From 6th April 2015, the UK government changed the regulations for English tests acceptable for visa applications, meaning that only Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) can be used in visa applications. One of these is IELTS Academic for UKVI, which is the test most international students will take, and is the main English test that UK universities recognise. There other tests that universities recognise, but IELTS Academic for UKVI is the standard.

If you took your last test before 6^th April 2015, you will still be able to use it to apply for a visa – but only until 5^th November 2015, when the new regulations come into force. So if the last IELTS test you took was before April 6^th, then you will need to take another IELTS test as soon as possible! The IELTS Academic for UKVI test is the same as the previous one, so you should prepare for the same type of questions as before. The only difference is that you will receive a secure number that will be used for your visa application, so make sure that you choose the right test when you’re completing your online booking.

You can see more information here, but let us know if you have any questions about the new IELTS test!

Did anyone see this article on the BBC website recently? Immigration is a hot topic in the UK at the moment, but there is definitely a negative climate around it. Many political parties are saying that the UK needs to reduce the number of people immigrating to the UK – and one way they are doing this is through UKVI being stricter on immigration and visa rules, which has already started having an impact on the number of overseas students coming to the UK to study.

The head of Cambridge University has complained about this situation, however, as he thinks it is short-term and short-sighted. He’s right, too. In the eyes of politicians, international students are an easy target to enforce cuts and reductions on: the UKVI interviews could get tougher, or they could suddenly change visa regulations to make it more difficult to apply. This will cause an obvious drop in the number of international students coming to the UK, and because those numbers decrease, the government can say that it is meeting its immigration targets, and that immigration is under control.

This strategy is not fair, as it is using international students as a means of avoiding the larger issue of immigration control. International students bring a great deal to the UK – both academically and monetarily, all of which should be of interest to political parties. International students contribute a great deal towards postgraduate research, for which the likes of Cambridge University, Oxford University, and Imperial College London are rightly world famous. These universities would not be consistently ranked as the best in the world without the contributions of their international students, and so to try to deny international students the opportunity to study in the UK for the sake of politicking will be very damaging.

Applying to a UK university is now definitely more difficult than it used to be, especially when it comes to visas. Regulations are tight and getting tighter, and knowing someone who can navigate the treacherous application seas is becoming more and more important. You shouldn’t let the current atmosphere put you off, though, as the UK still has so much to offer international students. What you need, however, is for someone to look at and help you with your university and visa applications. Making your application as perfect as possible is the best way to avoid these kind of issues – so get some help before you start.

If you have any questions about immigration or visas, let us know in the comment section, or send us an email.

It’s every international student’s nightmare – your Tier 4 student visa is expiring, and there doesn’t seem to be anything that you can do about it. The clock is ticking, and it looks like the final countdown has begun…but all is not lost. ECA UK looks at some things that you can do.

If you want to stay in the UK for longer than your current visa allows, or you want to change your visa status, then you will have to make a new application to the Home Office. Applying for a new visa is all about timing: if your current visa is expiring in a few months, then you’ve got some options about what to do. If your visa is expiring in a few days, however, then your options are really limited. If you’ve left it too late, then you might have to bite the bullet, go back home, and re-apply for your UK visa from there. This isn’t an ideal situation, but it might be the only option that you have – so be careful about those expiry dates!

So, one option is to apply for another visa as soon as possible. When you submit an application to the Home Office before your UK visa expires, your permission to remain in the UK is automatically extended. You can then stay in the UK until the Home Office makes a decision on your application. You can do this to give yourself a little more time to find a new course, or to find a new sponsor; however, doing so isn’t really advisable, as you will be overstaying your original visa. You need to plan for this in advance, and to have your application prepared and submitted long before your expiry date arrives. If you sit on your hands and do nothing until the last minute, then you will at best have to take a course you’re not so interested in, or at worst have to leave the country.

If you have planned in advance, then you will be able to submit an application to the Home Office in time. It depends on each case, but it can take from a couple of weeks to a month to hear back about your application, so you shouldn’t have too long to wait.

If you do stay in the UK after your visa has expired, however, and you haven’t submitted an application to the Home Office to extend your visa or change to another immigration category, then you will become an “overstayer”. This could result in you receiving a re-entry ban – so you need to be careful.

The other issue is that, even if you submit an application for another Tier 4 visa, your sponsor might not issue a CAS. This is a genuine worry now that the UK government is changing immigration and visa regulations, and if you overstay then it is almost definite that they will not issue a CAS, and will withdraw the one they did issue.

The best option, of course, is to talk to an expert, someone who knows what they’re talking about. There are visa agencies in the UK who can help you, but they need to be certified by the UK government. This certification is called an OISC certification, and they will be able to give you advice, as well as help you with your UK visa application. ECA Legal, our sister company, is certified and able to offer advice to you, so instead of worrying, pay them a visit and get some advice from the specialists.

