Outside the UK and need a visa to start a new programme

It is a good idea to start checking which visa application to complete and what documents to prepare when you decide to study in the UK. Although immigration rules, application forms and fees tend to change, our guidance will give you an idea of what you may need and allow you enough time to plan your visa application.

If you are a visa national and the main purpose of you coming to the UK is to study on a pre-sessional programme or a course that is longer than 6 months, you need to apply for a Tier 4 visa.

If you have any questions or need support completing your application please get in touch with us – we’re happy to help!

Once you receive an offer from the University of Hull, you will need to confirm your acceptance of the offer. The details that you provide will then be used to generate your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) statement that you need for your visa application. Please ensure that the email address (your own or your Agent’s) that you provide us with is correct.

Before the University of Hull can issue you with a CAS number, you must meet all of the conditions of your offer. This may include:

English language requirements

Check what evidence you can provide to meet the English language requirements.

A deposit for your tuition fees or evidence of sponsorship

International students undertaking a taught or research Masters or a PhD must pay a tuition deposit fee. It may take 5 working days for your deposit payment to be processed depending on the time of year.

Apart from the required tuition deposit, paying tuition fees to the University in advance is not a requirement of the visa process. If you choose to pay any additional fees to the University in advance, please ensure that your payment is reflected in your CAS statement.

If your studies are funded by a University approved financial sponsor, the deposit requirement will be waived upon receipt of the appropriate financial guarantee evidence.

If you are in receipt of the tuition fee scholarship or if you are our graduate progressing to another course with us, you do not need to pay any deposit.

An Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate (if your offer letter states you need one)

Generally, ATAS applications are processed within a month and are valid for six months. However, this process may take longer during the busy periods, and there is no premium/fast track processing option. It is therefore important to allow plenty of time to obtain the certificate since your CAS will not be generated until the ATAS clearance is received.

An ATAS application includes a statement outlining your area of research/study. This statement must be the same as agreed with your supervisor and held on file at the University of Hull. Please apply for your ATAS as soon as you receive your conditional offer.

When you will receive your CAS statement

You must have a CAS number in order to make your Tier 4 visa application.

Your CAS statement will be emailed to you by our Admissions Service once you accept your offer and meet all of the conditions of your programme. It cannot be generated earlier than 4 months before your course start date and expires six months after the date of issue so you must make your visa application within this time. Your CAS will only be valid for study at the University of Hull and for a single visa application.

Check your CAS statement is correct

Please check your CAS email as soon as you receive it. Please ensure that all of the information on your CAS is correct, including personal, fees and course details. If you have been awarded a fee scholarship by the University of Hull or if you paid some or all of your tuition fees, and this information is incorrect or does not appear on your CAS, please contact the team that issued you with a CAS number as soon as possible and before you make your visa application.

Please note that any errors will normally be rectified by adding a note to your CAS record. This means that a new CAS will not be issued. Instead, you will receive an email confirming the corrections that have been made.

You’ll need a tuberculosis (TB) test if you are a resident in certain countries listed on the UK Government website.

It is important to take extra time and care to ensure that your supporting documents meet relevant visa requirements to avoid any delays and/or refusals. If your application is refused, you may not have time to make a new visa application in time for your programme or, in some cases, University may not be able to issue you another CAS. See our guidance on documents to provide in your visa application.

To apply for your visa you need to register for and complete an online application (unless you are applying from North Korea).If you are applying via the Visa4UK website, you will need to create an account and select a type of Tier 4 application:

Tier 4 (General) Student: if you intend to fund your study yourself (privately or student loan funded).

Tier 4 (General) (Sponsored) Student: if your studies in the UK will be fully funded by an official financial sponsor, which includes University of Hull or your home University scholarships/bursaries, the UK government, your home government (not including student loans), the British Council or any international organisation or international company that meets the UKVI sponsorship requirements.

Tier 4 (Scholarship) Student: only if you obtained a Chevening Scholarship/Fellowship, a British Marshall Scholarship, a Fulbright Scholarship or a Commonwealth Scholarship.

Ensure that all the information on your completed visa application form matches that on any supporting documents and explain any discrepancies.

If you intend to come to the UK for more than 6 months, you will need to pay a healthcare surcharge as part of your Tier 4 visa application. You pay the surcharge as part of the visa online application process.

The amount payable depends on the length of your visa and not the length of your programme. IHS is £150 per year and is payable even if you have a private medical insurance.

You may be interviewed by the UK Visas and Immigration as part of your Tier 4 visa application or upon your arrival to the UK. The purpose of the interview is to check whether you are a genuine student and have an adequate level of English.

You may be asked questions about how and why you chose the University of Hull and your programme of study,  who is funding your studies, comment on your education or employment history, future plans, and other relevant topics.

The Home Office may telephone you or send you an email asking you to attend your interview. Please ensure that you check your emails on a regular basis (inbox and junk or spam folders). You could be interviewed in person, by Skype or by telephone.

It is important to answer all of the questions to the best of your knowledge as you may be refused a visa or entry to the UK if the Immigration Officer finds that you are not a genuine student or your English is not good enough. If this happens, please contact our Immigration Team (immigration@hull.ac.uk) with details of your interview as soon as possible.

You’ll be asked by the UK Government to provide your biometric information as part of your visa application when you attend your Visa Application Centre. 

If your visa application is successful and you will be staying in the UK for more than 6 months, UKVI will issue you a one month Entry Clearance (permission to enter the UK) in a form of a vignette (sticker in your passport) that will allow you enter the UK.

When you arrive in the UK, you will need to collect your BRP card.

Your BRP card is a Biometric Residence Permit (visa) that confirms your right to be in the UK for the duration of your studies. When you receive your BRP card, please check it to ensure that all of the details are correct. If there are any errors, please contact the Immigration Team for further assistance.

Please also make sure that you comply with the conditions listed on your new BRP card.

Collecting your BRP from the University of Hull

If you entered the University of Hull ACL code (2HE437) on your visa application form, you will be able to collect your new BRP from the University during your registration process. You will need your passport and a UKVI letter to enable you collect your BRP.

Collecting your BRP from the local Post Office

If you choose to collect your BRP from the local Post Office, your UKVI letter will have the address and the date your BRP will be available from. It is important that you collect your BRP on the date stated. You will need your passport, UKVI letter, your UK address and contact number to enable you to collect it. You will be given help and information on, e.g., where the local Post Office is, when you arrive at or register with the University.