So you have decided that you want to study in the UK. At this point in time your brain is probably spinning with the amount of things that you need to organise. However, at the top of your 'must do' list' should be your application for entry to the UK. No matter what you have heard, entry into the UK is simply a matter of following a set of straightforward procedures. The Indian Student asks the British Council for advice on entry into the UK.

How do I qualify for entry to the UK?

Recent changes to immigration procedures mean that international students now have a more streamlined route to studying in the UK. The immigration rules for persons seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom as a student now clearly state that you must:

1) Be able to prove that you have been accepted onto a course of study.

(a) A publicly funded institution of further or higher education
(b) A bona fide private education institution which maintains satisfactory records of enrolment and attendance
(c) or an independent fee-paying school outside the maintained sector; and

(2) Be able to show that the course is full-time

(a) a recognised full-time degree course at a publicly funded institution of further or higher education
(b) a weekday full-time course involving attendance at a single institution for a minimum of fifteen hours' organised daytime study per week of a single subject, or directly related subjects
(c) a full-time course at an independent fee-paying school; and

(3) Show the intent to leave the UK at the end of your studies

(4) Apart from part-time and vacation work, show that you are not intending to take up full-time employment in the UK - unless this part of your course or provided by the university (a letter of confirmation will be need for the latter)

5) Be able to meet the costs of your course, accommodation and general maintenance of yourself and any dependants without taking employment or engaging in business or having recourse to public funds.

Do I need entry clearance before travelling to the UK?

If you are a visa national, the answer is 'yes'. The British Government determines the list of 'visa-national' countries. Your nearest British Council office or British Mission (British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission) will be able to tell you whether you need entry clearance. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site features a visa enquiry form where you can check if you require a visa on www.visa.fco.gov.uk

If you are a visa national, you must satisfy the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) at a British Mission that you meet the Immigration Rules before you leave for the UK. The ECO will then issue you entry clearance (more commonly known as a visa) in the form of a sticker in your passport. The entry clearance should normally be valid for the whole length of your course. When you arrive in the UK, the Immigration Officer at the port of entry (e.g. Heathrow or Gatwick airports) will put a date stamp in your passport to show when you entered the UK. Your permission to be in the UK begins on that date and expires on the date indicated on the entry clearance.

If you are not a visa national, you can choose whether to apply for entry clearance or not. You may wish to consider this if your course lasts for six months or less, you are applying as a prospective student (see below). If you choose not to apply for entry clearance, you will have to satisfy the Immigration Officer at the port of entry that you fulfil the Immigration Rules for students. Be aware that there is a charge for the application.

Will I be able to work as a student in the UK?

Students on courses of more than six months are usually allowed to work part time up to twenty hours a week during term-time and full time during vacations. To meet UK immigration requirements, however, you must show that you can pay your course fees and living expenses without working in the UK (see the Immigration Rules quoted above) and you cannot therefore expect to finance your studies in this way. It is not easy to find suitable work. Students on courses of six months or less may ask to be allowed to work, but this is at the discretion of the Immigration Officer/ECO, and remembers - you must show that you can pay for your course fees and living expenses without needing to work.

I would like to visit universities in the UK before accepting a place, how will this effect my entry clearance?

If you have found out about a course, but need to visit the institution before finally accepting a place (you may, for example, need to have an interview or sit an exam there), explain this to the ECO. If the ECO is satisfied that you genuinely intend to study once you've found a suitable place, and that you meet all the immigration requirements, they will give you entry clearance as a prospective student. When you arrive in the UK as a prospective student, you will have permission to stay for six months. Then, once you have enrolled on a course (within six months), you will need to extend your permission to stay as a student. It is important to note that you will be prohibited from working while you are in the UK as a prospective student.

If I need more information, where should I go?

If you have any problems in your entry to the UK or any queries, always remember that the international officer at the university of your choice is there to help you. However, if you would like more information on entry or any other aspect of studying in the UK then contact your local British Council Office or your nearest British Mission or simply use the following useful web addresses:

Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate: www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk
Work Permits (UK): www.workpermits.gov.uk
DFEE site for international students: www.dfee.gov.uk/international-students UKCOSA guidance note: Arriving in the UK: www.ukcosa.org.uk