1. Guide to Completing the Online Tier 4 Application Form

2. Access the online Tier 4 form through the UK Visas & Immigration website: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/tier-4-student To create your Tier 4 form click on ‘Start a new application’

3. The ribbon at the top of the page shows the different sections of the online application. You must be applying from within the UK to use this application form. If you are applying from overseas then please see this webpage for further guidance: http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial- guide/academic-life/immigration/applying-overseas/http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial- guide/academic-life/immigration/applying-overseas/

4. Legal representative refers to a solicitor or legal advisor. Please answer ‘no’ to this question if applying yourself or using the University’s Check & Send Service. You can see all your answers in the form at any time by clicking on ‘Show your answers’. This is also how you change your answers if you have answered them incorrectly.

5. You need to include an email address and password for any applications you make. You will be emailed a link to your specific application form which you can use to resume your application from where you left it. Please keep your password safe as you will need to use it to access the application form again should you leave it at any time.

6. If you are applying with your dependants then you must add them to the application form by clicking here. You will then need to answer questions for each dependant you are applying with. You are only eligible to bring dependants to the UK if you are studying a postgraduate course of at least 12 months in duration (Level NQF 7 or above). However, if you are studying a course of longer than six months and you are sponsored by your Government you are also eligible to bring dependants with you to the UK.

7. Write all of your given names as they appear on your passport and also ensure that your CAS includes your full name including any initials or middle names. Include details of any other names you are officially known by. Do not include nicknames.

8. Write your address in Manchester including your room and flat number if you are living in a Hall of Residence. If you change your address while you are waiting for the outcome of your application you can update it online through the UKVI website. If you are applying through the Visa Check and Send Service you must write our address as the correspondence address. We will email you to collect your biometric enrolment letter and application documents when we receive them. The correspondence address should be: S. Hargreaves, Student Services Centre University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL

9. Please check all your personal details against your CAS to ensure this is completely accurate. If there are any errors please email visa@manchester.ac.uk

10. You can add any other nationalities you hold by clicking here. Remember that the first nationality you enter will be taken into consideration by UK Visas & Immigration for this application. Answer your place of birth exactly as it appears in your passport.

11. If you have your current passport please use it to answer the following questions. If you cannot provide your passport then you choose an explanation as to why not.

12. Please answer ‘yes’ and include the details of your current visa. If you do not have a valid visa, for example you have over-stayed in the UK, then you must contact us so that we can advise you.

13. You must answer ‘yes’ to this question if your immigration permission has ever been cancelled, curtailed or revoked. This is most likely to occur if you completed a course earlier than expected, were withdrawn from or left your course, or took an official interruption from studies for longer than 60 days. You will have been contacted about any such curtailment or cancellation from your institution and from the Home Office.

14. If you are switching visa types rather than extending your Tier 4 student visa please check to ensure you can switch into Tier 4 from your current visa category. If you have completed your previous course your new CAS will state the academic document you need to submit with your new application. This may be a certificate or transcript. If you are continuing the same course answer ‘no’ to this question.

15. If you have not completed your previous course and are applying for further leave to remain to continue the same course then please answer accordingly. Your CAS should state your actual course start date. This proves you have completed however long of your course to date.

16. Check your visa sticker, BRP card or your letter from UKVI, as it will tell you if you have to register with the police (only students from certain countries have to register with the police - see UKVI website for details) If you have a police registration certificate you must include it in your Tier 4 application and ensure that it has your most recent address on it. If your certificate was issued by Greater Manchester police you can update your address at any police station without an appointment but you must take your police registration certificate, passport, visa and a confirmation of attendance letter (available from the Student Services Centre) confirming your new address. If your police registration certificate was not issued by Greater Manchester police you need to book an appointment to update your address. You can book the appointment through MyManchester – MyServices. If you cannot book the appointment or you need to book an appointment for dependants as well you need to email ssc@manchester.ac.ukssc@manchester.ac.uk

17. You may not have a Biometric Residence Permit if your visa vignette in your passport covers the entire length of your course. If you do not have your BRP, for example you have lost it, please answer this.

18. You will generally only have a National Insurance number if you have applied for one, for example with intentions to work in the UK If you do not have one please answer this

19. The next few questions are referring to your English language ability. Please check your CAS to see what your English language evidence is. Although you may have studied as a Tier 4 (Child) you will still need to provide further evidence of your English language ability by answering the next few questions.

20. This is for example if you have completed a degree level course in the UK.

21. If your CAS states that the University has assessed your English language to B2 level please answer ‘yes’ to this question.

22. If you have received public funds in the UK, such as housing or child benefits, and have answered 'Yes' to this question then please contact us. International students are not eligible to claim public funds. Council tax exemption is not classed as a public fund.

23. If any of these apply to you please ensure you answer to say so. The form will then ask for more details. It is very important that you disclose any such offences on the Tier 4 form as otherwise UKVI can view this as deception.

24. Please ensure you answer these questions accurately and do not make any errors due to the severity of the questions in this section.

25. Please write the answers to these questions exactly as they appear here.

26. For most students this answer should be ‘yes’. The primary site of study is The University of Manchester. If you do not think this is correct in your case, for example because you may be studying a split-site PhD, please contact us.

