Coming to study

Student Route

78. We have a world-leading education sector and will continue to welcome talented and high potential students to our universities, further education and English language colleges, and independent schools. There will be no limit on the number of international students who can come to the UK to study, and we will seek to increase the number of international students in higher education as set out in the International Education Strategy published in March 2019.

79. We also want to ensure that we retain the brightest and the best students to continue to contribute to the UK post-study, which is why we are launching the Graduate route in Summer 2021 to allow those who have completed a degree at a UK Higher Education Provider, that has a track record of compliance, to stay in the UK for two years (three years for PhD graduates) and work at any skill level, and to switch into work routes if they find a suitable job.

80. The new Points-Based Student route will build on the current Tier 4 system, which is working well. The core tenets of the Tier 4 route will remain: sponsorship at a licensed provider, demonstration of English language ability and the ability of the student to support themselves in the UK.

81. However, the route will be improved, making it more streamlined for sponsoring institutions and their students, creating clearer pathways for students, and ensuring we remain competitive in a changing global market, particularly since the pace of change has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

82. Students will require a total of 70 points to be granted leave. Points are non-tradeable and will be awarded for meeting the requirements of the route as set out in the table below.

Table 6: Student route points

Points type	Relevant requirements to be met	Number of points
Student	Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies requirement, Course requirement, Approved Qualification requirement, Level of Study requirement, Place of Study requirement	50
Financial	Financial requirement	10
English language	English language requirement	10

83. Child Students will require a total of 70 points to be granted leave. Points are nontradeable and will be awarded for meeting the requirements of the route as set out in the table below.

Table 7: Child Student route points

Points type	Relevant requirements to be met	Number of points
Student	Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies requirement, Course requirement, Study at an independent school, Aged between 4 and 17 when applying, Parental consent	50
Financial	Financial requirement (including any additional funds for care arrangements)	20

84. We will be extending the period of time in which a student can apply for permission to come to the UK before the start of their course, from three to six months. We will also be removing the study time limit for students studying at a postgraduate level, although students will still be expected to be progressing academically in their studies when making a further application in the UK. Students who meet eligibility requirements will be able to make an in-country application for further leave regardless of their sponsor or level of study.

85. We recognise that students who have been studying in the UK after being granted leave to enter as a student have already demonstrated an ability to support themselves and so we will not routinely request them to submit documentary evidence of funds when making further applications to remain in the UK. We will also remove the requirement for students who are on a recognised Foundation Programme as a doctor or dentist in training, or who are employed as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer to demonstrate funds.

86. Higher education providers with a track record of compliance will be able to make an offer of study to students at degree level and above and carry out their own assessment of those students’ academic ability. We will not routinely ask students to provide academic qualifications with an application when their sponsor has made this assessment.

87. Applicants who are citizens of certain countries considered to be low risk will benefit from reduced documentary requirements and EU countries will be added to this list. This list will be kept under regular review.

88. Sponsors will be required to monitor the academic engagement of their students, and they will need to keep records of a student’s engagement. This requirement will replace the current attendance monitoring duty for higher education providers. Sponsors who are a Higher Education Provider with track record will be able to selfassess academic and English language ability. Sponsors will need to record details of how any self-assessment of English language was made when offering a place of study to a student.

89. The current Tier 4 Pilot Scheme will close as the new Student route opens. The reduced documentary requirements and extended post-study leave period of the Pilot Scheme are being improved upon by the launch of the Graduate route in 2021 and our changes to maintenance and academic requirements.

90. There will continue to be separate child and adult Student routes, and those sponsoring students will be required to have regard to the safeguarding of international students under 18 studying at their institution. In time, and following the launch of a new sponsorship system, we will consider diversifying further by splitting the adult route into separate Higher Education and Further Education routes to accentuate the pathways.

Who can apply?

91. Students with an unconditional offer from a sponsoring institution, who can demonstrate they genuinely intend to study and can meet all the relevant requirements of the route.

Table 8: Student route conditions and requirements

Requirements		Conditions and restrictions
English language	Yes	Capped	No
Application fee	Yes	Switching – routes (in country)	Yes
Immigration Skills Charge	No	Route to settlement	No
Immigration Health Surcharge	Yes	Dependants	See below
Biometrics	Yes	Access to public funds	No
Maintenance	Yes	Supplementary work	See below

Additional:

Able to bring dependants if studying at postgraduate level for at least nine months at a Higher Education Provider (HEP) with a track record of compliance, or if government sponsored to study a course longer than six months.

Applicants must:

• be aged 16 years or over and studying at GCSE level or above;
• have parental consent if aged under 18;
• be sponsored and have valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS);
• meet academic ability, English language and maintenance requirements (different means of assessment and evidential requirements dependent on nationality, course level and sponsor type);
• be a genuine student (applicants may have a credibility interview);
• meet academic progression (if applying in the UK) and time limit (no more than two years below degree level or five years below postgraduate level) requirements;
• obtain Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance if studying relevant course (unless an EU citizen).

No switching of sponsoring institution is allowed without making a new application.

Students can apply for further leave as a Student or switch into other routes in line with the wider approach to switching when applying for leave inside the UK. This will include the ability to switch into work routes if they are able to meet the requirements. Whether supplementary work is allowed depends on the level of study and sponsoring institution. Separate restrictions apply regarding what type of employment is permitted. For example, students are not allowed to be employed as a professional sportsperson, a doctor or dentist in training or as an entertainer. Additionally, they cannot be selfemployed or engage in business activity. Students can generally only study at their sponsoring institution on the course for which the CAS was assigned.

