There have been significant changes to the visa application process for students coming to the UK.  As of 22^nd February 2010 all applicants for Tier 4 General Student Visas (GSV) and Child Student Visa (CSV) are required to have a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) issued by their sponsor school. A CAS is a unique electronic reference number and will replace visa letters for students applying for a GSV or CSV. We hope that this will make applications quicker and faster in future and allow both school and agent to track a student’s visa progress.

We are committed to following UKBA rules to the letter and demonstrating good practice in our student recruitment.  This way, we can be a reliable partner to you and provide you with the excellent service you expect. For this reason, it would be helpful to clarify a few of the key UKBA policies which will affect students applying for General Student Visas (GSVs) for the UK.

1. As you will be aware, all students applying for a GSV must now be capable of studying at Pre-Intermediate A2 level as described by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) So, students who are beginners or elementary level (A1) are not allowed to come to the UK on a GSV. If any students test as beginners or elementary upon arrival at a Language Studies International school and they are on a GSV then we will not be allowed to accept them and will have to report them to the UKBA. We therefore ask that when enrolling your students you check their level. If you believe that they are not capable of studying at Pre-Intermediate A2, we would strongly advise that you recommend that they apply for a Student Visitor Visa (SVV) which allows study at any level. If a low level student really wants to apply for a GSV, you should advise them to first take lessons in your country and then re-test at your office before applying.
2. The UKBA require that language schools, as an organisation licensed to sponsor students, ask for documentation to show that a student is able to follow a course at a minimum of CEFR A2 (pre-intermediate) level. Language International schools will continue to follow the guidelines that the UKBA has given as to the information that should be used. This evidence can  include the following:

• A secondary school attendance record or leaving certificate showing the student has had English classes for 3-5 years
• A secondary school examination certificate showing a level of English achievement
• An attendance certificate from evening classes in English language
• College or University certificate showing attendance and achievement in an English course
• Previous IELTS test score
• University of Cambridge ESOL certificate
• TOEFL certificate
• TOEIC certificate
• A reference from an appropriately qualified person to state that the student has previously studied English, citing course name and dates. The referee must also give their contact details on headed paper and interview the student to confirm their level of English is sufficient for the course.

Note on Tier 4 General Student Visa Applications

1. Please remember that we are unable to accept English tests (online or written) which could have been conducted unsupervised. However, it may be possible in the future to conduct online live tests with our teachers. We will contact you shortly about this possibility.
2. Students will be required to pay £10.00 for the issuing of their CAS which will be added to their invoice from now on (please note that this is a non-refundable charge). Furthermore, any changes to course dates or options after the initial application will require a new CAS to be issued which would cost an additional £10.00. It is also worth noting that under UKBA regulations we are obliged to report students who have not arrived at school 10 working days after their start date. We would therefore ask you to continue to ensure that all students’ details are correct and accurate at the time of application, that they are aware of the extra £10.00 surcharge that they would have to pay for any subsequent changes and that they are aware of the UKBA conditions for their stay in the UK.

If you have booked a course to start after 22^nd February 2010 and are still applying for your Tier 4 GSV, please contact us as soon as possible to obtain a CAS.

If you have not yet done so, we recommend that you also check the UK Border Authority website:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Alternatively, please contact us with any questions you may have

Today, a student from Russia had inquired to ask about booking an English course in Boston for 20 months. We checked with our partner school Kaplan Aspect whether this is possible, and here’s the message we received:

“…our I-20 is only valid for 13 months and the actual duration that they can study is 12 months.  Actually, in order for us to extend the I-20 after 12 months, there should be a valid reason as to why the student will need to study more than 12 months.  Normally Immigration thinks that learning English for 1 year should be enough for the preparation of going to college if they did their best while studying during those 12 months.”

So for those of you contemplating about studying English in the US for more than a year, the immigration policy in the United States unfortunately makes it tough for foreigners to study English here for more than a year. For those interested in studying in the US for greater than 12 months, consider taking a post-graduate degree at a university instead.

Read more information about English classes in the US.

According to New York Times writer John F. Burns, the United Kingdom has decided to re-evaluate its immigration policies in an effort to eliminate terrorist threats and illegal entries into the country. Those applying for student visas will now face a much stricter screening process. While this change in policy was hastened by the Detroit terrorist attack in which a 23-year-old Nigerian was arrested after having spent three years as a student in Britain,  the British government  ordered these restrictions in November of last year. The primary aim of this decision is to dissuade the illegal immigration that has put a strain on the country’s education, medical care and welfare system.  Restrictions will include a requirement that students know enough English to pass a British high school exam, rather than just “beginner’s English.” Similarly, those coming on a student visitor visa for less than 6 months will no longer be allowed to bring their family members. Although the directive will affect all non-EU citizens, it is primarily targeted towards the Indian sub-continent and the  Arab and Muslim world. The government has halted all student visa approvals from northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh for the time being.

To read the complete article, please click here.

If you have any questions or concerns about the visa process, contact us.