Latest News for International Students
13th January 2012
NEW Post Study Work Scheme Visa Workshops
We are now holding Post Study Work Scheme visa Workshops at the top floor of the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place, on the following dates:
Post Study Work Scheme Visa Workshops:
27th January 2012
10th February 2012
24th February 2012
9th March 2012
23rd March 2012
30th March 2012
All workshops will be held from 2-4pm.
At these workshops an international advisor will explain to you how to apply for the visa and what documents you will need. Please visit the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place to book your place in advance. Or telephone: 02920 874844.
UKCISA launches survey on the student experience of Tier 4
The UK Council for International Student Affairs is running a survey throughout October to gather feedback from international students who applied to come to the UK via the Tier 4 student route in 2011. Please respond to the survey to help identify how the student immigration system can be improved. You also get the chance to be entered into a prize draw for five i-pod shuffles. The survey can be accessed via UKCISA's website at http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/tier4_survey.php or direct to the online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ukcisa-tier-4-survey
English language support for international students
There are still places available on the Open Access English classes. Please go to Deri House (2-4 Park Grove) to enrol. For further information
please visit www.cardiff.ac.uk/elt/insessional
10th October 2011
International Student Support - Cardiff University
Cultural Connections workshops, to enhance the learning experience for international students by promoting positive social relations, will be running over the next year.
Fore more information, please see http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/counselling/students/workshops/cultural-connections.html
Cultural Connections
www.cardiff.ac.uk
26th July 2011
Information for Libyan Nationals
The UK Border Agency has provided information about how you should apply to stay in the UK if you cannot return home and/or if you cannot meet all requirements of the immigration category you want to apply for, including application fees. More information can be found on the UKBA website.
4th July 2011
Changes to student immigration rules
From 4 July 2011, some new immigration rules affect Tier 4 (General), Tier 4 (Child), PBS (Dependant) applications made on or after that date.
These new rules relate to applications made on or after 4 July 2011. They do not impose any additional restrictions or conditions on existing Tier 4 leave or Tier 4 Dependant leave.
Further details about these changes can be found on the UKCISA latest news website (news item dated 16th June 2011).
7th June 2011
New Post Study Work Scheme and Tier 4 Student Visa Workshops
The International Student Support Team are now holding regular visa Workshops in the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place, on the following dates:
Post Study Work Scheme Visa Workshops:
June 21st, 28th 2-4pm
July 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th 2-4pm
August 2nd, 9th, 16th, 24th, 30th 2-4pm
September 7th, 13th, 20th, 27th 2-4pm
October 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th 2-4pm
November 4th only 2-4pm
Tier 4 Student Visa Workshops:
September 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th 2-4pm
October 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th 10-12noon
November 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th 10-12noon
At these workshops an International Student Advisor will explain the application procedure and what documents you will need to prepare. Please visit the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place to book your place in advance, or telephone: 02920 874844.
7th April 2011
An update to student immigration changes
The previous latest news item on 23 March provided some information about a number of changes to the student immigration system which were announced by the Home Secretary. This has now been followed by an update to the Immigration Rules on 31 March, which has given us more details about the changes some of which are to be introduced from 21 April 2011 and others which will be introduced over the next year, including the closure of the Post Study Work Scheme. The key changes are summarised on the UKCISA web site and you can also read the UKBA's Statement of intent and transitional measures. We will provide further information as more details become available.
You should also note that as of 6th April 2011 all visa application forms including the Tier 4 (G) application form and the PBS dependant application form have been updated and increased application fees have been introduced (as announced in our latest news item on 9th March 2011). If you are planning to extend your student visa you must use the most up to date application form and pay the revised fee. For more information please visit our Extending your student visa through the Student Support Centre web page.
23rd March 2011
Changes to student immigration
Following the recent consultation exercise and subsequent review (see latest news item 8th February 2011), the Home Secretary yesterday announced a number of changes to the current student immigration system.
A summary of these changes can be found on the UK Council for Student Affairs website.
Unfortunately, at present we do not any have further details and have no information about when most of these changes will be implemented. We expect to know more when the new Immigration Rules are published on 31 March. We will update our information over the next couple of weeks as more details become available.
9th March 2011
Proposed increased visa fees
The UK government have proposed that visa fees will rise for all those planning to study, visit or work in the UK. The proposals have to be approved by parliament but are expected to come into effect from 06 April 2011.
If you need to extend your visa in the near future and are in a position to make your application before 06 April then we would strongly advise you to do so. You can get advice and assistance on making your application from the Student Support Centre.
The proposed increases that will affect international students and their families who are already in the UK are as follows:
Tier 4 student postal applications
Main applicant Dependants
Current fee £357 £100
Proposed fee £386 £193
Tier 4 student premium in person applications
Main applicant Dependants
Current fee £650 £150
Proposed fee £702 £351
Tier 4 permission to change sponsor
Current fee £0
Proposed fee £160
The government proposals also include an increase in the Post Study Work visa application fees, but we do not know yet whether this indicates that the Post Study Work scheme will continue in its current form. We will keep you updated with the latest news.
