1. Making a Tier 4 visa application online in the UK
(For Pre-sessional students 2015)
The Student Advice Centre has created these guidance notes to assist with the Tier 4 (General) visa application process using screen-shots from the Home Office website and online form. This guidance is not endorsed by UK Visas & Immigration.

2. Register and create an online account
Go online to register and create an account on the UKVI website here:
Click “start Now” and select the “extending your Tier 4 (General) student visa option then click “next step”:

3. Next type in the University sponsor licence number
Next type in the University sponsor licence number. The University of Kent number is inserted in the example below:
Click on “Next step” to continue.

4. On the next page click on the link “extend your visa” as shown below:

5. You will now need to register an online account with the UKVI by clicking on the link
at the top right hand side of the screen

6. You will need to set up your account with a user name, email address and memorable word
Once you have done this the UKVI will you to activate your account

7. Creating an account and logging in
i Once you have created your account make a note of your username, password, address and memorable word and keep them safe. You will need them to log in to the account each time you want to access your application.
You can access your online application to make changes at any time, but once you have agreed to the final declaration and payment has been taken, the application has been submitted and you will no longer be able to make amendments.
Collect all the documents you need as soon as you can.

8. i Complete the log in process by entering details of your memorable word as requested.
The system will time-out after 20 minutes, so you will need to log-in again if you leave your computer for too long.
For security reasons, if you do not access your application for more than 56 days, it will be permanently deleted, and you will not be able to recover it.
If you provide the wrong login details too many times during one session you will be locked out of your account for 20 minutes, for security reasons. If this happens during your immigration workshop we will not be able to check your application, so make a note of your login details and bring this with you.

9. Choosing the right application form
i From this page you can select which visa application form you require by clicking on the Forms A-Z box.

10. i Choose the Tier 4 Student online application, highlighted here.
Make sure that that you choose the correct form. The date of your visa application will be the date that you pay the application fee online. For a postal application this is currently £439. Once you have made the payment you will have 15 working days to send your documents to the UKVI.
Collect all the documents you need as soon as you can and in any case before you submit the application.
You can login to your online application to make changes at any time, but once you have agreed to the final declaration and paid the fee, the application has been submitted and you will no longer be able to make any changes to the form.
Please do not pay the fee before your visa workshop

11. i You may only use this form if applying from inside the UK.
Customise your application
In the first section you will be asked questions about you and about the Tier application you wish to make.
i The information you give in this section will determine the contents of the rest of the online form, so make sure that you answer all the questions fully and accurately. You may also refer to the online Home Office online help text if you do not understand one of the questions.
i You may only use this form if applying from inside the UK.
i You may be eligible to have Dependant family members in the UK but do not have any, or they are not in the UK.
This guide is for students without Dependants.
i From 6th April 2015 some students who applied overseas will have been asked to collect a biometric residence permit, or BRP card, on their arrival in the UK. Click “Yes” if this applies to you (or if you last applied for a Visa in the UK). Otherwise, if you applied for your current visa from overseas, select ‘No’.
Select your age range from the drop down list.
i The Student Advice Centre is not acting as your representative .

12. Review section status
Now complete the following sections. You may browse the sections before you begin and they may be completed in any order.
i As you complete sections of the form, your progress will be updated on this home screen. At the end of each section you can check what you have entered by clicking a button ‘Check this section’. The form will highlight in red any question where information is incorrect or incomplete. You will not be able to submit the form with any errors. You do not have to complete the whole form at the same time. You can review the form, make changes, save, exit and re-enter your online application form as much as you like.
We would advise that you save each section after completion so that the information is stored whenever you log out.

13. Once you have started an application and have saved it you will be able to go back to it. Just log in you your account and click on resume to return to your form

14. i Select your title from the drop down list and enter your full name as shown on your passport.
If you only have one name in your passport you should enter your name as a Family name and add a single hyphen ‘ - ‘ as your given name e.g: Family name: Jones, Given Name: -
Make sure you get your family name and first name the right way round!
Personal details
In this section you are asked for information about your personal situation, including your name, date of birth, nationality and information about any other names you have used, or other nationalities you have held.
i The day section of the date of birth is shown here as being ‘optional’. We advise that you enter your full date of birth as shown on your passport.
i If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, additional boxes will appear and you will be asked to provide details of any previous names or nationalities, and the dates during which you held these.

