Extending Tier 4 Visa for Main Degree: Workshop

1. Pre-sessional English Visa Workshop Extending your Tier 4 visa for your main degree Joel Clarke-Davey j.clarke-davey@aston.ac.uk 0121 204 5151

2. Welcome! In this workshop: • Why do I need to extend my visa? • When should I extend my visa? • How do I extend my visa? • Documents • Money & financial evidence • Application • Cost – visa fee, IHS, biometrics • What next? • FAQ’s (Can I go home after my course?) • Questions • Quiz – win a prize!

3. Why do I need to extend my visa? • Single CAS – only covers Pre-sessional course • You can’t enrol on your new course until you have submitted your new visa application, using a new CAS. • You need to submit your application through our Check & Send service so that we know you have applied • I’ll help you to submit your visa application, and I will enrol you on your new course at the same time

4. When should I extend my visa? • After you finish your Pre-sessional course but… before your visa expires and… before you can enrol on your main course. • I’ll help you to prepare your documents in time and will let you know what you need to do at each stage. • Here’s a timeline of key events and activities…

5. Key dates August September October Final presentations 3rd 7th 6th Visa workshop Results PSE visas expire 7th Enrolment ends 8th - - - 10th Visa appointments start - - - - 13th First check appts Enrolment starts / Welcome Weekend - - - - - 15th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17th 17th-23rd Fresher’s Week

6. Activity • What do you need to be able to apply to extend your visa? • In your groups, brainstorm everything you think you will need. • You have 2 minutes.

7. Supporting Documents Proof of Funds Educational Qualifications Passport 2 X New Passport Photos

8. Additional Documents ATAS Certificate • If any of your documents are not in English, you will need to get a translation. • This must be from a professional translator or translation company. Police Registration Certificate Sponsor Letter BRP Card Birth Certificate / Letter of Consent

9. Different documentary requirements • Kuwait • Malaysia • The Maldives • Mexico • New Zealand • Qatar • Serbia • Singapore • South Korea • Thailand • Trinidad and Tobago • United Arab Emirates • United States of America • British National (Overseas) • Hong Kong • Macau SAR • Taiwan • Argentina • Australia • Bahrain • Barbados • Botswana • Brunei • Cambodia • Canada • Chile • China • The Dominican Republic • Indonesia • Japan • If you are from one of these countries, you don’t need to send financial evidence or qualifications with your application • But…the Home Office can ask for them later, so you still need to prepare them.

10. ATAS – Academic Technology Approval Scheme • Some courses require further permission from the government. • For example, Masters in Aerospace Engineering. • I’ll let you know if you need to apply! • If you do, apply here: https://www.academic-technology-approval.service.gov.uk/

11. How much money do I need? • You need enough money in your account, or yourparent or guardian’s account for: • Tuition fees (1st year) • Check your offer letter to find your course fees • Cost of living (maintenance) • £1015 per month, up to 9 months = £9135 • You need to hold the money in your account every day for at least 28 days before you apply. • Deductions • If you have already paid any money to the University for tuition fees, you can deduct this from the amount you need in your bank (check your CAS to make sure it’s been added) • Aston doesn’t own any accommodation, so you can’t deduct any money that you have paid for this

12. How much money do I need? Course: Aston MBA 1st year fees: £25,850 Already paid: £10,000 Question: How much money does he need to have in his account? Wei Wang Answer: £25,000 - £10,000 = £15,000 (fees) + £9135 (maintenance) = £24,135

13. Activity • Work out how much money you’ll need to keep in your account • Use Aston’s website or your offer letter to check your course fees

14. Financial Evidence – Bank Statement • Must have your name • Must show account number • Must show bank’s name and logo • Must show date of statement • Must show that you have held enough money in your account every day for at least 28 days. • Must show the transactions, and the closing balance after each transaction. • If you are using an electronic bank statement, it must be stamped on every page by the bank. • Statement must be less than 31 days old on the date of online application

15. Financial Evidence – Bank Statement • You can only use your own or your parent or guardian’s bank statement. • If someone else will be paying for your studies, they should transfer the money. • If you are using your parent or guardian’s bank statement, you will also need to submit: • Your original birth certificate and • A letter from your parent or guardian, which gives their permission to use their money.

