International Student Checklist:

Applying for your Tier 4 visa

YoumustrefertoinformationontheGOV.UKvisaandimmigrationwebsiteforuptodate
informationonTier4visarequirementsandapplicationprocedures.Readtheinformationcarefully,
especiallyasitcanchange.Forthatreason,theHomeOfficeoverridesanyinformationprovided
here.
Theapplicationprocess,forms,processingtimesandcostsaredifferent,dependingonwhetheryou
areapplyinginyourhomecountryorintheUnitedKingdom(UK).Allapplicantsarerequiredto
submityourbiometricdata(fingerprintsandfacialimage).

Considerthefollowingwhenpreparingfor&applyingforyourTier4visa
ReadandunderstandtheHomeOfficesTier4policyguidance
CheckthatyouhavenotexceededanygovernmenttimelimitonstudyingonaTier4visaifyou
havepreviouslystudiedintheUK.
Ifyouthinkyoumayhaveexceededyourlimitorwouldexceeditbeforecompletingyour
proposedstudiesatRobertGordon,contacttheAdmissionsImmigrationTeam
CheckiftheHomeOfficeallowsyourdependantstoapplytostayintheUKwhilstyoustudy.
DependantsofundergraduatesandthosestudyingMasterscoursesoflessthan12monthsare
noteligibletoapply.
Determinewhereyouwillmakeyourapplication,ensuringthatyouareeligibletoapplyinthat
country.
Understandtheapplicationprocedure,costsandprocessingtimesinthecountrywhereyou
willmakeyourTier4application.
Checkthatyoucanprovidetheevidenceintheexactformatrequired,asexplainedinthe
policyguidanceandontheapplicationform.
Considerwhentomakeyourapplication.
Takeintoaccount:yourcoursestartdate,Tier4processingtimes,ATASprocessingtimes(if
required),timetocollatethedocumentsrequiredtomakeyourapplication.Youcanonlyuse
yourCAS,attheearliest,threemonthsbeforeyourcoursestartdate.
CheckyourofferlettertoseeifyouarerequiredtoobtainAcademicTechnologyApproval
Scheme(ATAS)clearancefromtheForeignandCommonwealthOfficetostudyyourcourse.
Thiswillbeaconditionofyouroffer,ifapplicable.
Ifrequired,youmustholdavalidATAScertificatebeforesubmittingyourTier4application.
ReceiveaConfirmationofAcceptanceforStudies(CAS)byemailfromRobertGordon
UniversityImmigrationTeam.YourCASisnotanactualcertificateorpaperdocumentbutisa
virtualdocument.YoumayfindYourCASstatementexplaineduseful.TheHomeOffice
requiresyourCASnumber,andyourequirethedetailfromyourCAStocompleteyour
application,buttheHomeOfficedoesnotrequireyourCASstatement.
ReviewthedetailintheCASIfyoubelievetheCASstatementcontainsanyerrors(e.g.course
enddate)oromissions(e.g.feespaidrecently)contactusimmediately(byreplyingtotheCAS
email).Ifyoudonotrequestanynecessarycorrectionsbeforemakingyourvisaapplication,
wecannotbeheldresponsibleforanysubsequentproblemswithyourvisa.

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 Checkwhetheryouarerequiredtoobtainacertificateprovingthatyouarefreefrom
tuberculosis(TB)beforeapplyingforyourvisa:www.gov.uk/tbtestvisa
PrepareyourTier4(General)Studentapplication.
Completeallsectionsoftheform,fullyandaccurately.
Collectalltherequireddocumentsintherequiredformat(asinstructedbytheHomeOffice).
Forexample,youmustevidencethatyoucanmeetthecostofthefees,andlivingcostssetby
theHomeOffice.TheCASshowsthefeesthatyouowe.TheTier4policyguidancedetails
currentlivingcostlevels.Pleasereadtherequirementsonhowyouevidencethisamountand
forhowlongyoumustholdthesefundsinavalidbankaccount.
ContacttheUniversitysAdmissionsImmigrationTeamif,havingreadtheinformationonour
websiteandtheTier4PolicyGuidance,yourequirefurthervisaadvice.
SubmityourTier4applicationonceyouhavetherequireddocuments,includingATASwhere
necessary(butnosoonerthanthreemonthsbeforethecoursestartdate).
Wheninvited,submityourbiometricdetailsdata(fingerscansandafullfacedigital
photograph).YouwillhavetovisitaUKvisaofficeorvisaapplicationcentreinperson,and
withanydependants
YoumayalsoberequiredtoattendacredibilityinterviewviavideolinkwiththeHomeOffice
intheUK.TheinterviewwillfocusonreasonsforcomingtotheUK.Theoutcomeofthis
interviewwillbeconsideredalongsideyourvisaapplicationandsupportingdocuments
Receivetheoutcomeofyourvisaapplication.
Checkthatyourvisahasthecorrectamountofleave.Yourvisa/BRPshouldcoverthefull
durationofyourcourse(accordingtotheenddateshowninyourCAS)plustwoadditional
months(forcoursesmorethansixbutlessthan12months)orfouradditionalmonths(for
courses12monthsormore).Contactusimmediatelyifthedatesarenotcorrectaswemaybe
abletorequestanerrorcorrection.
AftercollectingyourBiometricResidenceCardfromthepostofficeyoushouldmakecontact
andattendenrolment.TheImmigrationTeamwillscanandprocessyourdocuments.Thisisa
requirementofyouandtheUniversity.
Ifyourvisaapplicationisrefused,informtheComplianceImmigrationTeamimmediately.Only
thisofficecaninformyouoftheoptionsavailabletoyou.

HandyLinks

1.WhatisaCredibilityInterview?

2.HowcanIcalculatemycostsforstudyingintheUK?

UKCISAsInternationalStudentCalculator
CostofLivingGuide
FoodShoppingGuide

3.HowdoIusemyCAStoapplyforvisa?