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Extend Your Student Route Visa

Extend your Student Route Visa

If you are already in the UK on a Student Route visa and want to extend your visa, please contact the International Student Advisory Service international@chi.ac.uk for advice.

Who can apply in the UK?

It is important that you meet the in-country visa application criteria which include the following:

  1. You cannot switch to this visa if you have one of the following visas:
        • a visit visa
        • a short-term student visa
        • a Parent of a Child Student visa
        • a seasonal worker visa
        • a domestic worker in a private household visa
        • leave outside the immigration rule
  1. Length of time spent on Tier 4 visa/ Student Visa  – See information on time limits here.
  2. Academic progression requirements – You must have successfully completed your previous studies in the UK and you must be progressing to a higher level of study e.g. from undergraduate to postgraduate. See more on this requirements and exemptions in the Student Visa Guidance.
  3. The gap between your current visa expiry date and the course start date must not exceed 28 days.

If you are a Pre-Sessional student and you need to extend your visa in the UK after completing you Pre-Sessional course, please visit our Pre-Sessional page for more information.

Starting your studies

It is not possible to start your studies with us if you have not submitted a visa extension application using our CAS.

You can register onto your course at Chichester only if you have received your new Student visa with our sponsor licence number or if you have submitted a valid application using our CAS and are waiting for a decision. During this time, you will be covered by Section 3C Leave. We would need to see evidence of your application at registration.

When can I apply?

Applications cannot be made more than three months before the start of the course. If you have an unconditional offer (i.e. you have met the academic conditions and paid a £2000 deposit) and you are within 3 months of your course start date, our admissions team will contact you regarding your CAS.

If you are a current student at the University of Chichester and you are extending your visa to continue on the same degree, you will need to request a CAS from Academic Registry. Current students do not need to pay a deposit. Contact the International Student Advisers for advice.

What application form should I use? How do I apply?

When applying from inside the UK you are required to apply online, pay the application fee and NHS Health Surcharge and book an appointment at a UKVAC centre nearest to you.

  1. Check the Student Route visa requirements to make sure you are ready to submit your application when the time comes. You will need to pay particular attention to making sure that you can provide evidence of having enough money in the correct format (see Student Visa Guidance for information on this).
  2. Meet the academic conditions (provide evidence of your qualifications, English language test, references, portfolio etc.).
  3. Pay a deposit (unless you are a current student extending to continue your studies).
  4. Provide a copy of your passport and your immigration history to the admissions team (or to academic registry if you are a current student).
  5. Receive your CAS.
  6. Submit your online application and pay the NHS surcharge (£470 per year) and application (£490 per application) fees. Please note that the NHS surcharge fee is due to increase from £470 to £776 on 16th January 2024.
  7. Book an appointment at the nearest UKVAC centre.
  8. Attend the appointment with your printed cover sheet and the required documentary evidence. You will be required to give your biometric information (fingerprints and photo) as part of the appointment.
  9. Wait for the visa decision (normally about 8 weeks). As long as you have submitted your application before the expiry date of your current visa, you will be covered by Section 3C which means that you are lawfully in the UK while waiting for a decision. You should not use your passport to travel outside the UK while you are waiting for the visa decision.
  10. Receive your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) by post.
  11. Check that your BRP has correct leave dates and visa conditions.
  12. Visit academic registry at the University of Chichester to show them your BRP and register with the police if that is stated on your visa conditions.

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