For students who still don’t have an offer for September, it may seem desperate, but James Galloway has comforting news and essential advice if you still need to secure a place at a UK university.

It’s that time of year again – Spring has sprung, the birds are singing in the trees, and international students all over the world are excitedly checking their UCAS accounts to find out if they’ve been accepted by their choices. There will be a lot of happy faces. But spare a thought for those who didn’t make it, and are still not holding an offer from their university of choice, or have even missed out on all the courses they wanted to study. And if you are one of the unlucky ones, don’t worry too much – help is at hand.

Even if you’ve missed out on all your choices, there are still some options available to you. The first place you can go is to UCAS Extra. You can find this on the UCAS website, where you made your original applications. If it’s available to you, it will appear as a button when you log-in to track your applications. There is a video and some instructions for you to follow, but it is never easy using the UCAS website. Also, UCAS Extra only allows you to do one extra university application at a time, which might not be enough if you want to get results quickly, or you want to have similar options to when you originally applied.

Another option that you have is clearing. When you make your initial applications, the universities will look at your education grades, or your predicted grades, and then give you an offer from those. If you didn’t receive an offer, but you are confident that your grades are good enough to get you entry into another university of your choice, then you can wait for “clearing”. This is from July to September each year, and you need to act fast when it starts, as there will be a lot of students waiting to do the same. This means that places on courses go fast, and they can fill up very quickly. Because there are limited places on offer, and a large number of students applying to each course, waiting until clearing is not always the best option. It is probably best if you see clearing as your last resort – when all other options have failed, then clearing is the thing to try.

If you’ve been rejected by your university choices, however, then perhaps it is time for a second opinion. For international students coming to study in the UK, using UCAS can be tough, but also the number of courses is overwhelming. Are you sure what you chose are the right courses for you? Does it fit with your career goal? Speaking with an education adviser or agent about your applications will be a great help, as they will be able to look over your previous applications, and give advice about your personal statement, for example, or if your qualifications from home met the course requirements. You will be able to choose a university that is more suitable for you, at a university that is closer to what you are looking for. A consultant may also be able to help you make direct applications to universities through their contacts, which you can’t do on UCAS. Another important factor to remember is that you won’t have to rely on clearing, either.

The important thing to remember is that there are more routes and options than many people realise. You will need to be organised, and get some advice to start planning your strategy now, but you can still find a place. Just don’t panic!

When applying for university study in the UK, you need to be careful to get it right, but if you get a professional to help you, it could make quite a difference to your success, and your schedule. James Galloway explains.

With the application deadlines for many university courses fast approaching, it is time to act quickly to get your university applications out in time. For many courses you can apply online, but you can also find an agent or education consultant to help you by applying directly. Most universities will look at applications as they receive them, and not wait until after their deadlines, so applying soon will allow you to get a head-start in the application process.

There are many benefits to applying to universities soon, especially if you use an advisor or agent who can get the results and feedback for you quicker than using other methods by yourself. If you get accepted at your first choice universities, then you won’t have to spend the summer worrying about making other applications, and can think about other things such as accommodation, budgeting and, of course, applying for a visa. If you get a rejection, then you will be able to assess your application and perhaps reconsider a few things: are you aiming too high, for example, or do you need to change anything? Applying to your favoured universities soon will give you the chance to re-think, and perhaps tailor your personal statement again if you need to.

Of course, for international students coming to study in the UK, it is not just your university course that you need to think about, but also your visa. Applying for your university course soon will give you enough time to go through the visa application process, which can sometimes take a long time – especially if you’re not sure how to apply. You will need to supply original documents – such as bank statements – that have to be in the correct format. This can take longer than you expect to gather together, and even though your university will give you some help here, it will be much easier for you to get help from a visa and immigration adviser, who will tell you which documents to prepare and how to prepare them. Your visa advisor will manage the application process from the start to the finish, and all you will have to do is supply the documents – you won’t even have to fill in an application form. If you are applying in the UK, make sure that you choose a suitably qualified adviser who is regulated either by the OISC or as a solicitor. Using unregulated and unqualified people for legal advice can put you at risk, and without anyone to help you if it all goes wrong.

We all know that applications can be a confusing and troublesome business, but getting an early start before those deadlines get closer will help manage your stress levels over the summer, and give you time to relax and do far more exciting things. Asking an agent to help and advise you with your university applications is very convenient, and will turn what is sometimes a difficult process into a smooth and easy one. They will allow you to speed up these processes, and get the results you are looking for.

It’s essential for student life in the UK, but how easy is it for an international student to open an account? James Galloway ivestigates.

So you’ve got your offer from your dream university in the UK, you’ve checked in at your accommodation, and you’ve started making some friends. You know there’s something else you need to do, some kind of life administration work, but you can’t quite remember… But when the next time to go out comes around, and you need to run off to get some money to pay for dinner or pay for your round at the pub – that’s when you remember what you should have done: open a bank account.

