Applying for your visa
1. Apply for your visa
Important: Please do not make a student visa application with the UKVI before you receive your CAS from Northeastern University London. If you do so your student visa application will be refused and may impact any future UK visa applications.
Once you receive your CAS from Northeastern University London you are ready to apply for your student visa via the UKVI website.
Make sure that you answer all of the questions honestly and contact the Visa Compliance Team at visa@nulondon.ac.uk, if you have any questions.
You will need your CAS number and the information on your CAS statement for your visa application.
2. Pay your Immigration Health Surcharge
Once you have made your online visa application you will need to pay for your visa and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
The IHS is a mandatory fee which allows you access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) free of charge. The IHS must be paid in full for your visa to be processed. Failure to pay the correct amount could result in your visa being refused.
The amount you pay depends on the length of your stay in the UK. You can see how much you need to pay on the UK government website.
3. Use the ID Check App or attend a biometrics appointment
The following groups can use the ID Check App instead of attending a biometrics appointment:
- EU/EEA/Swiss students applying overseas for their visa with a biometrics passport.
- People of any nationality applying to extend their visa in the UK who have a Biometrics Residence Permit (BRP).
Attend a biometrics appointment
If you are not eligible to use the ID Check App, you will complete your visa application online and then attend a biometrics appointment at Visa Application Centre (VAC), or a VFS Global Centre.
Please make sure you follow all the instructions given to you when you make your application and biometrics appointment, ensuring that you take the correct documents with you to the appointment.
Please note that some students who are making their new Student Visa application in the UK may have to attend a biometrics appointment.
Check here to see which visa application centres are available.
4. Send your passport for processing
Some students may be required to send their passport to a processing centre after they have attended their biometrics appointment. Please make sure that you read all of the documentation that is given to you at your appointment as it contains important information regarding the processing of your passport.
5. Attend a credibility interview
As part of your application, you may be asked to attend an interview with UKVI. If you are invited to an interview by UKVI and you do not attend, your visa will be refused.
The credibility interview is for the UKVI to ascertain that you are a genuine and credible student. The interview is also an opportunity for the UKVI to check that you can speak English to the required standard.
If you are asked to attend an interview by the UKVI and you cannot demonstrate the correct level of English, or that you have genuine intentions to study, your visa will be refused.
You can find more information regarding Credibility Interviews on the UKCISA website.
Q&A
When should I apply for my visa?
- You can make your student visa application up to six months before your course start date, as stated on your CAS.
- You must make your visa application and receive your student visa before you travel to the UK.
- You must be in the UK at the time of enrolment for your course of study at Northeastern University London.
- We recommend that you make your visa application online as soon as possible after receiving your CAS document.
The availability of biometric appointments varies between countries and Visa Application Centres are very busy in the summer months. Please make sure you have made your online application and booked your appointment early enough to get your visa in time for enrolment.
Where can I apply for my visa?
You can apply for a student visa in your home country.
Normally you cannot apply for a student visa in another country unless you have a residence permit/visa for that country. If you are applying for your visa in a country other than the country of your nationality, you must also provide your visa which allows you to reside in that country.
What if I am already in the UK? Can I apply here?
Only students who meet very particular requirements can apply for their student visa from within the UK. If you are currently in the UK on a Student visa you may be able to apply for a new visa to study at Northeastern University London from within the UK.
You must:
- Be in the UK on a visa type which allows you to switch to a student visa.
- Have successfully completed your previous course of study, and meet the UKVI academic progression requirements, and
- Apply for your new Student visa before your current visa expires.
If are currently in the UK on of the following visa types, you cannot apply to switch in the UK:
- Visitor
- Short-term student
- Seasonal Worker
- Parent of a child student
- Meeting the UKVI academic progression requirements
To make a student visa application from within the UK, you must meet the academic progression requirement or be exempt from meeting this requirement. The requirement applies to students who have previously held a Tier 4 or Student visa, even if they now hold a different immigration permission.
