Studying in the UK
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Child and Adult student visas
From 31 March 2009, all students must apply either as an adult student or a child student (under tier 4 of the points-based system).
You can apply as a child student if you are between 4 and 17 years old. If you are between 4 and 15 years old, you must be educated at independent fee-paying schools.
You can apply as an adult student if you are coming to the United Kingdom for your post-16 education.
If you are 16 or 17, you should ascertain whether you need to apply for an adult or child student visa. If you will be studying a course below National Qualification Framework level 3 you can only apply as a child student. If your course is at National Qualification Framework level 3 or the same as or above and is longer than two years, you should apply as an adult student.
You can apply as a child or student visitor if you want to come to the United Kingdom to do a course of study for up to six months and do not want to work while you are here.
You can apply as a prospective student if you want to come to the United Kingdom to help you decide which course to study or you plan to start a course of study within six months.
Only students studying at an approved education provider (also known as sponsorship) and with enough money to cover the course fees and monthly living costs (also known as maintenance) will get sufficient points to qualify.
The rules relating to the length of stay and maintenance requirements are varied and quite complex, which is why it may well be worth while employing the services of Work Permit Centre to assist you. We provide advice and manage all of these applications on behalf of our clients.
Post-study worker category
The post-study worker category allows the UK to retain the most able international graduates who have studied in the United Kingdom. It also enhances the United Kingdom's overall offer to international students. Post-study workers are free to look for work without having a sponsor for the length of their leave.
The category effectively provides a bridge to highly skilled or skilled work. If you are granted permission to stay as a post-study worker, you will be expected to switch into another tier of the points-based system as soon as you are able to.
You can apply under the post-study worker category now if you are in the United Kingdom with permission to stay under the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS), International Graduates Scheme (IGS) or Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS); or in the United Kingdom as a student, which includes students, student nurses, students re-sitting examinations, and students writing up a thesis, and want to switch into the post-study worker category.
Work Permit Centre provide advice and manage these applications on a regular basis for our clients.