Studying in the UK requires admission to a good university and a UK study visa from Pakistan. There are a lot of requirements for international students to study in the UK. You cannot move into your university’s dorms even after you get admission. This is because a student has to shift into an entirely different nationality in which he must be able to study. Also, a student also needs permission from the government.
Why is the UK a good place to study?
The students often opt to study in the UK for many reasons. Some of the most important reasons are:
- Globally recognized universities attract foreign students.
- UK study visas from Pakistan are student-friendly.
- It offers jobs after completion of graduation to both UK nationals and those who come to study on a student visa.
- There is variety in culture. This is the reason that everyone can find their own group of people and practice their beliefs without any fear of judgment.
- The UK has great living conditions. The students find it easy to adjust to the comfortable environment.
- The universities of the UK provide great support to foreign students and try their best to solve their miseries.
- There are a lot of opportunities available if you are from an international domain and want to work in the UK to support yourself.
Why is a UK study visa important?
The student visas for studying in a UK university will basically give you permission to stay and study in the UK. Moreover, the application form for a UK study visa from Pakistan is processed after you get admission into a UK university. A letter of acceptance is one big requirement for application.
What are the different classes of study visas for UK?
The selection of a visa is based on the age of the applicant and the type of program he/she is enrolled in.
Moreover, student visas are divided into two categories that are age to apply and duration of your opted program.
Short term visa for studying in UK
This type of study visa is applicable to candidates who are going to the UK to study short courses and who are above eighteen.
Courses that can be studied in UK:
The courses that can be studied with a short-term visa are English language courses, workshops or training courses.
Time to apply for study in UK
The applicant needs to fill in the form and send it to the designated address before 3 months of studies. Therefore, the process of visa application starts just after receiving the confirmation letter.
End of stay in UK
The time period that is usually allowed on this class of UK study visa from Pakistan is 6 months. Mostly it can be extended to a year if the course duration is longer than 6 months. Moreover, the duration of your stay is also based on return dates.
Cost for application to study in UK
The application fees for short-term UK study visas from Pakistanrange from 100 to 200 pounds depending on the duration of your stay.
Student route for UK study visa (Tier 4 study visa)
This type of visa is applicable to students who have applied for undergraduate or graduate programs in a UK university. On the basis of the age of the applicant, the student route visa is further divided into
General Visa
In this UK study visa from Pakistan, the age of the applicant is 16/18 or above. The student gets a confirmation letter for acceptance into a UK university and then applies for the general study visa. This visa is applicable if you are enrolled in extended courses spanning over a period longer than a year.
1. Time to apply for visa
The time to apply for this visa depends on the course selected. The average time to apply is 3 months prior to the start of your studies.
2. End of stay in UK
A UK study visa from Pakistan allows you to stay in the UK from the start of the session to one month before the end of your academic program. In the case of the 6month program, the validity of the UK study visa persists till one week before ending of course.
3. Cost of application for study in UK
The amount required for application for a general study route visa is around 400 pounds.
Child study visa
This type of visa is applicable to individuals who are dependent and are of age between 4 to 16 years. Basically, the students who are going for primary and secondary education apply for this type of visa.
4. Time to apply for the visa
The time for the application for this type of study visa is prior to the start of the session. The average time period before an application should be sent is around 3 to 4 months.
5. Duration of stay in UK
The time period allowed to stay on a child visa is around six to seven years which can be extended up to 4 months.
6. End of stay in UK
The child visa allows you to stay throughout your education. The validity ends a week if the course lasts less than 6 months.
7. Cost of application for study in UK
The approximate amount for the application for this visa is around 400 pounds.
Steps to getting UK student visa
Confirm selection into a UK university
To apply for a UK study visa from Pakistan, a few essentials must be noted to get admission into a UK university.
For applying for a general UK study visa from Pakistan, there must be an eligible program in which you should be enrolled before application. Here is a list of programs that are eligible for application
- A diploma or a graduate program in UK
- A bachelor’s degree
- A postgraduate degree that could be pursued part-time,
- An English linguistic course of more than six months
Confirm if you need the scholarship to study in UK
Due to recent changes by the UK government in UK study visa policy, here is the data for students belonging to the European Union or Switzerland and those who do not.
Student visas for students belonging to European Union or are Swiss national
Students are required to follow the given instructions:
- Visa is not required if you are arriving in late December.
- If your arrival in the earliest of 2021 then, the visa is mandatory for your stay in UK
- An extension scheme is required to complete your ongoing course.
Student visas for students who do not belong to the European union
In this, the requirement for application is standard. The students will select the visa according to their age and the duration of the program for which they need to stay in the UK.
What are the different types of student visas to select?
Student visas are divided into two broad categories. Depending on the requirements of the visas, students select the visa that is most appropriate for them.
The categories are:
Short term visa for studying in the UK:
This type of visa applies to candidates who are going to the UK to study short courses. It also applies to students who are above eighteen.
Student route study visa (Tier 4 study visa):
This UK study visa from Pakistan applies to students who have applied for undergraduate or graduate programs. The student route visa is further divided into general and child study visas on the basis of the age of the applicant.
When to apply for student visas?
- The time to apply for the student route visa depends on the course selected. The average time for applying is at least 3 months prior to the start of your studies.
