Tier 4 Student Visas
A tier 4 student visa is a form of visa offered by the UK government to those who wanted to come to the country to study. As UK is home to some of the world’s best universities, it’s no secret that UK is one of the best countries in the world when it comes to education. For this reason, students from around the world aim to study in the UK and earn a degree in there. Although there are scholarships that are offered to select individuals in other countries, not everyone could qualify for the said scholarship. The tier 4 student visa will help those individuals study in the UK even though they are on scholarship. They just have to fulfill certain requirements so that they can be allowed to enter the country and study.
Limitations on Tier 4 Student Visa
Before continuing your application for a tier 4 student visa, it’s important to know what you can and cannot do in UK once you enter as a student.
The tier 4 student visa will only allow those under the said visa to stay in the country depending on length of course or only up to four years – whichever is longer. The longest validity of the visa will be four years. If you’re studying in a five year degree, you still need to ask for an extension which will be granted as long as you apply as soon as possible.
Another limitation of tier 4 student visa is that this visa is only for students and their activities should be related to being a student. Employment is highly discouraged and limited for those with student visa. Working with more hours than what the government set could be too dangerous for the student since the student might neglect education for work. Students are allowed to work as part-time employees for only 20 hours a week enjoying an hourly compensation.
The tier 4 student visa cannot be counted as number of years of stay in the country in terms of experience for applying permanent residency. Anyone who wants to stay in the country for a long time without renewal should at least stay here for five years but the number of years under the student visa cannot be counted against the applicant.
Becoming Eligible
Those who wish to study in UK should go through the point system. Those who wish to be student in UK should at least have 40 points to gain approval. The point system is divided into two:
• letter from your sponsor (30 points)
• financial capability (10 points)
The sponsor for your tier 4 student visa will be your school. Their letter of recommendation will not only be a simple approval but detailed information about you as a student, why they are considering you as student of your chosen course and your financial capabilities.
The financial capability factor of the evaluation usually depends on the school and the course you prefer. The applicant should show that he or she has the capability to become financially independent even without work.
Work Limitations
Although the student can prove financial independence, working part time is a good way to gain experience or earn small for personal preferences. Holders of tier 4 student visas are allowed to work but in limited hours only. Holders of tier 4 student visa should not work beyond 20 hours per week. Establishing a business is also not allowed. Remember that the visa is intended for educational purposes and not for employment. When this happens, there is a possibility that the student be revoked of their visa even though they have not finished their studies.
Companion Visa
Even though an applicant is only asking for a student visa, the applicant could come to the country with a companion who could even be a non-legal partner (not married). But the companion will still be subjected to the rules and restrictions applied to the student visa. That means even though the companion is not studying, he or she is not allowed to seek employment more than 20 hours a week. The length of stay is also the same with the companion.
The only requirement for a companion to be eligible is that they should show financial capability when they opt to live in UK. If the right documentation is presented, they should be able to stay in the country under tier 4 student visas.
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