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Visas and Immigration

Applying for a Student Route Visa

As part of the UK Government’s immigration laws, the system for applying for a visa to study in the United Kingdom is called a Points Based System (PBS). This system aims to make the process of visa application simpler for students. The section relating to students is Student visa.

In order to apply for a Student visa you must complete the following steps with the University:

“Low Risk” Students

Nationals of some countries do not need to provide evidence of their qualifications or their money when they apply for a Student Visa. UKVI calls this the "differentiation arrangement" for "low risk students".

You are considered a "low risk" student if you are applying for a Student Visa to study at an institution that has Student Route Sponsor status, as QMU does, and:

• you are a national of Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, The Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, and you are applying for entry clearance in the country or territory where you are living or for leave to remain in the UK; 
• or you hold a Hong Kong, Macau SAR passport- or a British National (Overseas) passport and you are applying either for entry clearance in the country or territory where you are living or for leave to remain in the UK;
• or you hold a Taiwan (ROC) passport -On the application form, select 'Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Region of China' or 'Taiwan' (as appropriate) as your nationality. - (those who hold a passport issued by Taiwan that included the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan) with a residence card number, and you are applying either for entry clearance in the country or territory where you are living or for leave to remain in the UK.

 

It is very important that as a "low risk" student you still obtain the evidence of your qualifications and your money, even though you do not need to send them as part of your application. This is because UKVI can request this evidence as part of their decision process and they will refuse your application if you are unable to provide it within a specified timeframe.

Tuberculosis Documentation

You’ll need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if you’re coming to the UK for more than 6 months and are resident in any of the countries listed. If your test shows that you don’t have TB, you’ll be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months. Include this certificate with your UK visa application.

Immigration Health Surcharge

An immigration health surcharge will be required to be paid by nationals who apply to come to the UK to study for more than 6 months. This means that health surcharge payers will be able to access the National Health Service in the same way as a permanent resident, i.e. they will receive NHS care generally free of charge but may be charged for services a permanent resident would also pay for, such as dental treatment.

The health surcharge is payable in full at the time of the immigration application. The amount charged will be calculated based on the amount of time a migrant would be permitted to stay in the UK.

Find out further information about the immigration health surcharge.

Visit the UK Visas and Immigration website for further information on immigration matters. Alternatively, your local British Council can provide you with information on obtaining a visa.

Credibility Interviews

You may sometimes be required to attend an interview with Home Office officials, either as part of your Student visa application overseas, or when arriving in the UK (for example at the airport). If you are required to attend an interview and cannot show at that interview that your English language ability is at the standard required by the Immigration Rules, your entry clearance application may be refused or you may be refused permission to enter the UK. 

Please note that being issued with a CAS by the University does not guarantee your visa application will be successful. You must meet all of the requirements of the Student visa.

When your visa application is successful, you will be given a vignette which confirms that you have entry clearance for the UK and within 10 days of arrival you should collect a Biometric Identity Document (BID) or Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) from an allocated Post Office.

Arriving in the UK

As a student looking forward to beginning your studies in the UK you will need to start preparing for your journey. As part of your preparation we want to make sure you have everything you need to get through the UK border as securely and quickly as possible. The following advice explains some of things you can do to help with this:

• Make a note of a suitable UK contact including full name, address and a phone number which will be required when you complete your landing card (if required).
• If required, ensure you complete your landing card before you meet the Border Force officer in the UK.
• If you carry your passport in a protective wallet, please take it out before you present it to a Border Force officer.
• Never give false or misleading information (including forged or counterfeit documents) to a Border Force officer.
• Have your university Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) statement/Offer letter and medical card (if you have one) in your hand luggage that you carry with you on to the aircraft. If you don’t have a CAS statement, please bring thorough details of your course of study.
• There are restrictions on food products that you can bring to the UK from outside the European Union, even for personal use. Restrictions apply to products made from meat, dairy, fish, eggs and honey, as well as some fruit, vegetables and plants (e.g. bulbs, seeds, cut flowers and tree bark).
• There are also restrictions on the amount of goods such as tobacco, alcohol and gifts you can bring in the UK. If you exceed your allowances all of your goods can be taken away from you.
• Never bring in counterfeit goods, illegal drugs, firearms (including realistic imitations), offensive weapons (including knives) or indecent or obscene material.
• Make sure you are familiar with the conditions of your visa including the number of hours you are allowed to work.
• You must declare any sums of cash of €10,000 or more (or the equivalent in another currency) if you are travelling from a country outside the European Union.

If you would like further information on any of the above please check the UK Visas and Immigration website for more information.

Arriving at the University

Matriculation and Document Checks

ALL International fee paying students, regardless of their nationality or visa status, must provide their passport/visa/immigration documents to the University for checking. Immigration document checks take place at matriculation. If you are unable to provide your immigration documents you will not be able to obtain your student card.