- The applicant is supposed to fill in the form and send it to the designated address before 3 months of studies in the UK on a short-term study visa.
Where to submit your visa application
The process of applying for UK study visas usually takes place online. The site for online application is the official site of the government of the UK. A North Korean national does not need a hard copy. The steps required for sending application includes
- First of all, there is the entry of your biometrics at the visa center
- Then get an online application form and complete it.
- Along with the application, a medical certificate showing negative results is also attached.
- The submission of a visa application requires fees.
- Your English skill and communicative behavior are checked through an interview.
Language test rule for studying in UK
For applying to a UK university, there is an English language test to pass that tests your mastery in the language i.e., how well you can write or speak the language. Passing the SLT also known as the Secure language test can prove this.
The passing criteria are to be able to attempt level 1 and level 2 at passing marks.
- Level 1: This level is actually equal to the IELTS score of 4.0
- Level 2: This level is actually equal to an IELTS score of 5.5
- These tests will not be required if the students are applying from countries with English-speaking citizens.
Important documents required for visa application:
- Passport: The passport must be up to date and valid with all the important requirements
- Proof of expenses: The candidate should be able to show the source of income for staying in the UK. The least amount to show is around 2000 pounds monthly throughout the year. Thus, the student should have a monthly flow of funds. In short, they need to show that they can support themselves while studying in the UK.
- Certification acceptance
- The candidate is required to validate academic qualifications by showing relevant documents.
- Photograph: The photograph required should be of passport size and color.
- Also, a certificate showing there is no criminal involvement in a controversial campaign.
- Similarly, English language test results show you have passed levels 1 and 2.
- ATAScertificate of clearance.
Medical tests and documents for UK study visa from Pakistan:
- There is a need for a biometric test to take fingerprints for keeping records.
- Screening tests: students need to show the negative test results.
Supplementary documents for UK study visa from Pakistan:
- Candidates that are below 18 require consent documents from their parents. Also, show the connection to the person giving consent.
- For non-English contexts, a certificate is required. A certificate should be in exact order. All non-English context requires translation, along with the translator’s name.
Some pointers for acceptance of UK study visa application
- Students must check the website of the UK government for the latest visa policy changes.
- There must be no delay in submitting a visa application. The time required to process the application is long enough and it takes much time to receive the visa.
- Furthermore, a candidate must have proof of documents before applying for a visa.
- The other thing students must know is about their university. The degree for which you applied should be valid and of credibility.
- You must get admission into a government university.
- Also, it should have a license as well.
Pointers for submitting documents
- A student must prepare and submit his or her original documents. In case, the original copy is missing, then you have to provide a reason for the attachment of the photocopy.
- The candidate should be able to show the source of income for staying in the UK. Moreover, the least amount to show is around 2000 pounds monthly throughout the year.
- Follow the format of visa policy. According to the guidelines, necessary documents must be in the PDF file, etc,
- Hence, prepare well for the interview.
- Practice the usual questions and answer them with clarity.
Conditions to fulfill before applying for the visa
- For applying for a long-term visa, the student must be above 16 to 17.
- You must speak and write good English. You must have a clear understanding of the language and should be able to hold a conversation in it.
- Should be able to cover expenses while staying in the UK. Have a monthly flow of money to show that you can live independently.
- You must get admission into a government university.
Permission to work while studying:
All the students either from the European Union or are Swiss nationals can work part-time. The working time permitted is up to 20 hours for the students studying in the public sector. Hence, students with age 16 or 17 cannot work more than 10 hours in a week. This is especially during exam time.
Cost for applying for UK student visas.
- The standard amount for applying for a study visa in the UK is around 300 to 400 for overseas students.
- The amount for extending the duration of the stay is almost 500 pounds.
- Also, the same amount is required for switching study visas while staying in the UK.
- Besides, the application, the applicant also needs to pay healthcare taxes. The dues depend on the time you have to stay in the UK. The amount also varies with nationality and age.
Who can you bring with you to the UK on a study visa?
A student can travel to the UK with his immediate family like his spouse and children. The government allows you to bring dependent partners i.e.
- Your spouse
- Your child
- Civil/ legal guardian
- Children under 18 years who are born in UK
This exception applies to individuals who
- Have to stay for a long duration to study postgraduate level courses
- This exception is applicable if the government sponsors you.
Dos and Don’ts while on a study visa.
Do’s are the following:
- A student can study for their academic programs.
- Work part-time jobs to support yourself.
- Be a part of the student union.
Don’ts are following
- A student cannot apply for pensions or government funds
- Cannot apply for certain jobs such as being a sports manager or coach of national teams
- You should not start your own business.
- Be a part of political parties or engage in political argument
Conclusion:
In short, after viewing the above discussions regarding the different types of visas and the requirements for applying, it becomes much clearer which student can apply for which sort of visa. It is essential to cross-check and proofread the documents. Hence, there will be no mistakes in processing. Above all, it is very important for students to be up to date with the visa policy of the UK government.
Hence, in this way, the candidate will know about the changing requirements. Thus, the chance of rejection is very less. Despite the need for high accuracy in your documents, UK study visas from Pakistan are most student-friendly.