Once you have obtained your CAS from the University of Chester you will be able to make your student visa application. You should make your visa application as early as possible. If making your visa application from overseas you must ensure that you allow enough time to apply, receive your visa and book travel to the UK by the start date stated on your CAS statement. If you are making your visa application from within the UK, you must submit your visa application to change your sponsorship over the University of Chester, before the start date of your course.
Students applying for a student visa to enter the UK will be assessed under a Points Based System, and must apply for a student visa. When applying for a visa you must show that:
- You have evidence of sufficient funds to pass a maintenance test (currently £9,207 + unpaid tuition fees) and evidence that these funds have been held for at least 28 continuous days.
- You have your original education and English Language supporting documents (i.e. certificates and transcripts) used in order to obtain an offer, as stated on your CAS letter.
- You have been issued a CAS from the University of Chester
Before making your visa application you need to ensure that you have the correct documents and are fully prepared for the visa application process. The steps below provide information on what you need to check and prepare before and during the student visa application process:
As soon as you receive your CAS, you must check it to ensure that all the information included is correct. If there are any mistakes on your CAS, you must contact the University of Chester International Centre immediately. Only once these mistakes have been corrected, can you proceed with making your visa application. Failure to inform us of any mistakes stated on your CAS may result in your visa application being refused.
In the evidence to obtain section of your CAS statement, we will outline the documents we have used to obtain your admission to the University. Any academic transcripts, certificates and English Language documents outlined in this section of your CAS must be included with your visa application. The documents you submit with your visa application must be originals. The use of photocopies, scanned documents, or print-outs from a website will result in a visa refusal.
To obtain your CAS, you provided us with financial documents to prove that you have sufficient money to obtain a student visa. The same documents must be submitted with your visa application. Again, please ensure that the documents you submit are originals, as the use of photocopies, scanned documents, or print-outs from a website will result in a visa refusal.
In addition, when submitting financial documents please ensure that the documents are dated within one month of the visa application date.
If you are a “low risk” national as stipulated by the UKVI, you will not be required to submit evidence of financials with your visa application. However, these documents can be requested by the UKVI at any point during the visa application process. We therefore advise you to prepare these documents in case they are requested at a later date.
The UKVI have introduced compulsory tuberculosis testing for some students. The list of countries where a TB screening certificate must be presented with a visa application has recently expanded. For a full list of countries please visit https://www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa/countries-where-you-need-a-tb-test-to-enter-the-uk. The screening certificate must be issued by a medical practitioner from a medical clinic on the UKVI list. There is a cost for this screening and it is your responsibility to meet this cost. The certificate you provide with your visa application must be valid on the date you submit your visa application.
If an ATAS certificate is required for your course you must ensure that you submit the original certificate with your visa application. If you require an ATAS certificate this will be stated on both your offer letter and your CAS statement.
Students now coming to study a course 6 months or longer will need to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) at the time of application. Paying the IHS will enable you to access NHS services whilst in the UK. The details of how much the IHS payment is can be found in the following guide: Immigration Health Surcharge Frequently Asked Questions.
The UK Home Office often interviews students in order to determine if your desire to study in the UK is genuine. The interview selection is random and does not mean something is wrong with your application, but it is something you should be prepared for. Students may be expected to attend two credibility interviews with the UKVI before a decision on your student visa application will be made. We have produced the following guide - Credibility Interviews Guide - to give you an idea of topics you should consider.
If you are coming to study a course for a period which exceeds six months you will only be issued with a 30-day vignette (entry clearance). You will then be required to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) within 10 days of arriving in the UK.
To be able to collect your BRP card from the University of Chester you must entry the following Alternative Collection (ACL) code when making your student visa application:
The University of Chester ACL Code is: 2HE477
Current Students: Extending your Leave to Remain
If you are a current University of Chester student and you wish to extend your current student visa this can be done under certain circumstances.
To apply for an extension of your current student visa you will first need to complete a Satisfactory Payment and Progression Form. If your visa extension is approved, you will need to read the CAS policy for continuing students and complete the CAS request form document along with the other supporting documents outlined in the How to Apply - CAS Process section.