Generally given a four-month ‘wrap up’ period post-study (varies with length of course).

Table 9: Child Student route conditions and requirements

Requirements		Conditions and restrictions
English language	No	Capped	No
Application fee	Yes	Switching – routes (in country)	Yes
Immigration Skills Charge	No	Route to settlement	No
Immigration Health Surcharge	Yes	Dependants	No
Biometrics	Yes	Access to public funds	No
Maintenance	Yes	Supplementary work	See below

Additional:

A child student must:

• be at least 4 years old and under 18 years old and studying at an independent school.
• have a letter of consent from a parent or legal guardian, suitable care arrangements, and evidence of relationship between student and consenting party (also applies to general student aged under 18).
• if aged 16 years or over, demonstrate they are a genuine student (which may involve having a credibility interview).
• meet academic ability and maintenance requirements.
• be sponsored and have a valid CAS.

Additional information

92. Sponsors:

• are responsible for any international students they offer study to under the Child Student or Student route throughout the period of sponsorship;
• are only able to sponsor if they are a Higher Education Provider, publicly funded college, independent school, private Further Education provider or overseas Higher Education Institution. State-funded schools (with the exception of voluntary grammar schools in Northern Ireland), including state-funded boarding schools, are not permitted to sponsor international students;
• must maintain Educational Oversight and pass yearly Basic Compliance Assessment. Sponsors which recruit children must meet National Minimum Standards for child safeguarding;
• must ensure Child Students and Students are engaging academically;
• must report relevant changes to the institution and changes of sponsored Child Students’ and Students’ circumstances;
• are subject to sanctions for non-compliance.

Graduate Route

93. The Graduate route will be launched in summer 2021 to provide international students the opportunity to stay in the UK to work or look for work after they graduate. Undergraduate and master’s degree students will be able to stay for two years under the route, whilst PhD students will be able to stay for three years. Graduates will be able to switch into other routes in line with the wider approach to switching when applying for leave inside the UK. This will include the ability to switch into work routes if they are able to meet the requirements. The Graduate route will also increase the attractiveness of the UK’s offer to international students, ensuring we remain internationally competitive and assist in our ambition to increase the number of international students in higher education as set out in the International Education Strategy published in March 2019.

94. It will be an unsponsored route. All successful applicants will be granted a one-time non-extendable leave period of two years if graduating at undergraduate or masters level, or three years if graduating with a PhD, on this route and will be able to work, or look for work, at any skill level during this period. The route will also be Points-Based, with the full number of points being awarded for the successful completion of a degree from a UK Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance.

95. The current Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES), open to international students who have completed a PhD in the UK and allowing them to remain and work here for 12 months after completing their studies, will be closed at the point the new Graduate Route is introduced. The Graduate route significantly improves on the offer of the DES, providing an additional two years and a more streamlined pathway for those who have completed their PhD than the current route.

Who can apply?

96. The Graduate route will be open to international students, who have valid leave as a Tier 4 (General) Student or as a Student at the time of application and who have successfully completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a UK Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance during that grant of leave.

97. Applicants must have completed the entirety of their degree in the UK except for permitted study abroad programmes or when distance learning has been necessary due to Covid-19.

98. The route will not have a maintenance requirement and applicants will not need to demonstrate English language ability as they will already have proved English language ability by successfully completing a degree at a UK university. Applicants will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at the usual rate for the Points-Based System’s routes. This route will not have recourse to public funds.

Table 10: Graduate route conditions and requirements

Requirements		Conditions and restrictions
English language	No	Capped	No
Application fee	Yes	Switching – routes (in country)	Yes
Immigration Skills Charge	No	Route to settlement	No
Immigration Health Surcharge	Yes	Dependants*	See below
Biometrics	Yes	Access to public funds	No
Maintenance	No	Supplementary work	Yes

Additional:

*Graduates whose dependants are already with them in the UK will be allowed to continue sponsoring family members who make an application for further leave at the same time.

Applicants must:

• pay the appropriate fee and full Immigration Health Surcharge;
• have valid and extant leave as a student at the point of application;
• be sponsored by a UK Higher Education Provider (HEP) with a track record of compliance as a student at the time of application;
• have successfully completed a degree at undergraduate level (RQF 6) or above, and the course must have been the one for which their latest Confirmation of acceptance for Studies (CAS) was assigned. The sponsoring HEP must confirm the applicant meets this requirement;
• have undertaken all study in the UK (those who complete part of their course overseas as part of a study abroad programme, or have studied part of the course outside of the UK as a result of disruption caused by Covid-19 will also be permitted to apply);
• not have previously been granted leave under the Graduate route;
• have permission to remain in the UK under the Graduate route from their sponsoring body if they have been studying on a government scholarship;
• meet minimum suitability requirements including passing security, identity and criminality checks;
• obtain Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance where applicable, if intending to undertake supplementary study.

Supplementary study is allowed, but not at a Student route sponsor.

Separate restrictions will apply regarding what type of employment is permitted. Graduates on this route will continue to be restricted from being employed as a professional sportsperson or as a doctor or dentist in training.