First university and first schools began to appear within monasteries in the UK in 11th and 12th centuries, at the time of first Crusades and Richard the Lionheart’s ruling. Despite almost millennium-long history and legacy with carefully preserved traditions, British people continue to develop and modernise their teaching methods and set international education benchmarks.
British education is traditional and modern approaches intertwined. School and university education, as well as vocational training in the UK differ significantly from the education and training in most other countries. The main goal of British education is to bring up well-rounded individuals and give them all the knowledge necessary for successful adult life.
This explains why a lot of wealthy foreigners want their children to study in the UK. Thousands of foreign pupils and students are enrolled into British independent schools, internationally recognised colleges and universities every year.
There are three student visa categories in the UK:
UK Student visas per se don’t lead to settlement, or an indefinite leave to remain (ILR), but the time spent in the UK on such visas can lead to ILR if one legally stays in the country for ten years.
High-quality education in British top independent schools and universities is a great contribution to your children’s future success in life. Imperial & Legal advisors will help you to find an appropriate educational institution and obtain a visa.
Child Student visa is granted to children between 4 and 17 years old who enrol into one of British independent schools that have a sponsorship licence.
To get a Child Student visa, you need to submit the following documents together with your application (an exact list of the required documents depends on the chosen school and your circumstances):
The time it takes to issue a Child Student visa depends on where you apply for it. To prepare all the necessary documents on time, Imperial & Legal advisors recommend to keep to the following timelines:
Your stay in the UK on a Child Student visa is limited by the course length and depends on the applicant’s age:
With a Child Student visa, you can study in one of British independent schools.
If you are older than 16 years old, you can also work. However, working hours are strictly limited: you will be allowed to work part-time during term for up to 10 hours per week and full-time during vacations. You can also work on a work placement as part of your course, but not more than 50% of your course.
With a Child Student visa, you cannot, however:
Enrolment requirements and important aspects of education in UK schools
A student visa is granted to applicants over 16 years old who plan to take a course by a licensed educational sponsor.
A student visa is for foreign high school graduates who want to study at college or university in the UK, doctors and dentists who apply for residency and students who study English and have the proficiency level above B2.
To get a Student visa, you need to submit the following documents together with your application (an exact list of the required documents depends on the educational institution and your circumstances – our immigration advisors will create a list for you upon request):
If you are outside the UK, you can apply for a visa within six months before your course starts. The Home Office will decide on your case within three weeks.
If you are inside the UK, you can apply for a visa within three months before you start your course. The application processing will take up to 8 weeks.
You need to consider these timeframes to get your visa in time. If you apply for a visa outside the UK, it is obligatory to submit biometrics (photo and fingerprints) in a British visa centre.
You can significantly accelerate the application processing if you pay an additional fee.
The stay on a Student visa is limited to the course length and depends on what study you have already completed:
When you complete your course in the UK or your Student visa expires, you can:
To learn how long your Student visa will be valid and what should be done to extend it, visit the official website of the UK government or consult Imperial & Legal specialists.
With a Student visa, you can study at college or university, work as a student union sabbatical officer or find a job in another organisation. However, your working hours will be determined by your qualification, curriculum and sponsorship conditions. Some categories of students can add a spouse, a civil partner or a minor to their application.
On a UK Student visa, you won’t be able to:
Main things to consider when enrolling in and studying at UK universities
You can apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa only if your child already has a Child Student visa, applies for it or is in the UK on a Tier 4 Child visa.
Most applications for this type of visa come from abroad. Imperial & Legal advisors recommend to factor in one to three months for visa processing.
To get a visa, you need to visit one of British visa centres in your homeland to have your photo and fingerprints taken.
You can stay in the UK with your child till they turn 12 years old. After that, you must leave the country.
If you have a UK Parent of a Child Student visa, you can stay with your child in the UK to take care of them and bring your other children there if they have a Child Student visa or Tier 4 Child visa.
On a Parent of a Child visa, you aren’t allowed to:
If you want to go to the UK to study at a university or one of British independent schools, you will most certainly need professional legal assistance. Experienced legal advisors will provide consultation explaining what documents you need to prepare and giving individual recommendations on how to apply for a visa and obtain it. Such legal support will not only accelerate visa processing, but also save your money since you won’t have to reapply and pay application fees several times.
Imperial & Legal advisors have extensive experience in helping their clients to obtain various visas to the UK and apply a comprehensive approach to resolving each particular case. With our assistance, you will get a student visa to the UK in three steps.
Timeframe: 1 day
Imperial & Legal specialists are licensed immigration advisors. A consultation can be carried out offline in an office or remotely via an audio or a video call via Zoom/Skype. During the consultation, your advisor will ask questions about your case, listen to your comments and answer all your questions. After signing a contract with our company, our experts will develop a plan of actions and start implementing it. If you haven’t chosen an educational institution yet, we will help you find the best option for you and obtain a CAS.
Timeframe: 1–2 weeks
Imperial & Legal immigration advisors act as your official representatives till you get a final decision from immigration authorities. Our experts will make a list of documents that will be required from you to get a student visa, have them translated into English, prepare cover letters and your application, fill in all online forms, pay application fees and submit an application. Then, we will book your appointment in one of British visa centres to submit biometrics and upload all the necessary documents into the system.
Timeframe: up to 2 months
The costs will depend on where you apply for a visa. If you apply for a visa remotely through one of British visa centres, an application fee will be lower:
If your application is rejected due to mistakes in the application form or missing documents, an application fee won’t be refunded. That’s why it is so important to get assistance from a qualified immigration advisor.
Apart from an application fee, you will have to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). For children below 18 years old and students, it amounts to £470 for each year of stay in the UK and £624 for all other applicant categories. If your application is rejected, IHS will be refunded.
All fees are paid upon submitting your application.
To get a Child Student visa without any problems, the curriculum of a British independent school must comply with:
When you start your course in the UK, you can take a special preparatory course. It allows to improve the level of English and avoid problems with further studies.
Student visa is granted not only to those who have just finished school, but also for young scientists and doctors. You can add your spouse, partner or minor to your application, if:
Yes, there are. Some higher educational institutions and colleges offer allowances for citizens of former British colonies.
Caribbean jurisdictions such as Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada and St Kitts & Nevis, are included into this category. These countries offer citizenship by investment programs that allow all foreigners to get a second passport for a small contribution into the local economy. British educational institutions welcome both citizens who were born on the islands and those who have just obtained citizenship. What`s more, you can travel visa-free across the EU with a Caribbean passport and stay in the UK for up to six months.
Imperial & Legal offers support for Caribbean citizenship by investment programs and for a long time has been helping wealthy foreigners to get second citizenship for minimum investment. Contact our advisors to learn which universities and colleges offer allowances for applicants with a Caribbean passport.
We are OISC regulated immigration lawyers making applications on behalf of our clients for many years. Get in touch today to start your application.
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