Applying for a UK student visa

Indian students will need to obtain a UK student visa before arriving in the UK. VFS Global is a commercial partnership that works with the UK Border Agency in India.You will have to complete your student visa application online, and it is encouraged that you schedule an online appointment to register your biometric information (fingerprints) and have a photo taken at the Visa Application Centre.

Visa Application Centre

To view the contact details of the other centres, visit http://www.vfs-uk-in.com/

In order to obtain the student visa, you must be able to show that you are going to follow one of:

• A recognised full-time degree course or postgraduate studies, or
• A period of study and/or research in excess of 6 months where this forms part of an overseas degree course
• A course run during the week involving at least 15 hours of organised daytime study each week
• A full-time course at an independent fee-paying school.

You must also:

• Be able to pay for your course and support yourself and live in the UK without going into business or getting a job, or needing help from public funds
• Be able and intend to follow your chosen course
• Intend to leave the UK when you complete your studies, if your course of study is below degree level

Changes to the UK student visa system

The UK home secretary has announced some changes to the entry criteria for international students looking to study in the UK. These changes will not affect the majority of legitimate applicants, and the UK government has reiterated that it recognises the essential contribution that international students bring to the country as a whole.

Pat McFadden, the Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: ''Genuine international students are welcome in the UK. They make a significant contribution to the academic and cultural life of the universities and colleges where they study''.

UK universities and colleges offer a first class education to students from all over the world, and the revised visa regulations are designed to protect the reputation and quality of the country''s institutions by ensuring only legitimate students are able to benefit from the courses they offer.

We have summarised the revised regulations below, but for official updates and further information please visit the UK Border Agency website:

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

• Successful applicants from outside the EU will have to speak English to almost GCSE standard, rather than the beginner''s level previously accepted
• Students taking courses below degree level will be authorised to work for only 10 hours a week instead of 20
• Those on courses which last for less than six months will not be allowed to bring dependants into the country, while the dependants of students on courses below degree level will not be allowed to work
• Visas for courses below degree level with a work placement will be granted only if the institutions are on a new register, the Highly Trusted Sponsors List

British High Commission in India