Applying for a Tier 4 visa outside the UK: Visa4UK online application guide

This guidance should be used in conjunction with the following documents:

The university’s on-line guidance document Applying for a Tier 4 visa outside the UK The university’s on-line guidance document Applying for a Tier 4 visa – frequently asked questions (out of country applications) The UK Home Office’s Tier 4 Policy Guidance

It consists of screen-shots of the on-line Visa 4 UK application form (left-hand column), with comments prepared by the university’s Immigration Compliance Team (right-hand column). If you are uncertain about any aspect of the application form, please email visas@glos.ac.uk.

Step 1: Register an account

Go to www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk and click on “Register an Account”. Keep a note of your password and login details. You will be sent an email with a link in it. You need to click on the link to complete your registration.

Step 2: Set up your application

Once you have logged back in to your account, click on “Apply for Myself”. You will be taken to a page with some “Important Information”. Read through this information and then click on “Continue”.

Fill in your personal details as they appear on your passport (some details should already have been filled in for you). The form asks you to state your intended date of travel to the UK. Please note this date must be no more than one month before the course start date on the CAS (in the case of courses that are six months or more) or seven days before the course starts (in the case of courses that are less than six months). Once you have filled in your personal details. You need to complete the “Select Visa Type” section as follows: For “Reason for Visit”, choose “Study”. For “Visa Type”, choose “PBS Tier 4 Student”. For “Visa Sub Type”, choose “Tier 4 (General) Student if you are self-funding or if your parents are funding you; or choose “Tier 4 (General) (Sponsored) Student if you have an official financial sponsor, i.e. your government, an international company or the University of Gloucestershire.

Step 3: Launch your application

From the “My Applications” screen, choose “Go to Application”.

Step 4: Complete the form

Passport and Travel Information section

Enter all Passport/Travel Document details as requested (note: screen-shot not shown for this sub-section). If you will be travelling with someone (i.e. dependants), you will be prompted to give their details. Enter the UK address where you will be staying. If you have not yet secured your accommodation, please enter the university’s main address details. These are: University of Gloucestershire Park Campus Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL50 2RH Primary contact number: +44(0)1242 714518

Personal Details and Travel History section

Enter your home address overseas in the “Personal Details” section (note: screen-shot not shown for this sub-section). When completing the “Travel and Criminal History” section, it is a good idea to have your current and previous passports to hand. Records of previous travel (tickets, itineraries etc.) may also be helpful. If you select “Yes” for having been issued a UK visa within the last 10 years, you will be prompted to provide further information about the visa (type, date of issue etc.) If you have travelled to the UK within the last 10 years, you will be prompted to provide further information on the 5 most recent visits. The question asking whether you have ever voluntarily elected to depart the UK is not referring to leaving the UK after a visit or period of study. It is specifically referring to a situation where your visa was refused or curtailed. The most likely answer to this question is therefore “No”.

Family Details section

Enter all your parents’ and dependants’ details, as applicable. Please note: you can only bring your dependants to the UK if you are studying a postgraduate programme of 12 months or more, or alternatively if you are a government sponsored student studying a programme of 6 months or more.

Medical Treatment section

If you have previously received medical treatment in the UK, you must enter it in this section. The form will only allow you to provide details of one course of treatment, and the address of one doctor, specialist or hospital. If you have received treatment more than once and/or at different hospitals, you can provide further details in the “Additional Information” section at the end of the form.

Tier 4 Student section

You will need to have your CAS statement available to complete this section of the form. The university’s sponsor licence number is 8DHV1QR87. The “name of your sponsor” is University of Gloucestershire. Insert address details as follows: University of Gloucestershire Park Campus Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL50 2RH Primary contact number: +44(0)1242 714518

Please note that levels are as follows: Undergraduate = NQF 6 Postgraduate Taught (Masters) = NQF 7 Postgraduate Research (PhD) = NQF 8 Enter the course start and end dates exactly as stated on your CAS statement. [Please note: if you are applying for a visa in order to continue a course already started, it is likely that your course start date will be stated in the “Other Evidence” section of the CAS, rather than in the “Course start date” field.] To complete this section, use the details provided on your CAS statement under the heading “Main study address in the United Kingdom”. [Note: Your statement will give the address details for one of the university’s three campuses – Park (in Cheltenham), Francis Close Hall (in Cheltenham) or Oxstalls (in Gloucester).]

Choose “Studying”. Unless your CAS statement explicitly states otherwise, choose “No” in answer to this question. The method used by the university to assess your English level should be clearly stated in the “Evidence used to obtain offer” section of your CAS statement. If an English language test has been used by the university, you will need to fill in the additional boxes that appear on the form.

Insert your course fee as stated in the “Accommodation and fees” section of your CAS statement. Insert the Course fees paid to date as stated in the “Accommodation and fees” section of your CAS statement. If you have pre-paid for university halls accommodation, select “Yes – Paid to UK education provider”, then provide further details in the boxes that appear. If you are self-funding, or being funded by your parents, select “No” to this question. If you are being sponsored by a government or other organisation that meets the UKVI definition of a financial sponsor, you should select “No” and then provide further details in the boxes that appear. Unless you are in receipt of official sponsorship AND this sponsorship covers all fees and maintenance, select “Yes” to this question. You then need to enter the balance of any Course fees left to pay, along with the amount you need to show for maintenance (living costs). In most cases, the amount you need to show for maintenance will be £9135 (= 9 x £1015). If you have pre-paid for university halls accommodation, you can subtract up to a maximum of £1265 from your maintenance. If your financial evidence relates to an account held in your name, select “Yes”. If you are using evidence relating to accounts held by your parents, select “No”, then provide further details in the box that appears. [Remember: if you are using a parent’s funds, you will also need to supply a birth certificate and letter of consent written by the parents concerned.]

Additional Information section

Points claimed should be as follows: “30” for Confirmation of

Acceptance for Studies “10” for Maintenance “40” in Total

There is no need to enter any additional information unless you believe it is relevant to your application. NB: Once you have submitted your application and signed the declaration, you will need to confirm BRP Collection information. In the “Alternative Collection” field, please insert the university’s unique code: 2HE862. This will ensure your BRP gets delivered to the university in advance of your arrival.