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Visa and Immigration information

The GSM London International Student Declaration Form

All applicants holding passports issued from any country outside of the European Union (EU) are required to complete the GSM London International Student Declaration Form which must then be returned to GSM London with your application form.

Download a copy of the International Student Declaration Form.
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Please click on one of the links below for more information on obtaining and applying for your student visa:
• Applying for a student visa
• Extending a student visa in the UK
• Tuition Fees and Living Expenses
• Changing Institutions
• Applying for a Student Visa from outside the European Economic Area
• The application process
• UKBA
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Applying for a student visa
It is important that, if you are considering studying with us, you follow the correct immigration procedure for the UK. Please note the following points:

  • If you are an international student and not a European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss national you will need to apply for entry clearance (commonly known as a visa) before coming to study in the UK.
  • If you are an EEA or Swiss National and have been accepted on to a programme of study, you are entitled to enter the UK freely and have the right of residence for the duration of the course.
  • A Student Visa cannot be obtained on arrival in the UK: it is important that you do not enter the country on a visitor's visa if you intend to study. See below for further information on making an application.
  • Please visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk or www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk for more information.

You may also find the following video helpful:

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Extending a Student Visa in the UK
If you are already in the UK and want to change or extend your stay, please contact the UK Border Agency. If you are not on a Student Visa or a Prospective Student Visa you will have to return to your home country to change your visa status.
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Tuition Fees and Living Expenses
To apply for a Tier 4 visa, you must show that you have sufficient funds to pay your first year’s tuition fees plus enough money to cover your monthly living costs whilst you are studying in the UK.


The amount of living costs you need to show will depend on whether you already have an established presence studying in the UK. You have an established presence studying in the UK if: you have current immigration permission as a Tier 4 migrant or Student (pre Tier 4) and have finished a single course of 6 months or more during this immigration permission, or are applying to continue your studies on a single course which you have already been following for 6 months or more.


A Tier 4 (General) student that does have an established presence studying in the UK must show that he/she has money for his/her course fees plus: £800 for living costs for each month of their course up to a maximum of 2 months.


A Tier 4 (General) student that does not have an established presence studying In the UK, must show that he/she has money for his/her course fees plus: £800 for living costs for each month of their course, up to a maximum of 9 months.


Students making a Tier 4 application must show that they have the required level of funds in place for a consecutive 28 day period ending no more than 1 month before the date of the student’s application:
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Changing institutions
Before 5th October 2009
If you have applied for your current Tier 4 visa before 5th October 2009 and you are or have been studying at another university or college in the UK and wish to change institutions whilst in the UK, you must get permission from UK Border Agency. You must apply for the permission by using the (Permission to Switch) application form. You may start the new course before you receive permission but you do so at your own risk. Please contact the UK Border Agency directly for more information.


After 5th October 2009
If you have applied for a Tier 4 visa after 5th October 2009 and you are or have been studying at another university or college in the UK on a student visa and wish to change institutions whilst in the UK, you must apply for a new Tier 4 visa. As an HTS sponsor, GSM London is able to allow students whose leave to remain is associated with another Institution to begin their studies (at their own risk) whilst their application for their new Tier 4 visa is being considered by the UK Border Agency.
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Applying for a Student Visa from outside the European Economic Area
The regulations for acquiring a Student Visa to study in the UK have changed and it is important that you understand these regulations and the procedures for applying for a Student Visa. The following is a detailed guide for your information:


Tier 4 - Points Based System
From the end of March 2009, applying for a Student Visa to come to the UK or to extend your Student Visa from within the UK will require you to be assessed under the new Tier 4 system. With this you will need:

  • To show that you have a relevant and proven track-record of study prior to your application.
  • A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number from a licensed sponsor; GSM London is a licensed Highly Trusted Sponsor: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent.
  • To show you have enough finances to cover your course fees and monthly living expenses for up to 9 months (known as maintenance).