If you have previously been granted permission as a student or a Tier 4 Student and you are applying from within the UK to extend your stay for the purpose of undertaking further studies then, unless an exception applies, you will need to demonstrate that:
If you do not meet the academic progression requirement, you will not be able to make your visa application from within the UK. Instead, you will need to make your application from outside the UK.
To find out whether you will meet the academic progression requirement, how to apply and what documents you may need, please contact the Visa Compliance Team (visa@nulondon.ac.uk) if you have any questions.
You can make your student visa application up to three months before your course start date, as stated on your CAS.
You must apply before your current UK visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring. For example, if your current U.K. visa expires on 1 December, you must apply for a new visa before 1 December. Your new course must begin by 29 December.
What documents do you need to submit?
Students who have been in the UK for 12 months or more are not required to submit financial evidence as part of their visa application. However, you will still require a CAS issued by Northeastern University London before you submit your visa application.
What information do I need from my CAS statement for my visa application?
When you complete your student visa online application form you will need to provide your CAS number and use the information which is provided in your CAS.
The CAS statement includes:
• Your name, nationality, date of birth and passport number.
• The title, level and dates of your course.
• The tuition fees for your course and any tuition fees that you have already paid to the university.
• The qualifications that the university has used to assess whether you are qualified to study your course.
Do I need to send my documentation with my visa application?
Nationals of some countries do not need to provide evidence of their qualifications or their funds when they apply for a student visa. However, a visa caseworker may ask for these documents at a later stage of visa processing.
How long will it take to process my visa application?
You can check the up-to-date visa processing times on the UKVI website. Please note that these processing times start from the date of your biometric appointment.
In certain circumstances, it may take longer than normal for UKVI to process your application.
You may be contacted by UKVI if your student visa application is complex, for example:
• your supporting documents need to be verified.
• you need to attend an interview.
• due to your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction).
Can I come to the UK on holiday and apply for my visa while I am there?
No, if you are applying for your first visa with Northeastern University London, you must apply from your home country. You cannot apply for your student visa in the UK.
Students who already have a visa to study with Northeastern University London should contact the Visa Compliance Team (visa@nulondon.ac.uk) to discuss their situation further.
When should I book my travel?
You must not travel to the UK until you have received your visa.
We advise you not to confirm any travel arrangements until your student visa has been approved.
You can arrive before your programme of study starts. This can be either:
• up to one week before, if your course lasts six months or less.
• up to one month before, if your course lasts more than six months.
You must not travel to the UK before the start date given on your visa, no matter when your programme of study starts. You can find your visa start date on your entry clearance vignette or your digital immigration check (EU nationals).
If you are unsure of your visa start date, please contact the Visa Compliance Team (visa@nulondon.ac.uk).
How long can I study in the UK on a student visa?
There are limits to the amount of time a student visa holder can spend in the UK studying at undergraduate level or below.
This is two years for courses below undergraduate level and five years for undergraduate level study.
There is no limit for postgraduate study.
If this is a concern, please email visa@nulondon.ac.uk to discuss your options with a Visa Compliance Officer.
Can I amend or withdraw my visa application?
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it, please contact the UKVI.
You can ask to withdraw your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
What if my student visa application is refused?
If your application is not successful, please let us know immediately by sending a copy of the Refusal Notice to visa@nulondon.ac.uk .
The Visa Compliance team can then advise you on your next steps.
Can I use my CAS more than once?
Your CAS can only be used for one visa application. If you have applied for a visa, and it has been refused, you must apply to the Visa Compliance Team for another CAS.
Who should I contact if I have any more questions regarding the visa process?
You can call or email our Visa Compliance Team:
+44 (0) 207 637 4550
Our office hours are Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm local time in London.
Next steps
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registered with the Charity Commission for
England and Wales (charity number 1189858).
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58 St Katharine’s Way
London E1W 1LP, UK
+44 20 7637 4550
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