Tier 1 Post Study Work postal applications
Main applicant Dependants
Current fee £550 £150
Proposed fee £594 £297
Tier 1 Post Study Work premium in person applications
Main applicant Dependants
Current fee £850 £250
Proposed fee £918 £459
A full list of the proposed fee increases is available from the UKBA web site.
15th February 2011
Go Global 2011
Go Global is the Students’ Union’s annual festival of Culture and Diversity and will take place from Saturday 19 February to Sunday 27 February 2011. Bringing together people from various backgrounds and cultural heritages, the Festival will celebrate, share and discover the nuances and traditions that are part of each of our intrinsic cultures.
During the course of the week the Students’ Union, in conjunction with the Cardiff Guild of Societies and the international student community will play host to music from around the world, art workshops, taster sessions and debates on international issues. The week will culminate with Global Village which takes place in the Great Hall on Sunday 27 February 2011. As well as introducing visitors to food from more than 20 different countries, Global Village will also showcase some of the University’s diverse student performers, including Bollywood, Chinese dancing and singing, a masquerade, break dancing, an international fashion show, the Malaysian Festival of Diversity performance and many others.
More information can be found on the Students' Union website
14th February 2011
Use of the Entry Clearance Correction Scheme by Taught Masters students
If you think that the student visa you applied for in your home country has the wrong end date, the Student Advisory Service can query this with UKBA and if a mistake has been made, your Entry Clearance visa will be amended free of charge.
Several Taught Masters students this year have been issued with visas that end in November which is 2 months after the end date of their course. In previous years these students would have been issued with visas until January.
This is because of a change in UKBA rules that now only allows 4 months to be added to the end date of a course which is one year or longer. All Taught Masters courses at Cardiff are currently 50 weeks and so they do not meet this requirement.
If you are a Taught Masters student and you have a visa that ends in November we regret that we are no longer able to query this with UKBA.
If you are certain that the start and end dates of your course are for one year or more and that this information was on your CAS, we will submit an entry clearance correction application on your behalf.
11th February 2011
New drop in service and visa workshops
We are now holding a drop-in service for international students everyday, Monday to Friday from 2pm-4pm. It operates on a first come basis and allows you to have ten minutes to discuss any issues with one of our international advisors.
If you wish us to submit your Tier 4 visa application to the UKBA on your behalf, you will need to arrange an appointment to see one our international advisors first. Please come to the Student Support Centre or call us on 02920 874844 to arrange an appointment. Please note we are no longer available to provide you with a copy of the Tier 4 application form. You will need to download the form yourself.
We are also holding visa Workshops at the top floor of the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place, on the following dates:
Tier 4 Visa Workshops:
11th February 2-4pm
18th February 10am-12
25th February 3-5pm
Post Study Work Visa Workshops:
21st February 3-5pm
At these workshops an international advisor will explain to you how to apply for the visa and what documents you will need. Please visit the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place to book your place in advance. Or telephone: 02920 874844.
8th February 2011
UK Government review of the student immigration system
The UK Government is currently carrying out a review of the student immigration system and has proposed a number of reforms which if implemented will affect the rules for coming to and staying in the UK as an international student.
What changes have been proposed?
Some of the changes proposed are:
• Not allowing students to extend their visas in the UK for new courses
• Not allowing student visa extensions unless progressing to a higher level
• Abolishing the Tier 1 Post Study Work Scheme
• Further restrictions on students rights to work during term time
• Removing the right of dependants to come to the UK unless the student is on a course of 12 months or more
• Removing all rights of dependants to work in the UK
• Introducing different requirements for evidence of funds and qualifications, depending on nationality and whether the educational sponsor has Highly Trusted Sponsor status
Full details of all the proposals are available in the consultation document which can be found from the UKBA website.
What happens next?
We expect that any changes will be introduced by April 2011 but we will regularly update you with any further information through this web site
2nd September 2010
New post Study Work Visa Workshops
We are now holding Post Study Work Visa Workshops at the top floor of the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place, on the following dates:
• 15th September 2010 between 10am and 12pm
• 13th October 2010 between 9.30am and 11.30am
• 27th October 2010 between 9.30am and 11.30am.
At these workshops an international advisor will explain to you how to apply for a PSW visa and what documents you will need. Please visit the Student Support Centre, 50 Park Place to book your place in advance. Or telephone: 02920 874844.
Alternatively there will be a Post Study Work drop in at the Student Support Centre between the hours of 12-1pm every Monday and Thursday. Here we will be able to answer your questions but we can not offer a form checking service.
You can also visit our website for detailed information. Here you can download a detailed guide to filling in the application form and view a presentation on how to apply.