Applying inside the UK

To successfully apply for a student visa, you must score 70 out of 70 points.

This is calculated as follows:

If you have maintained residence in the UK, there are no medical checks or tests required when applying for a visa from within the UK.

The information and guidance on funding that follows is based upon the UK Immigration Rules and student visa requirements.  All funds being used for a student visa application must meet the requirements of Immigration Rules Appendix Finance.

As stated previously, if you have been in the UK with a valid visa for twelve months or more prior to making your visa application, you are considered to have automatically met the maintenance requirement and will not have to provide documentation to evidence this.  Students who are officially sponsored will be required to show evidence of this sponsorship and that they have permission from the sponsor to continue.

Sponsored students

If you are a student that is sponsored for living expenses and/or tuition fees by an official financial sponsor, you will not need to show the sponsorship amount in your bank account.  An official financial sponsor is His Majesty's Government, the student's home government, the British Council, an international organisation, international company (the UKVI requires an international company to be a company with a trading presence / registered office in more than one country), a university or UK independent school.  For a visa application, an official financial sponsor is not a spouse, friend, family member, NHS hospital, foundation trust or organisation.  Instead, you will need to obtain a letter from your financial sponsor confirming how they are supporting you.  This letter must be recently dated (a copy of which must be sent to Admissions prior to your Visa & Confirmation Checklist), on official letter-headed paper and must contain:

• your name
• name of your official financial sponsor
• contact details of your official financial sponsor
• length of financial sponsorship
• a statement confirming that your financial sponsor will cover all fees and living costs (if applicable)
• a statement confirming that the sponsorship is for Keele University and for your course of study

If your sponsorship is for tuition fees only and does not include living expenses, you will need to provide a bank statement, as per the requirements at the top of this section.  This is because you will have to demonstrate that you have the funds available to meet your living costs.

If you are studying at postgraduate degree level or specific integrated undergraduate courses in certain subject areas, you may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance certificate.  At Keele University, this will mainly apply if you are undertaking a research degree.  If you require an ATAS certificate, your research institute should inform you of this during the admissions process.  

ATAS is a requirement for any student who is not a UK National, a national from the list of exempt countries or does not have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, regardless of tuition fee status.

ATAS is based on the Common Aggregation Hierarchy Code (CAH3).  You will need the full CAH3 code to apply for your ATAS certificate.  At the University, the CAH3 code you will be assigned will relate to the specific research area you propose to undertake rather than just your course title.  

An ATAS clearance certificate must be provided to the University before you will receive a Visa & Confirmation Checklist (Pre CAS), along with payment of your tuition fee deposit / provision of financial documentation and any other outstanding conditions of your offer.  This is also applicable for visiting research students who require ATAS, as no supporting documents will be issued until an ATAS certificate is provided.  You will not be enrolled onto your course of study until an ATAS is provided.

The ATAS certificate has two timeframes:

1. the 'active' six month timeframe, which exists solely to serve as a deadline for students to complete their visa applications.  Once this process is finalised, the active element of the certificate falls away
2. the 'inherent' timeframe, which covers the student's studies for the duration of time given in the online application form.  The course start and end date, which are provided by the University on admission, are entered into the application form by the student at the time of applying.  The ATAS certificate is subsequently valid for the duration of time provided on the CAS.

Once the certificate is issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), the only time a student should need to submit a new ATAS application will be to support: a new visa application; changes to their studies or research during the study period; extending their studies by a period of more than three months; changes to their UK visa (Immigration status).

UKVI recommend that you apply for a new ATAS certificate at least four months in advance of any visa application.  Once granted, an ATAS certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue and must be valid at the point of submission of a visa application.

For more information about ATAS and how to apply, please visit the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.  Your supervisor and research institute can assist you in applying for a new ATAS certificate.  As soon as a new ATAS certificate is received, please send a copy to visa@keele.ac.uk 

As of 1st January 2025, eVisas are replacing BRP's.

An eVisa is an online / digital record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. You need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa.  

You can apply for your eVisa on the Gov.UK website.

You will then need to create a online UKVI account in order to share your immigration status with other people, such as the University, landlords or employers.

UKVI have produced a number of videos explaining eVisas and how they work - these videos are linked below and we recommend you take the time to view them.

What is an eVisa?

How to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and get access to your eVisa

How to travel with your eVisa

How to prove your immigration status with an eVisa 

All of the documents you submit to support your visa application must be original.  If any documentation is not in English, a certified translation must be provided with the original.  You may be required to submit the following documents:

• a current passport or other valid travel documentation
• proof that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and pay for your course and / or a letter confirming any official financial sponsorship
• a valid ATAS certificate if your course and nationality require it
• qualification certificates or transcripts

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.  Further guidance can be found in the UKVI guidance here.

If you have been in the UK with a valid visa for twelve months or more prior to making your visa application, you are considered to have automatically met the maintenance requirement and will not have to provide documentation to evidence this.  

Low risk applicants

Some students are not required to submit evidence of qualifications or finances when making a visa application.  The UKVI calls this 'differentiation arrangements' for 'low-risk applicants'.

Low-risk applicants can be identified as being nationals of the countries or territories listed in paragraph ST 22.1 of Appendix Student of the Immigration Rules.

We strongly encourage you to prepare evidence of your qualifications and your finances, even though you are not required to submit them.  This is because the UKVI can request this evidence at any time while considering your application and will refuse your application if you cannot provide them by the given deadline when they are requested.

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a fee that has been introduced by the UK Government requiring all those applying for a UK visa to pay an upfront fee to have access to health services in the UK.  The IHS must be paid at the time of the visa application and it is calculated for a student (and each dependant) as £776 per year for the length of time on the student's visa.  For example, a one-year postgraduate taught student would need to pay £776 and a postgraduate research student on a four-year programme would need to pay £3,104 when making a visa application.  This amount is in addition to the visa application fee.  The IHS must not be deducted from the funds available as evidence of the ability to pay your tuition fees and living (maintenance) costs.  Note that the student IHS fee is cheaper than the standard adult IHS fee of £1,035.  If you are in the UK for less than six months and you're applying from inside the UK, you will only need to pay half of the IHS fee, £388.

You may be asked to attend a credibility interview as part of the visa application process.  You will be contacted by the UKVI and informed of this and whether the interview will be online or in person.  Again, be sure to check your emails regularly as your application is likely to be refused if you are asked to attend an interview and then fail to do so.

For more information on credibility interviews and how to prepare for one if invited to to attend, please see Applying Outside the UK

Once you have a decision on your visa application, you must send a scanned copy of the decision letter by email to visa@keele.ac.uk.  The University will send you an automated email based upon the UKVI's database when we notice a change in the status of your CAS / visa application.

Refusals

If you satisfy the points required for an application and submit the required evidence, you should expect that your student visa will be granted.  However, if you have not provided the University with accurate information and details of previous study in the UK, your visa may be refused.  It is therefore very important to make sure that you get your application right first time.

If you do not submit all the original documents that are required, the UKVI will not contact you to ask for missing documents.  An incomplete or incorrect application will be refused.  If your application is refused, you must send a copy of your refusal letter to visa@keele.ac.uk

There is no right of appeal against a student visa refusal.  If your visa application is refused and you wish to rebut the UKVI's decision, the only option is to submit an Administrative Review.  When you send your refusal notice to us, we will assess the refusal and advise accordingly.