Entry requirements and documentation

Each course has its own entry requirements. You should advise your students to check the entry requirements for their chosen courses carefully. They can do this by:

  • looking at the Entry Profile information in Course Search
  • checking the course prospectus
  • asking the university or college admissions department.

Your students should check their qualifications (including any for which they are currently studying) with the universities and colleges they want to apply to. They will also need certificates that show that they have passed all of the required exams. They may be asked for the certificates in English. Please advise your students to check with their university or college whether they need the originals or certified photocopies.

One of the first steps that your students should take is to check that the qualifications they hold or are studying for are recognised in the UK and that they would be considered by higher education institutions as being suitable for entry into UK higher education.

UK NARIC is the UK's national agency responsible for providing this information to individuals from outside of the UK who wish to come to the UK to work or study, or for training. NARIC will be able to provide your students with a statement about the comparative level of their qualifications to the UK's qualification frameworks. Such statements are recognised by universities, colleges and employers throughout the UK.

UCAS also provides a Qualifications Hotline tel: 0871 468 0472 (or 0044 871 468 0472 from outside the UK) or email: qualsenquiries@ucas.ac.uk.

Essential documents for entry into the UK

Taking notes

If your students want to study on a course that lasts longer than six months

Everyone who wants to come to the UK to study on a course that lasts longer than six months must apply for a visa under Tier 4 of the Points-Based System (PBS). They will need a valid passport to do so. If they do not have one they should apply for one as soon as possible.

To obtain a visa, the educational institution where they want to study must be on the UKBA Register of Sponsors.

There have been several changes to the Student Category and you should visit the Visa Services guidance page for students for up-to-date information.

If your students want to study on a course that lasts six months or less

Non-visa nationals do not need a visa to study in the UK if the duration of the course that they want to study is six months or less. But in some cases they may need an entry clearance certificate.

They can check if they require a visa to study in the UK by using the "Do I need a UK visa?" questionnaire on the UK Border Agency - Visa Services website. This website will also tell them how they should apply for a visa in their country if they need one.

Arrival in the UK

When they arrive in the UK they will speak with an immigration officer who will ask them further questions to confirm the purpose of their visit. They will make sure that your students have the correct entry clearance for their visit. They must show certain documents and declare their intentions to the immigration officer. We suggest that they carry with them:

  • a valid passport
  • the correct student visa (if they are a visa national)
  • evidence from the education institution to confirm that they have been unconditionally accepted for a full-time course
  • evidence that they have enough money to pay for their course and support themselves while they are in the UK
  • any other document that they think will be useful.
 

It may take some time to get these documents so they should start as early as possible.

Guidance information for international students is available from UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs).

They can make further enquiries as to whether they will be able to come to the UK as a student by contacting the Visa Application Centre (VAC), or where there is no VAC, the British Embassy or High Commission, in the country where they live.

BIOMETRICS - All visa applicants are required to submit their biometric details. Click here for more information about biometrics.

Biometric residence permits for foreign nationals

The following information has been provided by the UK Border Agency:

Since 25 November 2008, UKBA has been issuing biometric residence permits (formerly known as 'identity cards for foreign nationals') to non-EEA foreign nationals, and their dependants, who are granted further leave to remain in the UK within certain categories.

The permit is currently issued to a wide range of migrants and their dependants when they apply to extend their stay in the UK. Under current roll-out plans, by April 2011 any migrant extending their stay in the UK or coming here for more than six months will need to apply for a biometric residence permit as part of their immigration application.

As well as showing the holder's photo, name, date of birth, nationality and immigration status, the credit-card sized permit has a secure electronic chip containing their biometric details. Using fingerprint technology and digital facial images, we can lock an individual to a single identity, helping to strengthen border control, prevent identity fraud and illegal working or immigration.

The permit helps to confirm a person's immigration status and eligibility to entitlements in the UK. It will also help employers, educational establishments and other public service providers to understand a migrant's immigration status via a single document.

For further information about biometric residence permits, visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/while-in-uk/do-i-need-id-card/.