16. Financial Evidence – Bank Letter • Must have your name • Must show account number • Must show bank’s name and logo • Must show date of letter • Must show the amount of money in the account • Must show that you have held enough money in your account every day for at least 28 days. • Letter must be less than 31 days old on the date of online application

17. Financial Evidence – Sponsor Letter • Must have your name • Must have the name and contact details of your sponsor • Must have the date of the letter • Must have the length of your sponsorship • Must have the amount of money that the sponsor will give you, or a statement to say that they will cover all of your fees and living costs

18. Financial Evidence – Certificate of Deposit • Must have your name • Must have the account number • Must show the amount of the deposit • Must have the bank’s name and logo • Must have the date of issue and deposit • There must be at least 28 days between the date of deposit and issue of the certificate • The certificate should be less than 31 days old on the date of online application

19. OANDA • If the currency on your bank account is not in £GBP, you need to convert it using www.oanda.com/currency/converter

20. Applying in the UK - Fees • Standard Application • £475 (+£19.20 for biometric testing) • Send documents in post • 8-12 weeks to receive visa • Priority • £952 (+£19.20 for biometric testing) • Send documents in the post • 10 days to receive visa • Premium Service • £1,085 • Take documents to appointment • Decision on same day as appointment • Receive visa 8 days later

21. Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) • Please be aware that IHS fees are going to double to £300 per year for students. • We don’t think that this will happen until November, but we are not certain. At the moment, if your course is longer than 6 months you will need to pay: • £150 for each year of your visa. • + £75 for part of a year < 6 months • + £150 for part of a year > 6 months EXAMPLE • If your visa is for 17 months - £150 + £75 = £225. • If your visa is for 19 months - £150 + £150 = £300.

22. What next? • Start to prepare your documents • You’ll have 2 appointments with me: . • First check appointment – I’ll check an example of your bank statement and any other documents that you have • Visa submission appointment – I’ll do a final check of your documents, will give you your CAS number and you’ll pay for your application • After we submit your visa application you can enrol on your course • You’ll need to go to the Post Office to submit your biometric information • Your visa (BRP) will come to Aston. We’ll let you know when it’s ready to collect from the Hub.

23. What next? I will: • Email you with your first check appointment time and date • Email you with your visa submission appt time and date • Fill out your online visa application form • Create your CAS (don’t contact your school!) • Enrol you on your course • Send your documents to the Home Office You need to: • Put money in your bank as soon as possible • Get your original documents together • Check (and read!) your emails regularly • Print 2 new passport photos • Print an example bank statement

24. Key dates August September October Final presentations 3rd 7th 6th Visa workshop Results Start saving money/ Apply for ATAS PSE visas expire 7th 7th Print bank statements (if ready) & get new photos (x2) 9th 8th Get original documents Enrolment ends 8th - - - 10th Visa appointments start - - - - 13th First check appts Enrolment starts / Welcome Weekend - - - - - 15th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17th 17th-23rd Fresher’s Week

25. FAQ: Can I go home after I finish my Pre-sessional course? • Yes, but… we don’t recommend that you re-enter the UK on your current visa! • Your visa will be nearly expired, and for a course that you have already completed. • You may not be allowed back into the UK! • If you want to go home, you’ll need to extend your visa in your home country before you come back. • Can you get a visa in time to come back? • Research visa options in your country!

26. FAQ: Will I have to have an interview for my visa application? • You may need to attend a ‘Credibility’ interview with an Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) after you submit your application. • Students are selected at random – don’t worry! • UKVI want to find out if you can speak English, and if you are a genuine student. • Questions about your course, your finances, academic/employmentbackground, futureplans. • Read the guidance on the Aston website!

27. FAQ: Can I spend the money in my account once it has been in there for 28 days? • Please don’t! • If there are any issues with your bank statement, then you may need to print another one • If the money has dropped below the required amount, then you’ll have to put some more in and wait another 28 days before you can apply for your visa. This will be too late! • Make sure to maintain enough money in your account at least until you have submitted your visa application, but best until you get your visa.

28. FAQ: Can I bring my spouse/children (dependants) to the UK with me? • You are allowed to bring dependants to the UK with you if: • You are going to be doing a Masters course that is 9 months or longer • You are sponsored by your government to do a course longer than 6 months • Your dependants already have dependant visas in the UK, and they are going to apply to extend them at the same time as you.

29. Questions? Joel Clarke-Davey j.clarke-davey@aston.ac.uk Subject: “Pre-sessional visa Question – Student No” 0121 204 5151

30. Quiz