An important part of planning to study in the UK is to make sure that you meet immigration rules for international students. Before you pay the course fees or make arrangements to travel, ensure that you will be able to enter and stay in the UK as a student. Unless you are a national of a European Economic Area (EEA) country (the member states of the European Union, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or a national of Switzerland you will have to meet the following conditions to enter the UK as a student: - You have been unconditionally accepted for a course at a genuine educational institution. The course must be provided by an organisation which is included on the Department for Education and Skills Register of Education and Training Providers. The Register includes all publicly funded institutions of further and higher education. It also includes private education institutions which are accredited by the British Council, The British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education, or by the Association of British Language Schools, as well as other private education institutions that have applied to be on the Register. You can check whether the institution you want to attend is on the Register by contacting your nearest British diplomatic post or British Council office.
If you have access to the internet, you can search the Register on the website of the Department for Education and Skills at www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister - The course must be full time and be run from a publicly-funded institution of higher education, or a weekday course involving attendance at one institution for a minimum of 15 hours’ organised daytime study a week. If you are taking more than one subject to make up the 15 hours, then you have to show that the subjects are directly related to each other. The study of English language is always considered to be directly related to any other subject, if English is not your first language.
- You must have the ability to follow the course.
- You must intend to follow the course.
- You must intend to leave the UK at the end of your studies (unless you are a degree student hoping to stay on to work when you finish your studies, and are not sponsored by your own government or an international scholarship agency).
- You must not intend to take up employment or engage in business, unless the immigration authorities allow you to.
- You must have enough money without needing to work (or engage in business or claim ‘public funds’) to pay for your course fees, and the accommodation and maintenance of yourself and your husband, wife, and children, if they come with you.
For more information on immigration and working rights for international students, UKCOSA provides a series of guidance notes for international students and their advisers. These cover such issues as immigration, finance, employment and adapting to life in the UK. The guidance notes can be downloaded from the UKCOSA website at www.ukcosa.org.uk You can also contact the UKCOSA advice line on 00 44 20 7107 9922. It is open from Monday to Friday from 1.00–4.00pm (UK time).
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