their countries, similarly Sweden does too with Sweden student visa. To study in Sweden, international students must apply for a residence permit which involves paperwork, varying depending on whether you are an EU/EEA/Nordic citizen, citizen of Switzerland, or other country citizen. This is also affected by your study duration in Sweden i.e. the length of time being less than or more than three months.

SWEDEN STUDENT VISA

All the international students are welcome in Sweden as its doors are always. The degrees presented by the universities in Sweden are equivalent to some of the finest universities in Europe.
The Bologna system of education is followed in Sweden as well like most European countries. The desired educational standards are thus ensured for academic degrees and their quality assurance. This makes university degree compatible all over Europe and on an international level too, thanks to the agreement between European nations.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT TO STUDY IN SWEDEN

Sweden is an all English European nation and thus can enroll for courses taught in English, although, it is beneficial if you learn the Swedish language. This will help in getting familiar with the local culture and communicating with the local community. 

STUDENT ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING COSTS

In Sweden, if you plan on staying in bigger cities then the accommodation costs like rental rates are higher than in smaller cities. You must consider living costs that include food, transportation, and social activities when choosing to study. 750 Euros is the approximate cost including rent.

STUDENT VISA REQUIREMENTS

To study in Sweden as a student visa is required by a non-EU national, it is mandatory that you fulfil the Sweden study visa requirements. Based on the duration of the study program there are two types of student visas in Sweden:

•    Visa type C:
For a period not exceeding 90 days short-stay visa or travel visa  
•    Visa type D:
Given for study programs that are more than six months longer and is also called as the ‘residence permit for studies’

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR SWEDEN STUDENT VISA APPLICATION:

•    Valid passport
•    Filled visa application form
•    Proof of Funds covering living and study expenses
•    Copy of medical insurance policy
•    Certificate of Acceptance: From the University 

WORKING WHILE YOU STUDY IN SWEDEN

If you have a work permit, then international students from non-EU countries can work here during their course id you have a job offer from the Swedish employer. On your behalf the employer can apply for the permit at the Swedish Migration Agency.
So yes, this shows that you can easily aim to pursue higher education in Sweden. The country also proves to offer the best courses to study abroad.
Don’t stress about the application process and time anymore.

Student Visa Requirements of Popular Study Abroad Destinations

Acquiring a student visa is one of the most important parts for the students willing to study abroad. The general requirements of applying for a visa which generally fall under the documentation part are more or less the same for all the countries, but the core visa requirements for different countries are different as the country governments demand for various types of clearances. 

Read on to know in brief the study abroad student visa requirements of some of the top study abroad destinations. 

US Student Visa Requirements

Type of Visa Required:

•    F-1 Visa – Required for full time courses having more than 18 hours of classes a week
•    J-1 Student Visa – Required for student exchange programs for a short term
•    M-1 – Required for vocational courses, generally non-academic

Student Visa in USA Costs:

SEVIS Fees: 200$ for F-1 visa
Application Fees: 160$

Documents required:

•    Passport with more than six months validity of the desired program
•    DS-160: Online Application Form
•    University Appointment Letter
•    Form I-20: Provided by the University
•    Visa Fees Payment Receipt
•    Academic Records
•    Transcripts
•    Degrees and Certificates
•    English Language Proficiency Score Card - IELTS, TOEFL
•    Proof of Funds required for Study and Stay
This is an overview of the US Student Visa information.
 

Germany Student Visa Requirements

Type of Visa Required:

German National Visa

Visa Application Fees:

€75 - Germany Student Visa application Fees

Documents Required:

•    Passport with more than 1-year validity after the intended stay in Germany
•    Applicant’s Cover Letter
•    German University’s Letter of Admission
•    Tuition Fees Payment receipt if applicable
•    English and German Language Proficiency Score Card as Proof
•    Academic Records
•    Proof of Funds required for Study and Stay
•    Health Insurance
These are the basic Germany study visa requirements; you can contact the study abroad consultants for in-depth knowledge regarding the same.

UK Student Visa Requirements

Types of Visa Required:

•    Short Term Student Visa: Required for less than 11 months courses
•    Tier 4 General Student Visa: Required for Bachelor’s and Masters which are full time courses

Visa Application Fees:

The Application fees for the tier 4 student visa in UK is £322.

