UK Tier 4 Student Visa Solicitors

International students may need a tier 4 student visa to take up the opportunity to study at a UK college or university.

Our student visa solicitors can help you with your student visa application. Without the right visa and UK entry clearance, you won't be able to begin your studies in your chosen college or university. That’s why so many international students decide to hand over their tier 4 student visa application to our immigration law experts.

Contact our UK Tier 4 Student Visa Lawyers in London

For student visa advice email us for a phone, Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams or Cisco WebEx consultation or call us for an appointment at our offices in London.

For expert help contact our student visa solicitors in London.

What a tier 4 student visa allows you to do

A tier 4 student visa allows you to live in the UK and to study at your chosen college or university.

At the end of your course, you can choose to go home, to explore your global career opportunities with the advantage of a UK college, degree or post-graduate qualification or switch to a UK work visa or business visa and remain in the UK.

If you know, from the outset, that your goal is to settle in the UK after the successful completion of your studies, our immigration lawyers will be able to explain the journey from education visa to work or business visa to UK settlement.

While you are studying in the UK you will be able to work part-time. The amount of work you can do will depend on the course you are studying and your visa conditions.

Eligibility requirements for tier 4 student visa

To successfully make a tier 4 student visa application you need to meet four requirements:

1. Study - have an offer of a place on a course from a licensed education provider who has a sponsor licence to sponsor your studies
2. English – be able to speak, read and write in English and prove this by either passing a standard English language test or showing you are exempt from taking the test because you are from an English-speaking country or because of your qualifications
3. Financial – show you can afford to stay in the UK and study without access to public funds and without working full-time
4. Age – you must be 16 or over. For visa applicants under the age of 18, a parent or guardian must agree to your coming to the UK to study

In addition to these tier 4 visa requirements, you must meet the two general entry requirements applicable to all visa applicants. They are:

1. Security clearance – you must prove your identity to obtain a UK visa. This is done by providing biometric information – fingerprints and a photo to get an e-Visa
2. Good character – you will not qualify for a visa if the Home Office thinks you are not of good character. For example, some types of criminal convictions or a poor immigration record can result in visa refusal but it is rare for an education visa to be refused on general refusal grounds

Maximum time limits for studying in the UK

How long you can stay in the UK on a student visa depends on:

• The length of your course and
• Any study time you have already completed in the UK.

The general rules are:

• If you are 18 or over and your course is at degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to five years
• If your course is below degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to two years

Before your student visa expires you may be able to apply to extend it or switch to a visa route that will eventually allow you to settle in the UK through applying for indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship.

Specific requirements for postgraduate doctors or dentists on a recognised foundation programme

There are specific requirements for postgraduate doctors or dentists making a tier 4 student visa application to join a recognised foundation programme.

The immigration rules allow a doctor or dentist to apply for a student visa if they are sponsored on a recognised foundation programme and they have:

• Finished a recognised UK degree in medicine or dentistry
• Received their degree from a registered student sponsor
• Spent their final year and at least one other year of study leading to their degree in the UK

The immigration rules on student visas for postgraduate professional qualifications can be complicated. Our student visa lawyers can explain how the rules apply to your circumstances and your planned course.

Dependants

Some international students can be accompanied to the UK by family members. Eligibility for a dependant visa will depend on whether an international student commenced their studies on or after 1 January 2024.

Qualifying dependents can apply for a dependant visa to accompany an overseas student to the UK provided the student  started their studies after 1 January 2024 and if they are studying as a:

1. Government-sponsored student studying a course that lasts more than six months or

2. Full-time student on a postgraduate level course (RQF level 7 or above that is a research-based higher degree, PhD or doctorate degree) lasting nine months or longer. The sponsoring education provider must have a track record of compliance on the Home Office register of sponsors

Our specialist immigration solicitors can advise whether a family member is likely to qualify for a dependant visa and the alternate visa options.

Keeping in touch with family members is important when you are studying in the UK. If a family member does not qualify for a dependant visa, we can help them secure a visitor visa. We have an excellent track record of securing visit visas for graduation ceremonies and other important life events or simply because family members want to visit a student and explore the UK.

Visa extensions

You may be able to extend your student visa if you need longer to complete your course or want to change your course.

You can apply for a tier 4 student visa extension if you meet these requirements:

1. Student visa – you must be in the UK on a student visa
2. Place on a course – you must have an unconditional offer of a place on a course run by a Home Office licensed course provider
3. Course level - the course must either be at a higher academic level than your current course or you must fall within one of the exceptions to the requirement to show academic progress
4. Financial – show you have enough money to stay in the UK without access to public resources. The immigration rules only require you to prove affordability if you have been in the UK with a valid visa for less than 12 months

Tier 4 student visa FAQs

How do I get a tier 4 student visa?