The University is also required to check original copies of the qualifications which were used to obtain your place at the University.  All new international students on a Student visa should bring original copies of your qualifications with you to matriculation.

When you arrive in the UK, you will have 10 days in which to collect your visa card (also know as a Biometric Residence Permit [BRP]). It is recommended that you go to the directed Post Office during your first week (induction week). You will be expected to bring your BRP to the Registry Information Desk during the first week of teaching so that the International Office can take copies.

Police Registration

Are you from one of these countries?

Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Columbia, Cuba, Egypt, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, 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.

Does the visa in your passport state that you have to register with the police within 7 days of arrival in the UK?

If the answer to either of these questions is yes, you will need to register with the police within seven days of your arrival in the UK. You should first attend the Police Scotland Headquarters to book an appointment (it is not possible to book an appointment by phone or email). You can only book one appointment for yourself and any dependants.

You will receive an appointment card with the date and time of your appointment written on it along with a list of everything that you are required to bring to your appointment. If you attend without the listed documentation, you may not be able to register and may have to book another appointment.

You should arrive 10 minutes before your appointment, and your appointment will take around 10-15 minutes. You will not be seen if you are late for your appointment, and you will have to book for another day. If you cannot attend, you must cancel your appointment as soon as possible in person at Fettes, and rebook for a suitable time. If you miss your appointment without cancelling you will be emailed advising of your requirement to register with the police as part of the conditions of your visa, and you may be reported to the Home Office for late registration.

Police Headquarters
The Nationality Department
Fettes Avenue
Edinburgh EH4 1RB
Tel: 0131 311 3131

Office Hours: The headquarters reception is open Monday to Sunday 9.00am-5.00pm. Appointments for registration are available Monday to Thursday 8.30am-12.00noon and 12.30pm-3.00pm.

To get there from campus, take the number 30 Lothian bus into the city centre or the train from Musselburgh to Edinburgh Waverley then you can either get the number 24, 29 or 42 Lothian Bus from the city centre – check that the number is on the bus stop. For a bus route map please visit Lothian Buses.

Protecting your Student Visa

We are proud of the support we provide to International Students studying with us, and the contribution those students make to the University community. The policies and procedures set out below are designed to ensure that International Students can continue to enjoy their education at Queen Margaret University whilst at the same time satisfying the legal requirements placed on them and the University by the UK Government.

• You can only study full time. Part-time study may violate your visa conditions.
• If you suspend your studies for a fixed period of time or withdraw from your studies we will no longer be able to sponsor you and you will need to return to your home country. Failure to leave the UK will violate your visa conditions.
• You must not work more than 20 hours per week in term time (which includes resit periods during vacation or the writing up period for taught postgraduate and research degree students).
• The University cannot continue to ‘sponsor’ you if your progress is not satisfactory.

In being granted our licence, a number of requirements are placed on the University by UKVI. These include:

• Undertaking appropriate action at the recruitment, application and selection stages to ensure that offers are made to genuine students.
• Keeping a copy of each student’s passport and visa documents as well as holding safely and updating each student’s contact details.
• Reporting to the UKVI any student who fails to enrol on their course within the enrolment period.
• Reporting any unauthorised student absences (including missing expected interactions or contacts).
• Reporting any changes in students’ circumstances (e.g. temporary or permanent withdrawal, reduction in the length or hours of the course)

UKCISA have produced a useful page of useful information for protecting your Student visa status. You will also be able to find the complete list of information relating to your visa conditions on the UKVI website.

New Graduate Route Visa

The UK government has announced that students on a Student visa commencing their studies in the 2020-21 academic year will be eligible for the new Graduate Route visa (formerly known as the Post-Study Work visa) even if their courses is delivered initially through distance or blended learning.

The date by which those students who began a course in 2020 need to be in the UK by in order to be eligible for the Graduate Route visa has been extended to 27 September, or the date by which an applicant's visa expires, whichever is sooner.

Students who have already started a course which will end in summer 2021 will also be eligible to apply for the new Graduate Route visa. 

Key Points:

• The Graduate Immigration Route will be available to international students who have a valid Student visa at the time of application and who have completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a Higher Education Provider in the UK with a track record of compliance.
• Successful Graduate Immigration Route applicants will be able to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for a maximum period of two years. Graduates will be able to switch into skilled work once they have found a suitable job with the offer of immigration sponsorship.

Find out more about the new Graduate route visa or email the International Office.

Further Advice and Guidance

Within the University, visa and immigration advice can only be given by the International Office. Students should not rely on advice from family, friends, or other staff in the University.

Students can make an individual appointment by calling in to the drop-in advice sessions on Mondays 1400-1700 and Thursday 1000-1200 during term time, or by emailing the International Office.    

Contact us

For further information, please email the International Office.