Visa Information - General Guidance  >>top

Make sure you read the latest guidance notes and application form before completing any visa application. Please check with Student Services if in doubt or if you require any assistance. 

Tier 1 Post Study Work

What is Points Based System Tier 1 (Post Study Work)?

• The PBS Tier 1 (Post Study Work) enables Higher Education (HE) students to stay on and work for two years at the end of your studies. You can only apply once in your lifetime, but you can switch to other immigration schemes once you have completed this scheme.
• Students with a UK recognised Bachelor or Post Graduate degree can qualify.
• You must make your application within 12 months of receiving written notification from your institution that your qualification has been awarded
• Students with valid student leave will be permitted to apply from within the UK
• There are no restrictions on what kind of work you can apply for (employed or self-employed)
• Dependants can be included in your application. They must complete a separate application form – Tier 1 (Dependant): However, your dependant cannot switch to other Immigration categories in their own right and would need to return to your home country to apply for entry clearance.

Applying

TASMAC students can apply if they are a HE student who has successfully completed and obtained a recognised UK Bachelors or Postgraduate degree.

 Other requirements:

• If applying from the UK, you must have current leave as a student and have received notification of your results

• You must have completed your qualification in the UK in the last 12 months

• You must intend to seek and take work during the period for which PBS Tier 1(Post Study Work) has been granted 

• You must be able to maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without recourse to public funds

Maintenance Required

• Outside the UK: £2,800 if applying from outside the UK. Dependants require £1,600

• Inside the UK: £800 if applying in the UK. £533 for each dependant.

*These amounts need to be shown in your bank statement for at least three months before applying

Points Required

• Points will be assessed on Attributes (75 points) plus English Language (10 points) and Maintenance funds (10 points). Go to the UKBA points calculator to find out if you are eligible:

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

• If you have been granted Tier 1 Post Study Work leave to remain you would be expected to switch into other points based system immigration categories as soon as you are able to do so

• You must intend to leave the UK at the end of your visa, if you do not intend to switch to other points based immigration categories e.g. student/Tier 2/Tier 1 General

Fees

Fees from Inside in the UK for postal applications:

• The fee you must pay is £500.

• Dependant applications for your spouse, partner or children under 18 cost £50 per dependant if they are sent together with your own form. Dependant applications for children over 18, or any dependant applications sent separately or later, cost £465.

Fees for applications at a public enquiry office:

• The fee you must pay is £700.

• Dependant applications for your spouse, partner or children under 18 cost £50 per dependant if they are made at the same time as your own application. Dependant applications for children over 18, or any dependant applications made separately or later, cost £665.

Outside the UK

• £265, which is payable in local currency.

• Any dependant applications accompanying your application form cost the same fee as your application, which is £265 and payable in local currency.

• Once your fee has been received by the visa application centre, the fee is charged and cannot be refunded.

Documents Required

• Original degree certificate and original letter from your institution confirming your award. If you have not yet received your degree certificate then the letter from the institution must confirm details of the body awarding the qualification and when the certificate will be issued.

• Your last three months original bank/building society statements from all your accounts (printouts are accepted but must be stamped and verified by your Bank/Building Society) and a letter from your bank/building society confirming that the funds have been deposited for at least three months and the balance has  always been £800 or £2,800 as appropriate

• Your Passport

• Police Registration Certificate (if required)

• Marriage certificate

• Birth certificate (for child dependants)

• 2 passport photographs

·        I

The Schengen Visa Scheme is a scheme that allows those wishing to visit certain countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) (and Switzerland) to travel between these countries using only one visa.  Together the following countries all make up the Schengen space:  

These countries are:            

•           Austria                                     

•           Belgium

•           Czech Republic

•           Denmark

•           Estonia

•           Finland

•           France

•           Germany

•           Greece

•           Hungary

•           Iceland

•           Italy

•           Latvia

•           Lithuania

•           Luxembourg

•           Malta

•           The Netherlands

•           Norway

•           Poland

•           Portugal

•           Slovakia

•           Slovenia

•           Spain

•           Sweden

•           Switzerland

 If you are travelling to countries outside of the Schengen space, you should contact that country’s embassy in the UK for information about immigration procedures there.  For a list of foreign embassies in the UK go to www.fco.gov.uk and enter ‘London Diplomatic List’ in the search box, and click on ‘London Diplomatic List’ when it appears in the list.  