A tier 4 visa application is made online. An expert student visa lawyer can prepare the online application for you and identify the documents you need to secure your visa.

The tier 4 student visa application process involves:

• Confirm eligibility and collate documents
• Submit online application
• Attend a visa appointment for your biometric information to be taken (photograph and fingerprints)

How long can you stay in the UK on a tier 4 student visa?

How long you can stay in the UK on a student visa depends on the length of the course you have been accepted onto and what, if any, study you have already completed in the UK.

It's important to talk to a specialist immigration solicitor if you need to extend your visa because you need to take resits or want to continue with postgraduate or vocational studies.

If you are nearing the end of your academic studies our immigration lawyers can advise on the best visa options to enable you to stay in the UK. This needs careful consideration and specialist legal advice so you can weigh up whether a graduate visa, skilled worker visa or business visa best meets your circumstances and settlement goals.

What is the total cost of a UK tier 4 visa?

The total cost of a study visa can be broken down into:

• Visa application fee
• Priority application fee – if you want the Home Office to process your application quickly
• Immigration health surcharge – the amount will depend on the visa length
• Student visa lawyer fees

When you contact our immigration solicitors and tell us about your planned course and length, we can explain the total cost of your UK tier 4 visa.

How long does it take to get a tier 4 student visa?

The length of time it takes to get a student visa depends on several factors, such as:

• Whether the Home Office has an application backlog
• Whether you choose to use the Home Office priority service
• The complexity of your application

When you talk to us about your study plans, we will be able to provide you with up-to-date timeline information and explain whether paying the Home Office for priority service is justified. If your course start date is a few months away paying for priority service may not be necessary.

Who is eligible to sponsor a UK student visa?

Any education institution with a sponsor licence issued by the Home Office can sponsor an international student to apply for a tier 4 visa. Our sponsorship licence lawyers assist colleges and universities in applying for and managing their sponsor licences.

What happens if I work over 20 hours on a student visa in the UK?

Some international students are allowed to work over 20 hours a week while in the UK on a student visa. However, most students are limited to part-time work as a condition of their visa. If the work condition is breached the Home Office could decide to cancel your visa.

If a visa is cancelled the student must leave the UK or switch to a different type of visa. A student might find it harder to get another UK visa because of their immigration record.

Visa conditions can be complicated when you are navigating coursework and a part-time job. Our specialist student visa solicitors can provide advice on student visa conditions.

Can I change my student visa to a work permit in the UK?

You can switch from a student visa to a work permit if you meet the eligibility criteria. If you are nearing the completion of your degree, you may be interested in applying for a graduate visa. Talk to our graduate visa solicitors about the timing of your work visa application as you must still be on a study visa in the UK to qualify for a graduate visa.

If you want to settle in the UK and apply for indefinite leave to remain, you may be interested in applying for a skilled worker visa. The innovator founder visa may meet your visa requirements if you have entrepreneurial skills and want to set up your own business.

Fees for our student visa immigration lawyers

We welcome initial calls and online inquiries to discuss student visa fees and timetables to secure your study visa.

Our tier 4 student visa expertise

When you search ‘solicitor for visa application’ there are thousands of results. What sets our London immigration solicitors apart is our appreciation that:

• This may be your first visa application and you need specialist legal support to make the process as stress-free as possible
• You have a hard deadline as you need your visa before your course start date
• You need rounded expert immigration legal advice and immigration lawyers who can advise on student visa work conditions and how to extend your student visa or move from undergraduate to PhD student or to a graduate or skilled worker visa

Our immigration solicitors are:

• Friendly – some of our immigration lawyers came to study in the UK on study visas and know that it helps to have a lawyer who is on your side
• Experienced in all types of study visas and dependant and visit visas for family members so your family can stay with you or come to see you in the UK. We can answer all your questions on visa conditions, visa extensions and your visa switch inquiries
• Efficient - it is vital that our experts sort out your application and all the supporting paperwork in time for you to start your course

Based in London, we help students from across the globe with their tier 4 applications to enable them to study in the UK.

Speak to our UK Tier 4 Student Visa Solicitors in London

For help with applying for a tier 4 student visa either email us for a phone, Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams or Cisco WebEx consultation or call us for an appointment at our offices in London.

For expert help contact our student visa lawyers in London.

Our lawyers speak Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French/Mauritian Creole, Spanish, Tamil Tagalog/Ilonggo, Urdu/Punjabi.