UK Student Visa for Nigerian Students

Do you know that one of the most pleasing aspects of the UK education system is that it allows Nigerian students to mix and match courses and specializations from a variety of disciplines? Therefore, obtaining a UK Student Visa is an essential prerequisite for studying in the UK. Here are the different types of UK visas, the cost of the UK Student Visa, and how to apply for one, in the blog curated for Nigerian students. Let’s take a look at it. 

UK Eases Travel Restrictions for Nigerian Students, Find Out the New Rules!

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Popular Intakes in UK

Intake	Starting Months	Application Deadlines
Fall/ Primary Intake	September	June- July
Winter/Secondary Intake	January/February	August-September
Summer/Least Intake	April/May	October-January

UK Student Visa – Latest News Updates 

• Despite the ongoing pandemic, UK universities are open for the upcoming academic intakes. They are actively making pro-student policy changes to allow students to resume face-to-face classes at their respective universities. Click here to apply for the January 2023 intake!
• Nigerian students who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to quarantine in the country. Pre-departure tests and day 8 tests have also been scrapped for fully vaccinated students. They have to submit the day 2 test after arriving.
• All Nigerian students planning to study in the UK must be vaccinated (Covishield is the only accepted vaccine) against COVID-19 to study at the campus physically. 
• The UK government allowed students to study in distance learning mode with immigration permission until they transition to face-to-face learning.
• From 1 July 2021, Nigerian students who have completed an undergraduate or master’s degree will be able to avail of 2 years post-study work visa in the UK through the new Graduate Route. Students who complete their PhD will be able to stay for three years.
• UK Universities have initiated Covid-19 support services that Nigerian students can access, such as airport pick-up services, helplines for students that run 24/7, and facilitating free counselling and mental health support services. 

Vaccination Rules for Nigerians Traveling Abroad

Type of Student UK Visas

UK students visas into several groups such as Tier 4 (within, there are 3 alternatives), short-term visa, and a standard visitor visa:

Types of student visa	Who can apply?
Tier 4 (General)	If you’re 16 or older and have been given a place on a course, you can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK.
Tier 4 (Dependant)	On Tier 4 (Dependant) visa, family members (dependants) may be eligible to join or remain with you in the UK.
Tier 4 (Child)	If you’re between the ages of 4 and 17 and wish to study in the UK, you may apply for a Tier 4 (Child) student visa. If you are between the ages of 4 and 15, you must be visiting the UK to attend an independent fee-paying school.
Standard Visitor	If you are 17 years old or younger and wish to study in the UK for up to 6 months, you may apply for a child visitor visa. You will be unable to change to a Tier 4 child visa. Tier 4 child visa applications must be submitted from the applicant’s home country.
Short Term Study	If you’re taking a short course of study in the UK, you can apply for a Short-term study visa. If you are 18 years or older and wish to travel to the UK for up to 6 months to study a short course, up to 11 months to study an English language course or undertake a short period of research for up to 6 months as part of a degree course of your abroad studies, this visa will allow you to do so.

Know All About the Different Types of UK Visas!

Eligibility Criteria for a UK Student Visa

A points-based system is used to grant student visas in the United Kingdom. Therefore, you’ll need to provide the following items to fulfil all of the UK student visa requirements:

• Your passport’s details
• A photograph that was taken recently
• An unconditional offer of a place on a program given by a licensed Tier 4 Sponsor, as evidenced by your course provider’s Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) form (worth 30 points)
• Passing one of the secure English language tests proves acceptable Secure English language skills (SELT). If you are from an English-speaking nation, such as the United States, or have earned a qualification comparable to a UK degree in an English-speaking country, you will not be required to give this information.
• Proof of financial assistance for the duration of your stay in the UK (worth 10 points)
• You may also be required to provide documentation demonstrating your academic credentials and participate in an interview or biometric exam, which involves a digital scan of your fingerprints. Depending on your place of origin, you may also need to undergo specific medical vaccines or a TB test.
• If you’re 16 or 17 years old and applying for a Tier 4 (General) student visa, your parents or guardians must provide you formal permission to reside and travel independently.

Must Read: What are the Requirements to Study in the UK?

UK Student Visa Costs

Type	Costs
Tier 4 (General) student visa	£348 (NGN 171,200), plus a further £348 for any dependents
National Health Service	£150 (NGN 73,800) to £300 (NGN 147,600).
Short Term Study Visa	6 months – £97 (NGN 47,700) 11 months-  £186 (NGN 91,500)

Document Required for a UK Study Visa

When applying for a Student Visa, you must provide the relevant documents. Aspirants will need the necessary paperwork, as well as financial and academic records to back them up. Before travelling to the consulate for the visa interview, be sure you review the UK Student Visa Checklist.

Before applying, make sure you have the necessary documents:

• A completed application for a student visa
• An acceptance letter (CAS) and a visa letter, both of which are formal and unconditional offers of a place on a program of study, will be sent to you by your authorized education provider. The visa letter is issued within six months of your application. Applications with visa letters that are more than six months old will be rejected.
• The receipt for the payment of visa costs.
• Provisional certificates/original mark sheets
• The presence of a visa letter does not ensure that the application will be approved. The applicant must fulfil all of the category’s requirements, as well as any other immigration rules.
• Proof of finances – The money you need to show covers your first year of study tuition as well as living expenses for up to nine months. The amount differs for kids and adults. 
•  You must demonstrate that you have held the money for a minimum of 28 days. The conclusion of those 28 days cannot be more than one month before the application deadline.
• English Language Proficiency Proof (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.)

