Corporate Training
Student Immigration Service

Immigration and Visas

Guidance for international students applying for visas to study at LSET, including information on Student visa applications, Biometric Residence Permits (BRP), working in the UK, the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS), etc.

Immigration Update

The Immigration rules changed on 5 October 2020, bringing the ‘new points-based system’ Student route into force. This may affect:

  • Non-European students who are currently in the process of preparing for a student visa application (including applying with dependents) to study a course in the UK;
  • Students who currently hold a Tier 4 student visa and intend to study a further course in the UK upon completion of their current course, as well as their dependents;
  • Students from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, who have not lived in the UK before and intend to first arrive in the UK from 1 January 2021 to study a course which is longer than 6 months.

Non-European students who are currently in the process of preparing to make a student visa application (including applying with dependants) to study a course in the UK:

  • If your CAS shows that it is assigned under the Tier 4 Pilot Scheme (1-year Master's student only), you will no longer be eligible for the Tier 4 Pilot Scheme because the scheme would have closed. There is no need to update your CAS, but this means unless you are a low risk national, it is likely that you will now need to submit financial evidence to the UKVI in support of your visa application. Please take great care and ensure that your financial evidence meets the requirement to avoid a visa refusal.
  • If you are starting an undergraduate or postgraduate course at RQF 6 or above, there is no longer a requirement to submit academic qualification with your visa application.
  • The UKVI is now accepting a wider range of financial evidence. If you have prepared your financial evidence according to the current requirements, they will still meet the new requirements. However, if you are relying on a Student Loan Letter, the letter must now confirm the lender meets the requirement of providing the loan. If the loan letter you have doesn't state this, you may wish to apply before 5 October 2020.
  • The 5-year or 6-year study limit for postgraduate level studies is being removed. This means if you were previously instructed to hold off your visa application because you would have exceeded the study limit, you no longer need to wait.
  • When your visa is granted, it will no longer be called a 'Tier 4' visa. This is because 'Tier 4' is being replaced with 'Student Route'.
  • If you are making your visa application in the UK, and you currently hold a valid visa issued more than 1 year ago, there is no longer a requirement to prepare or submit financial evidence. Please do contact us if you need more information on how to use this provision.

For students from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland:

  • If you are currently in the UK, or, would have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021, you should make an application under the EU Settlement Scheme. If you have not lived in the UK before, you will need to arrive in the UK and then apply.
  • If you are starting an undergraduate or postgraduate course at RQF 6 or above, there is no longer a requirement to submit academic qualification with your visa application.