EXTENDING YOUR STUDENT VISA IN THE UK
If you know that you are going to need to extend your Student Visa to complete your studies at the University
of Bradford, it is very important that you are aware of the visa regulations.
POINTS BASED SYSTEM: TIER 4 FOR STUDENT VISAS
Tier 4 is part of the Points Based Immigration system that is gradually being introduced for people coming to
the UK to study or work
Tier 4 is the part that relates to students
If you need to extend your student visa to complete current course, you will now have to follow new rules for
Tier 4
How many points do you need to extend your visa?
You need to score 40 points:
30 points for your ‘CAS’ number (CAS = Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)
10 points for ‘maintenance’
CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)
Your CAS number is a unique number that the University has to apply to the UK Border Agency for you, as
part of the visa extension process.
How do you get a CAS?
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Collect a blue CAS visa extension form from The Hub or UBU Reception
Take this to your Department and ask them to complete it, sign and stamp it
By signing this form, your Department will be confirming that you have regularly attended your course
and made progress on your course If you have not been regularly attending, they will have to state
this on the form.
Return the form to the Hub
Take your passport with you at the same time
Ask for your CAS number to be processed
We will apply to UK Border Agency for your CAS number, and you will be able to collect this from The
Hub. The CAS number can also be emailed to you. Allow at least 15 working days for this process
particularly if you have had to do supplementary examinations, have had attendance or financial
problems, or if you are a PhD student.
REMEMBER: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A CAS INSTANTLY! DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST
MINUTE TO APPLY – ALLOW AT LEAST FIFTEEN WORKING DAYS TO GET YOUR CAS
MAINTENANCE
‘Maintenance’ is the amount of money that you have in your bank account for your living costs and remaining
tuition fees. The UK Border Agency specifies how much these amounts must be.
You must have the correct amount of ‘maintenance’ to ensure that you score the required 10 points for your
visa extension.
How much money will you need to have in your bank account?
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Two months ‘Living Costs’
Students outside of London: UK Border Agency calculate living costs to be £800 per month
You will therefore need to show that you have £1600 for living costs in either your bank account or your
parents’ bank account
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In addition, you will need to prove that you have enough money to pay the balance of your tuition fees
for the academic year, in your bank account or your parents’ bank account
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ALL of these funds must be in either your bank account or your parents’ bank account.
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You will need to show that these funds have been in your account or your parents’ account for at least
28 days before making your application. You show this by supplying either your bank statements or
your parents’ bank statements with your application form.
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If you are supplying your parents’ bank statements, you will also need to provide your birth certificate
and a letter from your parents, to confirm that they have no objection to the money in their account
being used for your tuition fees and living costs.
I am a sponsored student – are there different arrangements for me?
Yes. If you are sponsored by an ‘official financial sponsor’* there are different arrangements.
*An ‘official financial sponsor’ is considered by the UK Border Agency as being any of the following:
UK Government, your home Government, the British Council, an international organization,
international company or University.
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You will need to show a letter from your Official Sponsor, giving details of how much money they give to
you – ie the amount they are paying towards your tuition fees and the amount they are giving you each
month for your living costs.
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The letter must be on official paper of the Official Sponsor and must have the official stamp of their
organization on it.
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If your Sponsor pays all of your tuition fees and living costs, you would not need to show your bank
statement – just the letter from the Sponsor
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If your Sponsor pays for example, half your tuition fees and none of your living costs, you would need a
letter from the Sponsor to confirm those figures, and then you would need to show that you have the
balance of the tuition fees and the living costs (as detailed above) in your own bank account, for 28
days before making your visa extension application.
HOW CAN YOU PREPARE YOURSELF?
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Look now to see when your visa expires, so that you allow yourself enough time to make all the
arrangements – start preparing at least 2 to 3 months before your visa expires
Attend a Visa Information Session 2 to 3 months before your visa expires
Think now about your:
o Attendance
o Progression
o Finances
Visa Information Sessions
Visa Information Sessions are run by our Visa Adviser, and are held several times each month, all through the
year.