Documents Required:

•    Passport with Validity
•    Tier 4 student Visa Application form: Filled with all the details
•    Passport Sized Photograph: Coloured
•    Academic Records
•    Proof of Funds required for Study and Stay
•    Medical Reports
•    If applying offline, then a self-assessment Form Appendix 8
•    Home country specific documents
This is an overview of the UK Student Visa information.

Australia Student Visa Requirements

Types of Visa Required:

•    Student Visa (Subclass 500)

Visa Application Fees:

AU$575: Australia Student Visa Application Fees

Documents Required:

•    157A - Visa Application Form: Filled and Completed
•    Passport
•    Proof of Identity
•    Passport Size Photographs
•    English Language Proficiency Proof: PTE score or IELTS Score Card
•    Academic Records
•    Proof of Funds required for Study and Stay
•    Health Insurance
This is an overview of the Australia Student Visa information.

This article was just to give you an idea about the fees, documents, requirements to be fulfilled for different study abroad destinations. These can again differ as per situation. For example, now as the whole world is facing the pandemic, all the study abroad nations are strict on the health-related documents, which wasn’t a priority earlier.

You can keep following our page for more information related to the popular study abroad destination’s visa norms and procedures as well.
We will surely give you timely updates.

UK Point Based Immigration System - Summarised

The following …
“We are taking the control back of our borders while introducing a new UK Point Based Immigration System based on the people’s priorities we are ending the free movement, which in turn will reduce the migration number in the country” - was announced by the UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The moment this was announced the whole world’s ears were alert as this particular move would affect all those who are planning to travel to UK or are already in UK irrespective of employees, student or just for the sake of visiting. This new plan of a new immigration system which will amend the existing points-based immigration system will be implemented from 1st January 2021.

The U.K. government seems to be more keen now than ever to draw students and workers from overseas, contemplating the ongoing ease of lockdown and with international borders opening with UK student visa, travel visa, dependent visa being issued.

We have summarised the changes in the UK Point Based Immigration System below.

As per the new system, those seeking entry to the UK to work will only be granted visas once they can demonstrate that they have accumulated enough points to enter. The assigning of points is for the following categories.
•    Specific Skills
•    Qualifications
•    Salaries
•    Shortage Occupations
 

Let us now understand how the Point Based UK Immigration System has affected the international students. Read on to know the way in which points are assigned to the students.
As per the document released by the UK Government, it states very clearly that like before, too seek long-term study will continue to need a sponsor licence by, all the universities, colleges and independent schools seeking to recruit, new EU, Non-EU arrivals without any restriction on numbers of international students. Unlike earlier, instead of three months, the students will be able to come to the U.K. six months before their course is due to start, and there will be more flexibility for in-country switching as well. At the PG level as long as the student is progressing academically time-limits on study will be removed.
 

For the Graduate Aspirants:

To provide international students with the opportunity to stay in the United Kingdom the Graduate route will be launched in the third quarter 2021 to work after they graduate. A 2 years Graduate Visa can be applied by the undergraduate and master’s degree students whereas the Ph.D. students can apply for three years. The best part is both of these routes need not be sponsored and can be directly switched into work routes in UK.
 

Short-Term Study

Other than the current rules announced, as off now there is no further detail on short-term study.

Explanation of the Point-Based UK Immigration for Students:

On the current Tier 4 system, the new Points-Based Student route will be built with the core tenets:
•    Sponsorship at a licensed provider
•    Demonstration of English language ability and
•    The competence to aid themselves in the UK while the duration of the stay
 

The UK Student Visa Requirements will also remain the same.

However, for sponsoring institutions and their students, the route will be improved, making it more streamlined by creating clearer pathways for students. It would also be ensured that UK remains competitive in a changing global market especially now when the pace of change has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

70 points would be a requirement for the students to be granted leave. For meeting the requirements of the route, the points that would be awarded are mentioned in the table below which are non-tradeable.

Hope this information puts light on the amended point-based UK Immigration system. You can check for online application for abroad studies and make your dream come true. Don’t worry about the pandemic, it is settling and now is the time for you to make arrangements to settle in future.