The one thing which could stop you opening an account is the type and length of visa you have. With a student visitor visa, you may find it difficult, as banks require a ‘residence’ type visa of at least six months to open an account. This means that you need to be in the UK with a Tier 4 student visa if you will need a bank account.

Opening a bank account as an international student is not as difficult as you might think, as both the bank and your university want your life in the UK to be as easy and as convenient as possible. First of all, though, you need to choose which bank is right for you. There are a great many banks in the UK, and what we call ‘high street banks’, such as HSBC, NatWest, Santander, and Lloyds, will all have basic bank accounts that you can open. These will provide you with a debit card, which you can use to pay for things directly (it is different from a credit card, as the money will come out of your account automatically).

A basic account can be used to pay in and take out money, but you can’t use it to get credit – you’ll need a current account in order to get that. There are other types of account available which require you to have a minimum amount of money in the account when you open it, and these allow the bank to offer more services. Some banks offer student accounts, and might give you a free gift if you open one. You can speak with the bank staff about those accounts, but for an international student studying for a few years, a basic or current account is the easiest option.

Now comes the important part: actually opening the account. If you choose a basic account, you won’t have to deposit any money in your account to open it, but you will need to show your identity and some other documents when you go to the bank. You should check with your chosen bank before you go, but you will usually need to bring your passport with your student visa if you’re a non-EU student; if you’re from the EU, then you will need to bring you passport and your national photo ID card. You will need to show the bank some extra information, to confirm that you’re currently a student. Your university/college/school will provide you with a letter confirming your UK study details, or they will help you complete a “Letter of Introduction for UK Banking Facilities.” This will also be your proof of address, as the bank will send you a debit card, as well as bank statements, after you’ve completed the process.

That should be everything. Oh yes, remember to try to manage your money responsibly! The bank will actually help you do this, as you can check your account using an ATM (in the UK we sometimes call them ‘the hole in the wall’), as well as the regular bank statements you will receive. If you need assistance or advice with your bank account, you can speak to the bank, as they will be happy to help. Even the most basic bank account will let you do things like transfer money overseas, receive money from home, and also pay large amounts for your school fees or rent. Opening a bank account is definitely something you need to do when you arrive in the UK, and if you follow our advice, it should be a quick, easy, and convenient process.

How to prepare for arrival in the UK – an international student’s guide.

By James Galloway

Coming to the UK as an international student is an exciting time: you’ll be making new friends, having new experiences, and learning new things every day. You’ll be starting a new life in the UK, and whether you’re coming to university or another place of study, that means there will be a lot to prepare. Let’s start with some basics.

It might seem obvious, but as an international student, you’ll need a valid passport, and you will need to have applied for and obtained a visa. You can apply for a visa yourself, but it’s often easier to ask an immigration advisor to help you with that, as they will know which documents you will need, and have a good understanding of the application process. If you do hire anyone to help with your visa, in the UK they must be registered with the OISC, which is part of the Home Office.

Students in the UK have their own halls of residence, but for international students at your place of study it might be different. Have you booked a place in a hall of residence? Have you arranged other accommodation? When can you check in? These are important questions you need to ask yourself. You will need to apply in advance, so make sure you take care of your accommodation as soon as possible.

As an international student, you will of course want to go out, go shopping, and buy things for your course. To do this you’ll need some cash – and making sure you have enough to cover your expenses for when you first arrive is an important thing to prepare. You can exchange currency at the airport, but the exchange rates there aren’t always favourable. The best idea is to either exchange it in your home country, or, if you think you can survive a few days, to research some good exchange rates at banks in the UK, which you can do online.

It’s one thing having money, and another thing being able to spend it: a budget, or at least setting limits on what you want to spend on living expenses, is also important. You don’t want to spend too much when you first arrive, but nor do you want to save everything and not go out and enjoy your new surroundings. So a balance needs to be reached, and having a limit on how much money you want to spend is a good idea.

You’ll also need to be ready for when you land in the UK. Whether you’re arriving at Heathrow or Gatwick, the first people that you’ll be talking to are Border Force, the officials at Passport Control. There usually won’t be a problem with them if your visa and passport are in order, but it will be a good idea to keep certain documents with you in your hand luggage, because a digital copy on your tablet or phone won’t be enough if you get asked!

Just in case you get asked, it will be a good idea to have copies of information on your course, for example your enrolment letter, and in certain cases you might need to show recent bank statements. This will be in only rare cases, as the bank statements show you will be able to pay for your course, or that you have a job in your home country that you plan on returning to. If you have been asked to show bank statements in your visa application, then you should have copies of those bank statements with you in your hand luggage.

Of course, you will also need to be ready to answer questions from Border Force when you arrive, such as why you’re coming to the UK, how long you plan to stay, and where you’ll be staying. These won’t be difficult questions, but you will need to answer them clearly – so try to be awake when you land! And definitely don’t forget that if you are coming with over €10,000 – or the equivalent – in cash, you will need to declare it when you arrive.