 At the Visa Information Session, the Visa Adviser will explain to you how to fill in the visa extension
application form, and what other documents that you required. She can also send off your application
form to the UK Borders Agency, if you apply in time. For full details of the Visa Information sessions,
see www.brad.ac.uk/international/visas.php
Attendance:
If you are not able to attend your course for any reason YOU MUST:
 Tell the University immediately and give the reason why (your Department will tell you who to contact)
 Keep all documentation that proves the reason for your absence (eg medical evidence)
Progress
Do your best to progress in the normal way on your course. But if things go wrong…….
 If the University allows you to resit any modules or resubmit your dissertation, it is usually still possible
for us to issue a CAS number for you if you need an extension of your visa (but only for you to resit
either once or twice)
 If you need time to write up your thesis (PhD students), we can usually issue a CAS number for you.
Changes from April 2012
The exact details of the changes for current students have not yet been announced, other than the following:
A maximum of 5 years will be set for studying in the category of Tier 4 at degree level or above.
Exceptions will be made for certain courses and PhD students.
Therefore it is very important that your progression on your course is as standard as possible, with the least
number of resits and resubmissions, to make sure that you do not go over the 5 year limit.
Your Finances
Make sure that you have a bank account in your own name (or joint name eg with spouse)
 Make arrangements now so that you have the required money in your bank account at the correct time.
 If you are unable to show the funds in your own bank account, you can show your parents’ bank
statements, as proof of finance, instead. Remember that you will need to arrange with them to send
these to you in time.
 You have to submit these statements at the same time as your application form. They cannot be
submitted at a later date.
 If you are showing your parents’ bank statements, you also have to supply a letter from them confirming
they have no objection to the funds being used for your tuition fees and living costs. You also need to
provide your birth certificate, to prove your relationship with them. These documents have to be
submitted at the same time as your application form, so remember to allow plenty of time for them to be
sent to you by your parents. The documents cannot be submitted at a later date.
WHAT OTHER DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
All students will need:
 Your passport (and your Biometric Residence Permit card if you have one)
 Application form - available to download from:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/applying-inside-uk/
(if applying in UK)
 Application fee – currently £394 for postal applications, £716 if you go in person to Public Enquiry
Office
 2 passport sized photographs
 CAS number
Other documents that you may need according to your circumstances
 Bank Statement (see above) for all self funded students or students funded by their parents
 Birth certificate (see above) for students funded by their parents
 Letter from parents, for students funded by their parents
 Sponsor Letter (see above) for students who have full or partial sponsorship for their studies
 Police Registration Certificate
(certain students only – see below and www.brad.ac.uk/international/police-registration.php)
 ATAS certificate (certain students only –see below)
Who needs a Police Registration certificate?
If you are from any of the countries listed below, and you are here for more than 6 months, and it is stamped in
your visa ‘Register with the Police within 7 days of arrival’ you need to register with the Police
Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil
China, Colombia, Cuba
Egypt
Georgia
Iran, Iraq, Israel
Jordan
Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kuwait
Lebanon, Libya
Moldova, Morocco
North Korea
Oman
Palestine, Peru
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria
Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Yemen
If you are from any other country not mentioned on the list, or if you will be in the UK for less than 6 months,
you will NOT need to register with the Police.
If you need to register with the Police, and you extend your visa, you have to send in your UP TO DATE Police
Registration Certificate.
Make sure you keep your Police Registration Certificate updated at all times
If you change your address or change your course, you MUST inform the Police within 7 days
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Go in person (Monday to Thursday 9.00am to 1.00pm and 2.15pm to 4.00pm) or send your certificate
by Recorded Delivery to the Police in Leeds to get your certificate amended
Millgarth Police Station, Millgarth Street
LEEDS, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HX
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When your get your visa extension back from the UKBA, you will also need to go in person to the Police
station with your passport and Biometric Residence Permit to have your Police Registration Certificate
updated, within 7 days
Who needs an ATAS certificate?
Students doing any of the courses below will need to apply for an ATAS certificate BEFORE they apply for
their visa extension. Apply for your ATAS certificate 2 to 3 months before your visa expires as it takes some
time to arrange.
