International students who wish to study in England normally require a visa and must conform with the British Immigration Rules. If entry clearance is required then the student should go to the British Embassy or High Commission with the following documents:
| 1. |
A Letter of Acceptance issued by BSGS college (or Unconditional Offer Letter) |
| 2. |
Passport |
| 3. |
Bank statements (usually backdated about six months) to show that you have
sufficient funds in your account to support yourself financially for the duration of
the course or if you have a sponsor then he/she should provide a letter and
supporting documents to confirm his financial assistance. The authorities will be
highly suspicious of a huge lump sum being put into your account just before
applying to come to England and so bank statements showing a sustained
income and expenditure is more likely to be accepted |
| 4. |
Previous academic certificates and qualifications |
The official interviewing you will also ask you questions about the course you have enrolled for, why you chose it and what career aspirations you have as well as the background of the college to prove that you have genuinely researched the matter.
You will also need to show that you have a good level of English in order to undertake the course or at least show that you intend to take up an English course in the college prior to starting your diploma or degree course.
Furthermore you will be vetted to ensure you genuinely intend to come to London for study purposes and therefore intend to return to your native country after completion of the course.
It is wise to apply for a student visa well in advance of the course commencement date, approximately 3 months in advance because visa applications generally take a long time to process and the visa personnel are extremely busy so you should inform them of the course start date in order not to miss it.
After you submit your application form, several weeks may pass before you are called up for a personal interview with the visa personnel and so it is recommended that you keep copies of all the documents and application form so that you can refer to them during the interview, in case you forget essential aspects of your application.
Success in obtaining a student visa is largely dependent on the quality of your application and supporting documents. However, in the event that you are refused a visa to study at BSGS you must obtain proof of refusal from the visa authority so that the college can refund you the fees. Your nationality will determine whether you need a visa to study in the UK or not.
For further information you can enquire at the British Embassy, British Council, British Consulate or British High Commission. Alternatively you can check on the
UK Visas website - http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/
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