For a course of less than 9 months, you will be expected to show that you have sufficient funds to cover all of your tuition fees plus £800 per month for each month of your course up to a maximum of 9 months for your living expenses. *

For a course of more than 9 months, you will be expected to show that you have sufficient funds to pay your first year’s tuition fees only, plus £7,200.00 to cover nine months living expenses.

As GSM London is located in the London Borough of Greenwich students are required to have £800 per month (as opposed to £1000 per month).

Please click here for further information.
Students applying must show that they have held the required money (tuition fees and maintenance) for a 28-day period ending no more than one month before the date of their application.
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The Application Process
You should apply for your Student Visa in the country of which you are a national or where you legally live. You will need to apply for a Student Visa by completing the following two application forms:
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs
Before doing this, please read the Points Based System guidance notes which you can download from:
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/
You can also get these application forms and guidance notes free of charge from your nearest visa application centre (UK Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates and some commercial partners). When submitting the forms you will need to include:

  • The application fee
  • A current passport or travel document
  • A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number from GSM London (only valid for 6 months)
  • Originals of the documents requested by GSM London when they accepted you on to the course;
  • Documents to show that you have the correct finances available prior to your visa application.
  • The following documents can be used to show evidence of your available finances:
  • Your personal bank or building society statements, OR your parents/Legal guardians personal bank or building society statements.
  • Your personal building society passbook or your parents/Legal guardians personal building society passbook.
  • A letter from a bank (yours or your parents/Legal guardians) confirming funds are in place.
  • A letter from a regulated financial institution confirming that funds or a loan will be released to you when you have your visa.
  • A letter from an official sponsor; this must be an international company, that is, have offices in more than one country.
  • A letter of government sponsorship

IMPORTANT NOTES
If you use a bank account which belongs to your parents or legal guardian as evidence of funds then you will ALSO have to provide EVIDENCE of your relationship to them.


EVIDENCE could be in the form of your birth certificate showing the name of the parent, OR a certificate of adoption, OR a court document stating the name of the legal guardian.


IN ADDITION you will have to provide an original signed and dated LETTER FROM THE PARENT/LEGAL GUARDIAN which a) confirms your relationship to them, and b) confirms that they give their consent to the funds for study in the UK being available to you. Statements in currencies other than pounds sterling (GBP) must show (it can be in writing) the closing balance in pounds sterling (GBP), (see http://www.oanda.com/ for current exchange rates).

Be aware that currency exchange rates can fluctuate, so ensure that any exchange rate movements occurring between the production of the statement and the application being considered are accounted for.
All the above documentation that is not in English must be translated into English AND authorised as a true copy by a professional translator (signed, dated by the translator, with their qualifications and contact details shown)


PLEASE NOTE - all the above documentation that is not in English must be translated into English and authorised as a true copy by a professional translator (signed, dated by the translator with their qualifications shown)
Take or (optionally) send your visa application form, fee and supporting evidence to the visa application centre. (If you fail to send the above documents, your application will be rejected without contact by the visa application centre) It will be considered by an Entry Clearance Officer who will make a decision using your application form and the supporting documents you have provided. If this is not possible, they will need to interview you.

Biometrics
You will also need to give your biometrics as the application process requires you to provide biometric data. This consists of 10-digit finger scans and a digital photo. You will have to go in person to your nearest visa application centre to provide your biometrics. In those countries where there is no visa application centre, you will need to go to the British mission. Your visa application will not be processed until you have provided the necessary biometric information.

Further Advice
You can obtain more advice about studying in the UK from the following organisations:

The UK Border Agency
The UK Border Agency is responsible for securing the UK borders and controlling migration in the UK. They manage border control for the UK, enforcing immigration and customs regulations. They also consider applications for permission to enter or stay in the UK. See http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk
The British Council
The British Council provides information to help international students prepare for study in the UK. See http://www.britishcouncil.org
Ukvisas
You can get more advice and information about visas from: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk