Congratulations! You have made it this far. With Unconditional Offer from the university in hand, you are one step closer to stepping on the United Kingdom soil!
Once you have gotten your unconditional offer, the university will then send or email you a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) Statement. It contains a unique CAS Number that you will need in order to apply for a student Visa.
It is your responsibility to ensure that all of the information in the statement, especially your passport number, is correct. This is because incorrect information may lead to a visa refusal.
The CAS Number is valid for 6 months from the date of issue and you must apply for your visa within this 6 months period.
Tier 4 (General) Student Visa
Eligibility
- An unconditional offer of a place on a course
- Enough money to support yourself and pay for your course - the amount will vary depending on your circumstances
- Can speak, read, write and understand English (eg. IELTS Test Result)
Fees
- £322 to apply for this visa from outside the UK
- £322 per person for any dependants (if applicable)
- £225* for the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of your application process
*Cost varies. Check how much you will have to pay here: IHS Calculator
Visa Validity
- Start: up to 1 month before your course commences
- End: 4 months after your course is completed
Documents Needed
- A current passport or other valid travel documentation
- 2 passport-sized colour photograph* with your name written on the reverse side
- Your tuberculosis test result**
- Proof that you can support yourself and pay for your course (bank statements etc.) - this will vary depending on your circumstances
You may also need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
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| Guidance on the UK Passport Photograph - No cheeky smiles and covered face! |
*Please make sure that your passport photograph meet all the rules. This includes having a plain cream or light grey background and with a neutral expression. Read all the rules here: UK Passport Photo Rules
**For Malaysians, you are required to go through a TB Test at an extra cost (around RM200). You can do this test first before you apply for your visa. An x-ray of your chest will be taken and if your test shows that you don’t have TB, you’ll be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months. You must include this certificate with your UK visa application.
Note: you must be tested ONLY at a clinic that has been approved by the Home Office. Check this link for the location of the approved clinics, what you need to bring and other information.
Applying the Visa
You will need to apply online via Visa4UK Portal.
The steps to completing the Visa application are as follows:
- Register for an account
- Fill in the application form in English
- Pay for the Visa fee and IHS online using credit card***
- Print out your form
- Book and attend an appointment at a visa application centre****
- Submit the printed form as well as the original and a photocopy of all the supporting documents you need for your visa at the application centre*****
- You'll then need to have your fingerprints and photograph taken at the visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit) as part of your application.
***You may use your parent's credit card for this
****Check the location and opening hours here: Malaysia Visa Application Centre. Arrive at the centre 15 minutes before your appointment time to avoid the process being delayed.
*****Supporting documents needed will be stated in the CAS Statement (such as transcripts etc.) alongside your TB test result and passport. Also, translate any supporting documents and include them with the originals if they aren’t in English.
Read the full information here: UK Visa Application (Tier 4 - Student) Guidance .
Note: This Visa is using a Points-Based System (PBS). To be granted leave, Tier 4 applicants must satisfy the Immigration Rules and score points against two sets of objective criteria to achieve an overall pass mark of 40 points.
Applicants must score points for:
- attributes (30 points)
Click here to calculate if you achieve the pass mark of 40 points: Points-Based Calculator.
- maintenance (10 points)
How Long it Takes
I got mine after 7 working days because I went as early as possible to avoid the peak time of visa application (usually in August).
Your documents will be returned via a courier service to your chosen address if you have opted for it. If not, your documents can be collected during the designated passport collection times.
Do take note that you cannot travel overseas once you have submitted your Passport for the UK Visa application for a period of time. You can only travel to another country once your passport has been returned to you.
You will receive emails on the progress of your application but you will never know the outcome online. So it was quite a nerve-racking experience when I got an email stating that "A decision has been made on your Visa application".
Was it a yes? Or a no?
Honestly I did feel queasy on the way to collect my passport at Wisma MCA, but praises be to God, I did get it! It could only mean one thing to me; I am one step closer to sniffing the UK air!
Now, a whole new journey awaits.
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