The new UK student visa system ushered in by UKBA on April 21 this year will enable tighter checks on applicants’ financial integrity, after concern that there was abuse in the previous system. Up until April, students had to prove funds (of £600 per month or £800 per month if studying in London) upon application and the money had to be in their account (or that of their parents) for 28 days - fears were raised that students could borrow the money on a short-term basis for the purpose of the visa interview.
UKBA has announced that from summer this year, they will add a declaration to the application form so that the student “must confirm that the funds are genuinely available for the purpose of funding their study and upkeep in the UK”. This enables the UK authorities to check upon application, or when students arrive in the UK, that funds are still available or being spent appropriately, if there are any concerns. List of financial institutions that are not deemed reliable for the sake of verifying bank accounts will also be made public.
Sector body, English UK, critiscised the government by saying it had “missed a trick” by not basing its approach on payment of course fees (or a significant proportion of fees) in advance, and added that the concept of visa officials deciding which banks can be trusted or not extends the powers of the UK Border Agency into commercial dealings worldwide. In fact, when the Conservative government was in opposition, Shadow Immigration Minister, Chris Grayling, had championed a
financial deposit scheme.
Other changes to the system involve the requirement for ALL students to demonstrate a B1 language level to obtain their student visa - ending the previous exemption for students on pre-sessional or pathway programmes - or the new B2 level requirement for tertiary-level courses. UKBA has also confirmed that a Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) issued by education institutions to visa applicants is now eligible for one course only, with the exception being a pre-sessional programme at the same institution of three months or under. So, pathway students choosing to study for six months, for example, before embarking on a university degree course, will be required to re-apply for a student visa for their subsequent degree course.
The new UK student visa system ushered in by UKBA on April 21 this year will enable tighter checks on applicants’ financial integrity, after concern that there was abuse in the previous system. Up until April, students had to prove funds (of £600 per month or £800 per month if studying in London) upon application and the money had to be in their account (or that of their parents) for 28 days – fears were raised that students could borrow the money on a short-term basis for the purpose of the visa interview.
UKBA has announced that from summer this year, they will add a declaration to the application form so that the student “must confirm that the funds are genuinely available for the purpose of funding their study and upkeep in the UK”. This enables the UK authorities to check upon application, or when students arrive in the UK, that funds are still available or being spent appropriately, if there are any concerns. List of financial institutions that are not deemed reliable for the sake of verifying bank accounts will also be made public.
Sector body, English UK, critiscised the government by saying it had “missed a trick” by not basing its approach on payment of course fees (or a significant proportion of fees) in advance, and added that the concept of visa officials deciding which banks can be trusted or not extends the powers of the UK Border Agency into commercial dealings worldwide. In fact, when the Conservative government was in opposition, Shadow Immigration Minister, Chris Grayling, had championed a financial deposit scheme.
Other changes to the system involve the requirement for ALL students to demonstrate a B1 language level to obtain their student visa – ending the previous exemption for students on pre-sessional or pathway programmes – or the new B2 level requirement for tertiary-level courses. UKBA has also confirmed that a Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) issued by education institutions to visa applicants is now eligible for one course only, with the exception being a pre-sessional programme at the same institution of three months or under. So, pathway students choosing to study for six months, for example, before embarking on a university degree course, will be required to re-apply for a student visa for their subsequent degree course.
