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If you are planning to study at UWS and you are not a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, then you may need to apply for a visa before travelling to the UK.
The type of visa you require depends on the course of study that you have chosen:
If you are planning to bring family to the UK with you, you may also need to apply for a dependent visa.
The information provided here by the University is just guidance. Immigration laws change frequently, so for the most up-to-date visa information, we recommend that you visit the UK Government website.
A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is a document in the shape of a credit card issued by the Home Office and provides evidence of your immigration permission (also known as leave to enter or remain). If you arrive in the UK with a 30 day vignette (sticker) in your passport, you will need to enrol your biometric information (facial image and fingerprints) first and then collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card from the designated Post Office listed on your letter within 10 days of arrival.
For information on collecting your BRP once in the UK, please see the following guide:
Download our Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) Collection document (pdf)
The condition to register with the police is given to people of certain nationalities who come to the UK for more than 6 months as outlined in Appendix 2 of the Immigration Rules If you are need to register with the police, the condition will be printed on your 30-day vignette, or if you have been granted leave to remain following an application made in the UK, it will be on your BRP.
Further information on registering with the police can be found on our guide:
If you are looking to stay in private accommodation, please look at the UWS private rental guide which gives you detailed information about looking for and managing private residential tenancies.
Alternatively, email accommodation@uws.ac.uk for information on university student accommodation.
International students (non-EEA or Switzerland) coming to study at the University of the West of Scotland on a full-time course for longer than 6 months generally require a Tier 4 Student visa before travelling to the UK.
The UKCISA website provides information on eligibility and requirements for Tier 4 Student visas.
You should begin the process of applying for a visa no more than 3 months before the start date of your course and no later than 6 months after your CAS was issued.
Read our Visa Guide for step-by-step information on applying for a Tier 4 Student visa outside the UK.
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Read our Visa Guide for step-by-step information on applying for a Tier 4 Student visa within the UK.
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Credibility interviews are now part of the Tier 4 visa application process, they have been introduced by UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) to try and make sure that only genuine students are studying in the UK. Read our Guide for more information.
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Please read our guide below on how to prepare for a successful Tier 4 (G) visa application
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Prepare for Success is an interactive web learning tool for international students, whose first language is not English and who are getting ready to come to the UK for academic studies. It contains learning resources which are activity-based to help you find out about different aspects of academic life in the UK and the skills needed for effective study.
Use the website (link below) to gain an understanding of how you are expected to study in the UK and to help prepare you as much as possible before arriving in the UK.
Find out more
If you are an international student planning to study at the University of the West of Scotland for 6 months or less you can enter as a short-term student. You must present yourself to a Border Force Officer on arrival and make clear that the purpose of your stay is to study. Your passport will then be endorsed with the appropriate stamp to allow you to study in the UK. However, if you plan to go on to further study in the UK after 6 months, then you should apply for a Tier 4 Student visa.
Download Short-term Study Visa Guide (PDF)International students undertaking certain courses of study may also need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate in addition to their Tier 4 Student visa in order to study in the UK.
The UK Government website provides comprehensive information about when an ATAS certificate is required along with application guidelines.
If you are bringing family and dependents to the UK, you may need to apply for a dependent visa. The UKCISA website provides comprehensive advice on bringing your dependents to live with you in the UK.
It’s important that you understand how your asylum seeker status affects your financial situation before you accept an offer of study at UWS. The UK Government website provides comprehensive guidance on this matter.
The UKCISA website has information on tuition fees and student support for asylum seekers. You can also find out more in our Tuition Fee Status section.
The international student calculator will help you work out how to manage your money and build a budget for living and studying in the UK. Further advice on money management is available in Money, Fees & Funding.
Our team of International Student Advisers (ISAs) can help with specific financial queries from international students. However, it is important to note that we do not have funding to assist students in financial hardship, although we may refer students to other appropriate agencies.
The UKCISA website has further advice on dealing with financial hardship as an international student.
UWS’s team of International Student Advisers (ISAs) are authorised by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) to provide Level 1 immigration advice to our international students.
Contact our International Student Advisers