Research students in:
 School of Engineering, Design and Technology
 School of Informatics
 School of Life Sciences
o Biomedical Sciences
o Cancer Therapeutics
o Chemical and Forensic Sciences
o Pharmacy
MSc students in the School of Engineering, Design and Technology on the following courses:
 MSc Automotive Engineering and MSc Applied Automotive Engineering
 MSc Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
 MSc Mechanical Engineering
MEng students
 MEng Chemical Engineering
 MEng Mechanical Engineering
 MEng Mechanical and Automotive Engineering
How do you apply for an ATAS certificate?
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Go to your Department and ask for an ATAS letter
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Engineering PhD/MSc/MEng in the above areas
Informatics PhD
Pharmacy PhD
Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Therapeutics,
Chemical and Forensic Sciences PhD
See John Purvis
See Rona Wilson
See Shamim Haider
See Ann Chanet
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Make sure that the ATAS letter your Department give you is signed by your supervisor AND the
Associate Dean or Dean. NB It will not be valid unless signed by both of these people.
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Apply online (using the information confirmed in your ATAS letter from your Department) for your ATAS
certificate at www.fco.gov.uk/atas
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Your ATAS letter and certificate are essential in order to apply to extend your student visa.
For further information about ATAS, see www.fco.gov.uk/atas or contact pbsenquiries@bradford.ac.uk
STUDENT DEPENDANTS
If your spouse and children are living with you in the UK on ‘Student Dependant’ visas, they are likely to need
to extend their visa at the same time as you. If they are not in the UK at the moment, and want to join you,
they would only be able to apply for a Student Dependant visa if you are:
 On a postgraduate course that is at least 12 months long
 A Government sponsored student on a course that is at least 6 months long
How much does it cost?
If your dependants apply at the same time as you:
 the cost is currently (June 2012) GBP 197 per dependant if you make their application by post
 the cost is currently (June 2012) GBP 358 per dependant if you make their application at a Public
Enquiry Office
If your dependants apply separately to you:
 the cost is currently (June 2012) GBP 561 per dependant if they make their application separately by
post
 the cost is currently (June 2012) GBP 867 per dependant if they make their application separately at a
Public Enquiry Office
What documents to they need?
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PBS Dependant application form for each dependant
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/adult-students/family/
2 photographs for each dependant
follow photograph guidance very carefully – details can be found at
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/flr/photoguidance0409.pdf
Police Registration Certificate (if it is stated on the current visa that you need to register with the Police)
Evidence of the required funds
What are the required funds for dependants?
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UKBA require you to show that you have 2 months of living costs at GBP 450 per month per
dependant ie GBP 800 per dependant
What evidence of funding do you need to provide?
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Bank statements to show that the required funds have been held for at least 28 days prior to making
the visa extension application
The statements can be in your name, your spouse’s name or joint names
I am a sponsored student. What evidence to I need to show for my dependants?
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If you receive money from your sponsor for your dependants, you need to provide an original of your
sponsor letter to show how much money per month you receive
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If you receive less than GBP 450 per month for each dependant, you will need to show that you have
the balance in your own bank account, or the bank account of your spouse, or a joint bank account
REMEMBER: To qualify for the lower application fee (GBP 197 per dependant), you need to include the
application form for each dependant and their documents in the same envelope as your own application
USEFUL LINKS
UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs)
www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/immigration_uk.php
www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/immigration.php
UKCISA Advice Line
Tel: 020 7107 9922
Monday to Friday, 1.00pm to 4.00pm
UK Border Agency
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/
WHO TO CONTACT AT THE UNIVERSITY
Naheeda Kauser
Visa Adviser, UBU Advice Centre
Email: ubu-visa@bradford.ac.uk
or
n.kauser8@bradford.ac.uk
Tel: 01274 233248
PBS Enquiries
The Hub
Email: pbsenquiries@bradford.ac.uk
Tel: 01274 233056
June 2012
Sue Baker
International Student Adviser, The Hub
Email: s.m.baker@bradford.ac.uk
Tel: 01274 233080