English Proficiency Tests

To get a student visa in the United Kingdom, you must provide proof of English language competency. This generally entails completing a secure English language test to demonstrate your ability to communicate and correspond.

IELTS is an exam approved and accepted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service (UKVI). This applies to everyone who is not from an English-speaking nation. While the content, structure, degree of difficulty, and score remain the same, IELTS for UKVI employs additional security procedures to verify the test taker’s authenticity.

It depends on the type of visa you are applying for, as it will include the IELTS exam as a minimum requirement:

Visa type	IELTS requirement
Tier 4 (General) student visa – below degree level and pre-sessional courses	IELTS- 4.0 overall, (and in each of the four skills)
Tier 4 (General) student visa – degree level and above & other UK Student Visa	IELTS– 5.5 overall (and in each of the four skills)

Note: Other than IELTS exam, Nigerian students can also submit their English languages qualification such as SSEC or WAEC C6. 

Biometric Residency Permit

You must additionally get a biometric residency permit (BRP) from the UK as part of your application. Additionally, you need to arrange an appointment with the embassy for a thumb and finger scan along with a photo scan. 

How to Apply for a UK Student Visa?

There are several steps to applying for a student visa in the United Kingdom. Applications for UK study visas are handled within three weeks after receipt of the completed application.

Step 1: Determine whether or not you are eligible for a student visa. First, you must demonstrate that you have a confirmed spot at the school, institution, or college where you want to study. A ‘confirmation of acceptance for studies’ is what it’s called (CAS).

Enough money (sometimes referred to as “maintenance or finances”) to cover your course fees and living expenses in the United Kingdom.

Step 2: Prepare your paperwork and documents for the application process. From offer letters, CAS letters financial funds to IELTS, SSEC or WAEC C6 scorecards. Students can be asked to produce several documents to support their application.

Step 3: Fill out the application from the official website of the UK government and make the payment for your application fee. 

Payment mode accepted:

• Using an online means, such as a MasterCard or Visa card,
• Through a demand draft, which must be presented at the visa application centre or one of Standard Chartered Bank’s designated branches.
• Payment may be made in cash at the visa application centre or certain Standard Chartered Bank locations.

Step 4: On the scheduled date, go to the visa application centre. To submit your application, facial image, and fingerprints, you must schedule and attend an appointment at the visa application facility.

Must Read: Top Universities in UK

Which Visa Should I Apply for?

A Tier 4 visa is required to study in the United Kingdom as an adult student. If you haven’t been accepted into a school yet, you’ll need a prospective student visa, and if your stay is shorter than six months, you’ll need to apply for a Student Visitor visa.

Work Permit while Studying for Nigerian Students

Tier 4 visa holders can work 20 hours per week during the school year and full-time during vacations and semester breaks. Relevant internships or work placements are also acceptable if they are listed as part of a degree or program.

Also Read: UK Post Study Work Visa

Working after Finishing Degree

If you wish to work there after you finish your education, you must apply for a Tier 2 visa reserved for Highly Skilled Workers. As a result, you will not be granted a work permit in addition to your student visa. Instead, a work visa must be applied for individually.

If the leave is for longer than 12 months, your spouse may work in the UK. However, your spouse will not be able to work in the UK if your visa was granted for less than a year or if you are enrolled in a program of study below a bachelor’s degree level.

Inviting Family Members on Student Visa

Nigerian students above the age of 18 who have been sponsored by a higher education institution for a term of more than one year, or foreign students who are government-supported for a course of fewer than six months can bring their children or spouses to the UK under new regulations that went into effect in 2011.

Students under the age of 18 will not be allowed to bring spouses or children who will be financially reliant on them. Your family members will not work in the UK if you are on a Tier 4 visa and studying for a program.

Also Read: Cheapest LLM in UK

How long you can stay?

The length of your course and the studies you’ve already done in the UK will determine how long you can stay. You can normally stay in the UK for up to 5 years if you’re 18 or older and studying at a degree level. If your qualification is below a bachelor’s degree, you can normally stay in the UK for up to two years.

Staying longer in the UK

You may be able to:

• If you’re eligible, for example, to continue your studies in the UK, you can renew your visa.
• If you’re already in the UK, you can change your visa to a Student visa.
• After successfully finishing your study, convert to a Graduate visa to stay in the UK for at least two years.

UK Student Visa Processing Time

UK student visa applications are processed in three weeks (15 working days excluding public holidays and weekends) after submitting them. Students can inquire about any delays by calling the application centre, which manages visa application centres for the UK Border Agency in India, at (040) 66305600 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Applicants can also use the SMS alert service or their online monitoring system to keep track of their visa application.

What is a CAS Letter?

CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. CAS is issued by a UK institution when a student is accepted for admission into a program. The letter is a vital document and must be submitted to the visa office of your country to apply for a new Tier 4 student visa. Many universities issue a CAS letter after the student has submitted a small fee which is deducted later from their annual tuition fees. These fees can be anywhere between 0 to 2000 pounds!

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Student Life in UK

Students from all over the world yearns to study and experience the unique student life in the United Kingdom. The royal country offers a rich lifestyle with unique world heritage sites, cheap transportation facilities, incredible food alternatives, recreation facilities, and an innovative and technically advanced cultural life. From visiting classic destinations like Big Ben, and National Museums, exploring its evergreen countryside to travelling to nearby European countries, studying in the UK is an enriching experience. The UK government in an effort to ensure a happy student life also allows Nigerian students to work part-time during their academic year and full-time during the holidays.   

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Also Read: IELTS 6 Band Universities in UK for Masters

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