Child Student Visa
If you plan to study at an independent school in the UK, your age is between 4 and 17, then Tier 4 Child Student visa is for you. Other visa requirements include a place on a course in the UK, consent of your parent or guardian, money to cover your course fees and living costs. People who apply for a Child Student visa have to be from a country that is not in the European Economic Area or Switzerland and meet some other UK visa eligibility requirements.
You can apply for a Child Student visa three months before you start your course. The Visa decision is typically made within three weeks (15 working days) after the application. It is worth mentioning, that many visa application centers offer additional services that may include faster visa decisions. A Child Student visa fee is £348 (from outside the UK), the applicant must also pay the healthcare surcharge.
The duration of the visa depends on the age of the applicant and the duration of the chosen UK course. Students under 16 can stay up to six years (course length) plus four months afterwards. Students that are 16 or 17 years old can stay up to three years (course length) plus four months afterwards. Child Student visa holders are allowed to arrive in the UK up to one week before their course starts if the course lasts six months or less, or up to one month before their course starts if it lasts more than six months.
A Child Student visa allows you to study at an independent school in the UK; apply from outside the UK and apply to extend your stay. People who are 16 or over are permitted to work: part-time during the term (for up to ten hours per week); full-time during vacations; on a work placement as part of their studies (less than 50% of the course time); as a student union sabbatical officer (not longer than two years).
A Child Student visa does not allow its holders to study at an academy, a local authority funded school, a further education college; take a full-time permanent job or be self-employed; work as a professional sportsperson, entertainer, doctor or dentist in training; receive public funds and settle in the UK on a Child Student visa. Parents who want to accompany their children need to apply for a Parent of a Tier 4 (Child) visa.
To apply for a Child Student visa you must have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed Tier 4 sponsor and enough financial resources to support yourself and pay for the course. Courses accepted by the requirements of the Child Student visa are taught in line with the UK national curriculum, independent school education inspection standards, and the Regulated Qualifications Framework. Visa applicants can also do a course that is accepted as being at the same academic level by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), Estyn (Wales), HM Inspectorate of Education (Scotland), Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland) and Independent Schools Inspectorate. The pre-sessional study is also permitted.
After a student is offered a place on a course in the UK, an education provider sends a reference number called a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS). This number must be added to the visa application. One CAS can cover both the pre-sessional course and the main course of study. It is important to apply for a Child Student visa no later than six months after the CAS was sent.
Documents you must provide when you applying for a Child visa are a valid passport or other valid travel documentation; proof that you can support yourself financially; proof of parental or guardian consent; proof of your relationship with your parent or guardian and tuberculosis test results (if needed). A blank page in your passport for your visa is necessary.
You must start your Child Student visa application process online and then visit a visa application center to have your fingerprints and photograph taken as part of your application. It is important to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you would arrive in the UK. Many visa application centers offer faster decisions and other services for extra money.
You can apply to extend your stay in the UK under a Child Student visa. To do so you need to meet the eligibility requirements of this visa, already be in the UK and guarantee that you are sponsored by an independent school. You must apply for your Child visa extension within six months of getting a CAS and before your current visa expires. You are permitted to stay in the UK until you get your visa decision. It is usually made within eight weeks if you use the standard service and costs £475 plus the healthcare surcharge and £19.20 (to have your biometric information taken).
When you apply to extend your stay in the UK under a Child visa, you will be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services service point to provide your biometric information and submit your supporting documents (upload them into the online service or have them scanned at your Visa and Citizenship Application Services service point during the appointment. You do not have to travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man until you get your visa decision – the application will be withdrawn if you do so.
It is also possible to change from another visa to a Tier 4 Child visa within six months of getting a confirmation of acceptance for studies and before the current UK visa expires. You can stay in the UK until you get your visa switch decision. If your application to extend or switch to a Tier 4 Child Student visa is complex and takes longer (for example, because your supporting documents need to be verified; you need to attend an interview or because of your personal circumstances) you will be contacted by a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services service point directly.
Regards,
SmartImmigrant