15. i If your address contains hyphens (-) or slashes (/), leave these out as they are not recognised by the online form.
Contact details in the UK
In this section you are asked for information about how the Home Office can contact you, including your address in the UK, contact telephone numbers, address, etc.
i If you enter the post code in the wrong format, you will get an error message.
i Enter your telephone number and select ‘mobile’ as your preferred contact number from the drop down list

16. Reference numbers
In this section you will be asked to provide information about any UK Border Agency or Home Office reference numbers that you might have. These can be found on documents and correspondence they have previously sent to you. This will usually only apply if you have previously made an application IN THE UK. You will also be asked to provide any current and any previous National Insurance number(s).
i Your reference number can be found on any Home Office correspondence relating to earlier visa applications. The Home Office will use this reference number to track and link past visa applications.
If you have more than one reference number, click ‘Add another’ to open a second box.
i Do not worry if you cannot find your Home Office reference number, just select ‘No’.
i If you undertake paid work in the UK you should have an National Insurance (NI) number for tax purposes. If you are unsure of whether you have an NI number, contact your employer’s HR department for more information.

17. Passport or travel document –
In this section you are asked for information about your current and previous passports or travel documents. If you have lost or had any passports or travel documents stolen then you should have reported this to the Police and you will be asked to provide information about this.
i If you do not have your current or previous passport, you should select ‘No’.
Additional questions will appear so that you can provide details of why you do not have your travel document(s).
If your passport was stolen or lost, you will be asked if it was reported to the police, and if so, to provide a crime reference number.
If you have a photocopy of a previous lost or stolen passport, you should enter details from that, eg. passport number, expiry date.
i Answer these questions using the information as it appears on your passport or travel document.
i You must provide all previous passports that have been used to travel to the UK, even those which have expired.

18. Biometric residence permit
In this section you will be asked to provide information about the Biometric Residence Permit(s) that have previously been issued to you.
i You will only see this screen if you were required to collect a BRP on arrival in the UK OR your last UK visa application was made inside the UK and you answered previous questions to confirm that you have a BRP card. If your current visa was issued outside the UK and you were not asked to collect a BRP on arrival in the UK, you will not see this screen.
i The BRP number is found on the front of the card, in the top right hand corner.
i If you do not have your current BRP, you should answer ‘No’. Additional questions will appear so that you can provide details of why you do not have your BRP. f your BRP was stolen or lost, you will be asked if it was reported to the Home Office and police, and if so, when. If you have a photocopy of a lost or stolen BRP, you should enter details from that.

19. i You must enter all UK addresses for the last 5 years.
Previous addresses
i You must complete all the fields with a red asterisk. You will be unable to submit the form if any essential information is left out.
If you enter a post code which does not belong to the county you have selected, it will register as an error.
Dates may be approximate if you cannot remember exactly when you lived somewhere.
If you have more than 1 previous address, click the ‘Add another’ button to enter additional details.
i You must enter all UK addresses for the last 5 years.
If you are required to register with the police, but have not always updated your certificate each time you changed address, you are still required to provide the Home Office with full details of your previous addresses.

20. i This first question also includes traffic offences, see note 
Personal history
In this section you are asked for information about any criminal convictions you have, any civil judgements or immigration civil penalties against you and details of any involvement you may have had in war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity or terrorism.
i You must answer all the questions in this section fully and honestly. It is a criminal offence to lie on a visa application.
i This first question also includes traffic offences, see note 
i Clicking on ‘More guidance’ will open a second window which provides more in depth information, as shown here in the above example.
If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, additional boxes will appear so that you can provide more information.
Additional guidance and definitions are available for each of the questions by clicking on the yellow boxes on the right hand side of the page, as in the example above. If you are unsure what a question means, we suggest that you check the UKBA guidance available.

21. Immigration history –
In this section you are asked for information about your current and previous immigration status in the UK, including previous applications that you have made.
i If applying while your current visa is still valid, select ‘I have leave to enter/remain for a limited period’.
i If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, additional boxes will appear so that you can provide more information. You must answer all questions truthfully.
If you have ever had a visa application refused, either overseas or in the UK, you must answer ‘Yes’ and provide more details.
Additional guidance and definitions are available online for each of the questions. If you are unsure what a question means, we suggest that you check the UKVI guidance available or contact the Advice centre for further advice. Failure to disclose any such information may result in your visa application being refused if the UKVI have reason to believe you have used deception.