What type of Schengen visa will I need?

There are three types of Schengen visa:

1.  The short stay or travel visa allows a visit of up to three months in any six-month period. This is the visa that most students wanting to travel within the Schengen space as tourists or to attend conferences will require.

2. The airport transit visa allows the traveller to transit through the international transit zone/area of an airport of a Schengen member state, but not to exit this zone/area before they fly on to their next destination.

3. The transit visa enables a traveller to pass through the territory of one or more Schengen countries on their way to another country outside the Schengen space and can be issued for a maximum of 5 days.

 Where do I apply for a Schengen visa?

• If visiting only one country in the Schengen space, you should apply to the embassy of that country.

• If visiting several of the 25 countries, you should apply to the embassy of whichever country is your 'main destination' - the country in which you plan to spend the most time during your trip.

• If visiting several countries in the Schengen space without having a main destination, you should submit an application to the embassy of the country where you will first enter the Schengen space.

How do I apply for a Schengen visa?

Visa fees, eligibility criteria and documentation required vary, according to which type of visa you need and the country you are applying to. You should check the website of the relevant embassy, or contact them to check what needs to be submitted with your application. You will have to fill in an application form, which you can probably download from their website. If the website does not have the information you need, you will need to telephone the embassy (most embassies have a telephone line giving detailed recorded information). Alternatively you can try faxing or emailing them. 

You can also choose to apply for a multiple entry visa if you wish to travel more than once into the Schengen space during a three-month period. However, you may be required to show evidence of all the travel arrangements and bookings with your application. Please contact the relevant embassy concerning this situation. 

How long will the application take?

Applications should be made as early as possible, in case there are any unexpected delays in processing the application. Some countries require both that you make the application in person, and go and collect your passport once the visa is approved, so you will need to think ahead about any possible trips that you would like to make within Europe and it is recommended that you allow at least 3 weeks for your application.

What documents will I need to provide?

1. A completed application form: No application for a visa will be accepted without the appropriate application form. Each country produces its own application form although the same questions are asked. The fee varies between countries.

2. Original passport or official travel document.

3. Recent photograph(s): The exact number required varies between countries

4. Proof of purpose of the visit: Invitation letters from friends or conference organisers may have to be verified by the local town or city hall where they are based. This may take time and you should start making arrangements as early as possible. Bookings and reservations for accommodation or tours may need to be shown.

5. You should check that your current UK student immigration permission will allow you to return to the UK after your trip. Most Schengen countries insist that your immigration permission to be in the UK should last for a certain period after you return from your trip. Some countries insist on as long as six months.

6. Evidence of sufficient funds to complete the trip: You have to show that you can support yourself during your stay in a particular country. Evidence confirming this can be recent bank statements, and credit card statements showing the current credit limit. Cash is not always accepted as proof. Not all countries state how much is required although Austria and The Netherlands suggest a minimum of £30 a day.

7. Visa fee: The visa fees charged by the different embassies vary, and you should check the current fee and which forms of payment are acceptable before you submit your application. The fee should be paid in UK pounds (or euros in some cases). Please note that most of the embassies state that the fee should be paid either in cash or by postal order and they will not accept cheques or credit cards. The fee is usually not refunded, even if a visa is refused.

8. Evidence of student status: You will have to show documentary evidence from your institution explaining that you are a full-time student.

9. Medical insurance to cover the period: Most Schengen countries require proof of medical insurance which covers the entire trip.

UKBA Visa Correction Service  >>top

Please note that if you presented the Entry Clearance Officer an offer letter for a course and you then changed to a different course after the visa was issued, you cannot use the scheme to correct your visa. If you have failed part of the course and need to extend your visa, you cannot use the scheme to correct your visa.

The guidance which Entry Clearance Officers are supposed to follow when issuing student entry clearances is as follows:

POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
Postgraduate courses do not always finish at the end of the normal academic year, therefore postgraduate students should be granted 4 months beyond the end of the course irrespective of when it finishes.

NON-POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS ON COURSES FOR ONE ACADEMIC YEAR OR MORE THAT DO NOT FOLLOW THE STANDARD AUTUMN TO SUMMER PATTERN should be given the length of their course plus 4 months.

DEPENDANTS OF STUDENTS should be granted the same period as the student.

If you think that you may qualify for the scheme, please contact Student Services.