27. If you applied through UCAS then your UCAS ID number will be stated on your CAS for you to include. If your CAS does not have a UCAS ID number on it then please answer ‘no’

28. Your CAS will tell you if you need to apply for an ATAS certificate. Only certain courses require a ATAS permission. There is further information about ATAS on our website. If you need an ATAS certificate apply online as soon as possible because applications can take 4 - 6 weeks or longer to be processed. If your visa is about to expire and you have not received your ATAS certificate we would advise you apply through the Visa Check and Send Service. This means we can send your application to UKVI with a covering letter that explains that we will forward the ATAS certificate on later as a linking document.

29. If you are a sponsored student you need to submit an original sponsor letter as part of your Tier 4 application (see the template on our website for details of what the letter should look like). If you are sponsored by a Government or International Scholarship Agency the letter needs to include unconditional consent for you to remain in and re-enter the UK to ensure you get the full visa length possible. If you were officially sponsored in the last 12 months you will be expected to include an original sponsor letter that states the details of your previous scholarship. Your sponsor letter needs to give you consent to stay in or re-enter the UK to continue your studies. An official financial sponsor is a Government, University, international company, or international scholarship agency.

30. You need to include an original financial sponsor letter with your application. Your CAS will not confirm details of your sponsorship.

31. Answer ‘yes’ to this question, even if you are sponsored. The exception to this is if you are using a parent’s bank account to support your application. If you are using a parent’s account you must submit the financial evidence along with an original letter of consent from your parent and your original birth/ adoption certificate or other official court document. Our website contains more detail about this.

32. The qualifications are as follows: NQF5/ SCQF8 - Foundation NQF6/ SCQF9/10 - Undergraduate NQF7/ SCQF11 - Masters NQF8/ SCQF12 - PhD Please write the course name and dates as they appear on your CAS.

33. The Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES) is a specific visa type for students about to complete a PhD. Please only answer ‘yes’ if you are applying specifically for the Doctorate Extension Scheme visa. Please ensure you have contacted us previously about your Doctorate Extension Scheme application we can advise about what you need to answer for certain sections on the application form.

34. This means one year’s course fees. Your CAS will state your course fee amount and whether you have paid any of it. If you have paid any course fees this needs to be confirmed by your CAS. Your CAS should be automatically updated to show any payments within 3 days of paying. You can deduct any fee payments shown on your CAS from the total financial amount you are required to show for the Tier 4 application. If your CAS has not been updated please email CAStuitionfees@manchester.ac.uk

35. You can only answer ‘yes and include payments made to University-owned Halls of residence. If you have paid any money to accommodation not owned by the University you cannot include it. Your CAS should be updated to show money paid towards your University-owned accommodation. You can only show a maximum of £1265 paid to accommodation on the CAS and therefore can only deduct this amount in total from the maintenance amount you need to show for your Tier 4 application, even if you have paid more.

36. You need a new CAS before you can make a Tier 4 application. If you do not have a new CAS please contact your academic school to request one. If you submit a Tier 4 application without a new CAS it will be automatically refused. Please write the CAS number carefully to ensure it is entered correctly.

37. The application form will give you the chance to review your application at this point. Please check over your answers carefully. You can leave the form at any time and resume your application using the link you were emailed with. You can however continue with the form and still edit your answers until after the next section entitled ‘Documents’

38. The Document section confirms what supporting documents you need to submit with your application. Please write the name of your bank or other institution, and tick what document you will be submitting If you are using more than one document/ bank account to show the required funds for the 28 day period you can add them on the next page of the form.

39. This section should list the documents you need to provide, depending on your answers in the form. Please be aware that if you may need to submit documents that do not appear on this list as advised by our Team. If you are a national of a low-risk / differentiation arrangement country you do not need to submit academic or financial documents. You must declare this by ticking the box. Please check if you are a national from one of these countries using the link on the application form.

40. The Declaration is an electronic signature to say that you have completed the form accurately and meet the Tier 4 requirements. You cannot complete the application without confirming this.

41. This is the last page of the application before it is locked and you can no longer make any changes. You can download the PDF and print your final complete form by clicking on your name at the top-right The next section will take you through the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge. You need to pay this as part of the application and then you will be asked to pay for the Tier 4 application itself.

42. You may need to add some details to the Healthcare form. Please make sure you answer ‘no’ to state that you are not staying in the Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey. The form should calculate £150 for each year depending on your new visa expiry date. This will include an additional £75 for the extra time on the visa after the course ends. If the form calculates the wrong amount you should be emailed by UKVI to pay the difference once your application reaches the caseworker.

43. Final Tier 4 Payment Once you have paid the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge you will then have to pay the Tier 4 application fee. The Tier 4 fee depends on whether you are using the Standard Postal Service or the Premium Service. – If you are using the University’s Check and Send Service then choose the Standard service. You should only be paying after we have checked your draft application and documents and have emailed you about this. Once you have paid you need to print the final Document Checklist and bring this to us. – If you are posting your application yourself then choose the Standard Service. Once you have paid you need to print the final Document Checklist and post this document along with your supporting documents to the address stated on the Checklist. Please see our website for advice about sending an application yourself. You need to bring a copy of the final Document Checklist to the Student Services Centre so we can update your record and give you a Student ID card. – If you intend to visit a Premium Centre and get a decision on the day then you should choose the Premium Service. You will then need to choose your appointment time. Please make sure you take your Document Checklist and all supporting documents to your appointment. If you are using the Premium Service please contact us as we may be able to have an appointment with you to check everything in person beforehand.