22. i You will not see these questions if your first answer was ‘No’.
Public funds
In this section you are asked for information about whether or not you
have claimed public funds (benefits and housing) in the UK .
i International students are not normally eligible to claim public funds: this will be stated on your visa or BRP card as a condition of your leave. However, you must answer this question truthfully. If you answer ‘Yes’, additional guidance and questions will appear as in the example below.
i You will not see these questions if your first answer was ‘No’.
If you answered ‘Yes’ in error, you can return to the previous question and change your answer to ‘No’ which will clear this screen.
If you need more information on this see:

23. i Enter the University address as show here.
Course details #1
In this section you are asked for information about your Tier 4 sponsor (the University of Kent), and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) they have issued to you, the course you will be studying and how you can show that you meet the English Language requirement.
i Copy and paste the sponsor licence number from your CAS and then click the ‘look up’ button.
i Copy and paste the CAS number from your CAS to ensure that it is correct. A CAS may only be used once - do not attempt to re-use an old CAS number as this will lead to your visa application being refused.
As you are a studying a Pre-Sessional English Course you will not receive your CAS until after the results are published. Once you have passed the course the Admissions office will send you a DRAFT CAS by for checking. Please ensure that you check the draft carefully to ensure that all the details are correct.
Once you have confirmed to the Admissions office that the CAS is in order, they will assign your CAS and you with the CAS number and a copy of all the information on the CAS. You must use this information to complete your form. If you are attending a Visa application workshop, please PRINT a copy of your CAS and bring it to the workshop.
i Enter the University address as show here.
i The NQF level of your course is shown in your CAS. Select the appropriate NQF level from the drop down box.
i Copy and paste the course title from your CAS .

24. Course details #2
i The online application form is also used to apply for leave under the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES).
Answer this question ‘No’, as you are applying for an extension of current Tier4 (General) Student leave, not DES.
i The start and end dates of your course of study are stated in your CAS. Make sure you read your CAS statement carefully and enter these dates correctly as it will determine the length of your visa.
i Undergraduate applicants should answer ‘Yes’, and copy and paste their UCAS ID number below.
Postgraduate students should answer ‘No’, and will not be asked for a UCAS number.
i Your CAS will state how your English Language proficiency has been assessed and you should choose the appropriate option from the drop down list. It may be that more than one scenario applies to you but you must select the option that is reflected in your CAS.

25. Money #1
The amount of money, or funds, you need to show in your visa application is made up of your tuition fees and maintenance (money needed for daily living expenses).
i Enter the amount of your tuition fees exactly as it is stated on your CAS.
i Any money which you have paid to the University for your academic fees can be deducted from the total amount you need to evidence in your visa application. If you have paid some or all of your fees and this information is not on your CAS already you MUST wait for confirmation from admissions that the payment has been added to your CAS, before completing this section of the form.

26. Money #2
This section is to help the UKVI to confirm whether you have an established presence in the UK. Students who meet the UKVI definition of being ‘established’ can show a reduced amount of living costs for their visa application.
i If you are applying while you still have a valid Tier 4 or General Student visa you should select ‘Yes’ If you hold another visa type, such as Tier 1, select ‘No’.
i Make sure that you read this question and answer carefully, as the answer you provide will be used to calculate whether you qualify as having as established presence, and will inform the amount of money you are required to show towards your maintenance.
If you are in the UK on a valid Tier 4 visa issued for your pre-sessional English Course which has finished, and you are making a new application using a CAS issued by the University of Kent in order to start your main course, you should choose the first option. You will then be asked how long you studied for on the Pre-sessional course. Make sure that you answer this question correctly. Usually the pre-sessional course are less than 6 months long
i Your study location also affects the amount of money you need to show for living costs, or maintenance. The University of Kent is located in Canterbury which is in Kent, so you should select ‘Outer London or anywhere else’ from the drop down list.

