Applying for a Visa

Students from all over the world choose to study in England because of the opportunities it presents.

Upon confirming your acceptance of an offer of a place at Bellerbys College, the first step for some students will be to apply for a visa.  This will depend on your nationality or country of residence, and how long you will be staying in the UK.  Please bear in mind that if you do need a visa, the application procedure is time consuming.  Therefore, you will need to submit your application well in advance of when you wish to travel to England to start your course.  Visas cannot be obtained on arrival in the UK.

You can visit the UK Visas website to find out if you need a visa, while the visa4uk website allows you to apply online.  For in-depth and up-to-date information, you should contact the British Embassy in your country.

To find out about the new UK visa system take a look at this short video from UK Visas:

Submitting the correct documents

It is important that you fill out your application form carefully and include all of the required documents when you submit your visa application.  These might include photographs, educational certificates, information about your accommodation in the UK, evidence that you can pay for your studies and your Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number issued by Bellerbys College.  Many applications are decided on paper only so failure to include all the necessary information may result in your application being rejected.

When you fill out the form please also make sure that the qualifications listed in and enclosed with, your visa application match what is written in the 'Documents assessed' section on your CAS statement (your CAS is issued by Bellerbys College when your offer of a place is confirmed). Please note: If your VISA is refused your CAS will no longer be valid and you will need a new CAS to be able to re-apply for a visa. Bellerbys College can only issue a maximum of two CAS' per student.

English Level Assessment

In order to qualify for a UK student visa you must have your English language level assessed. There are three recognised awarding bodies: IELTS, TOEFL and Pearson.

You may be able to take a test online, or alternatively visit the following pages to find your nearest test centre:
IELTS test centre search
TOEFL test centre
Pearson test centres

Proof of funds (before you apply)

You need to submit your student visa application at least four weeks before starting your course at Bellerbys. However, even before you do this - you need ensure that you have adequate funds to pay for some (if not all) of your education fees and living expenses whilst studying in the UK.

The exact amount of funds you need to have prior to study can vary. Usually you will require funds for the first year of study - plus the minimum living expenses estimated by the UKBA.

A guide to working out the amount you will need can be found on the UKBA website.

When you submit your visa application to your local UK embassy you will need to prove you have these funds, in the following way:
1. The funds need to be placed into a nominated bank account at least 28 days prior to submitting your student visa application.
2. You will need to provide documents that prove you have the funds (e.g. a bank statement).
3. These documents must not be dated more than 30 days prior to the date you submit your student visa application.
4. If someone else is paying for your studies (i.e. parents) you will need to provide documentary proof of your relationship  (e.g. birth certificate).
5. All supporting documents mentioned above (transcripts, bank statements, certificates etc) must be original documents (i.e. not photocopies).

Submitting your visa application

When you can satisfy all of the above you are ready to apply for your student visa. Your visa application should be submitted at least four weeks before the start of your course. (See term dates)

Where to submit your visa application:
Please apply to the British Embassy in your country. The address of your local British Embassy can be found on the following websites:
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/wheretoapply/
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/find-an-embassy/

Students with existing UK student visas (Tier 4)

If you are already studying in the UK but wish to join us at Bellerbys College (i.e. change 'sponsor') you may still have to reapply for a new student visa in order to study with us.

• If your visa was issued before October 2009 you may only need to notify the UKBA of your intention to change sponsor in order to start studying with us however, please check with us and we can clarify what you need to do.
• If you visa was issued in or after October 2009 you will have to reapply to the UKBA to get the new Tier 4 visa before you can start studying with us.

The student enrolment advisors at Bellerbys College will be happy to advise you accordingly.

Preparing for your visa interview

Some students are asked to attend an interview to explain their application. It is important to prepare carefully for your interview and to be aware of the sort of questions you might be asked. These might include:

• Why do want to study in the UK?
• What influenced your choice of college?
• What influenced your choice of course?
• How will the course help your future career?
• How many hours will you be studying?
• Will you be taking any additional English language tuition?
• What subjects will you study on your course?
• What qualification will you obtain at the end of your course?
• Where will you live during your studies in the UK?
• Do you intend to work in the UK during your course?
• How much does the course and accommodation at Bellerbys cost?
• Can you prove you have the finances to complete your studies?
• What will you do at the end of your course in the UK?
• Would you like to stay in the UK after your course?
• What job do you intend to do when you return home?

Take your time to answer the questions and don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you do not understand.