27. Money #3
This section asks you to give details of any money you have paid for University owned accommodation.
i If you are living in University Accommodation on campus your accommodation fees will be stated on your CAS. If you have paid some of your accommodation fees, you should answer ‘Yes’ and state the amount of money you have paid up to a maximum of £1020. (This does NOT include Liberty Quays at Medway Campus as this accommodation is owned and run by a private company – NOT the University) If you are not in University housing, you should answer this question ‘No’.
You can deduct a maximum of £1,020 paid to the University for accommodation from the total amount of money you need to evidence in your visa application. Any monies paid to the University should be shown on your CAS. If the payment is NOT on your CAS you must ask Admissions to amend the CAS before you make your visa application.

28. Money #4
This section allows you to give details of any scholarships or financial awards you may be in receipt of.
i If you are in receipt of a scholarship from the University of Kent, or any other organisation as listed in the guidance below, answer, ‘Yes’.
i If you are funded by your Government or other agency as above, you will need to obtain an ORIGINAL letter stating how much money you receive towards your tuition fees and/or living allowance.
Your sponsorship letter should be stamped and dated, and on official headed paper. It should confirm:
Your name
The name and contact details of your financial sponsor
The date of the letter
The length of your sponsorship
How much you receive towards your tuition fees (if you are fully sponsored, the letter can state ‘full tuition fees’)
and/or
How much your monthly allowance is
The total sum of money you have been allocated

29. i If you are using your own bank account, answer ‘Yes’.
Money #5
Evidencing your funds with your own bank account, or that of a parent.
i If you are using your own bank account, answer ‘Yes’.
i You must show that you have held sufficient funds in your bank account for a period of 28 consecutive days during which the balance must not go below the required amount. You may use either statements or a letter from your bank, but it must be no older than 31 days on the date that your visa application is submitted (the date that the visa application fee is paid). Please refer to the information below to ensure that your financial documents meet UKVI Policy Guidance:
Bank statements must show
Your name
The account number
The date of the statement
The financial institution’s name and logo
The amount of money available
Ad hoc bank statements printed by the bank on their letterhead are acceptable.
Electronic statements from an online account are acceptable provided they meet the requirements outlined and that each page bears an official stamp from the bank, or you submit a verification letter from the bank.
Bank letter must show
Your name
The account number
The date of the letter
The financial institution’s name and logo
The amount of money available
That there is enough money in the account for the full 28 day period
i If using a parent’s financial documents, answer ‘No’ and then ‘Yes’ to the next question.
i If you are using a parent’s bank account, you will need an original letter, signed and dated by them which confirms their relationship to you and that they give their consent for their money to be used for your studies in the UK. You will also need your original birth certificate, registration document or adoption certificate to proves your relationship. All documents not in English will need to be translated. Any translation must meet UKVI guidelines
The format of the bank statements or letter must meet the UKVI guidance above. If the account shows funds in any currency other than GBP, you will need to provide a conversion from which confirms that the equivalent funds are available for the required period. Not all Overseas banks are acceptable to the UKVI. If you intend to use a bank statement from a bank outside the UK check the UKVI website here

30. General attributes
In this section you are asked for information about the course you are
intending to study.
i This will be stated on your CAS. Select the appropriate level from the drop down list
i If your course is subject to ATAS clearance it will be stated on your CAS. New students joining courses where ATAS is required must obtain clearance before their offer to study is made unconditional, and should enter the number on their ATAS certificate in the box above.
ATAS certificates are only valid for use in a visa application for six months from the date of issue. If you are a continuing student applying to extend your current Tier 4 visa and your course of study attracts ATAS, you must apply for new clearance before submitting your visa application.
i Fully sponsored students who are applying to extend their Tier 4 visa (such as Government sponsored PhD students) will need to include an original letter from their financial sponsor which confirms consent to continue/complete their course of study.

31. Checking your application
Once you have completed the online form you can ask the system to check for any mistakes...
i DO NOT GO BEYOND THIS POINT until you are ready to submit your application and pay the fee.
i Click the ‘Check application’ button and the system will check for any questions you have missed. It will check all applications, and any errors will be displayed on the Home page so that they can be easily corrected (see example below).
It is not possible to submit a complete visa application with any errors.

32. Immigration Health Surcharge
Once you have finished completing the form you will be directed to another website to make payment of the Immigration health
surcharge. You will not be able to submit your visa application until this has been paid.