GUIDE TO COMPLETING THE ONLINE TIER 4 VISA APPLICATION FROM OUTSIDE THE UK

You must apply online for a Tier 4 (General) student visa.

It costs £348.00 to apply for this visa from outside the UK for the main applicant and any dependants applying at the same time.

You will also have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your application. You can check here how much you will have to pay.

Throughout the application, you will have the option to review and change your answers. Whenever you see a green ‘save and continue’ button, make sure you click it.

This is purely a guide and depending on your answers, you may see different questions. If they do not appear in this guide and you are unsure how to answer, please email us for advice.

As you start typing, a drop down

list will appear – you should select

your home country from this list

then clock on ‘next’.

Please note that you will not

normally be permitted to apply

from a country where you are not

ordinarily resident, or where you

hold immigration permission as a

visitor only.

As you start typing, a drop down

list will appear – you should select

your home country from this list

then click on ‘next’.

Please note that you will not

normally be permitted to apply

from a country where you are not

ordinarily resident, or where you

hold immigration permission as a

visitor only.

You will now be asked to confirm

that you can attend an

appointment at one of the visa

centres listed in your country –

select your option and click on

‘next’.

Please read all the information

before clicking ‘apply now’.

Use an email address you use

regularly and can access easily as

a link will be sent to your email

that will allow you to access your

application.

Create a password that you will

remember as you will need this

to access your application.

Ensure you enter this

information accurately.

We recommend that you copy

and paste this number from the

correspondence you receive

from the university to avoid any

mistakes.

You CANNOT submit your Tier 4

visa application without a valid

CAS number.

You should provide details of

your address in your home

country.

You should enter a number that

you use all the time. The Home

Office may contact you by

telephone for additional

information relating to your visa

application. The Home Office

will never demand payment

over the phone so please do not

provide this information.

Enter the information as

required.

Enter the information as

required.

This information must match

your passport and your CAS.

This information must match

your passport and your CAS.

In this section, you should

provide details of any additional

passport(s), including expired

ones you have which contain

travel visas, one that issued for

another nationality or is in a

different name.

Choose the option for you

and if you have one, answer

the questions asked.

When entering the date you plan to arrive in the UK, please bear in mind that you will be

studying a course of 12 months or longer you can only enter the UK 1 month prior to the

course start date as indicated on your CAS. If you are coming to study a course of 6 months or less, you can only enter the UK 7 days prior to the course

start date on your CAS.

Where it asks ‘how long do you intend to stay in the UK’ – you

should complete this in line with the information on your

CAS.

We would suggest choosing English. If contacted by the

Home Office, the caseworker will expect you to be able to talk about your application

and your reasons for studying at Heriot-Watt University.

Answer as required.

You should answer ‘yes’ to ‘are you

coming to the UK to study at a

Higher Education Institution.

Your CAS will advise how we

assessed your application. You will

need to provide the qualification

listed on your CAS.

If you have any family members

who rely on you financially

(such as children/spouse) then

you should answer ‘yes’ and

provide more details in the next

section (even if they will not be

accompanying you to the UK).

If dependants want to be in the

UK with you, they will be

required to apply separately,

they will not be included in this

application.

Enter the information as

requested.

You should answer these

questions as accurately as

you can. Failure to provide

information regarding a

family member living in the

UK could have a negative

impact on your visa

application.

This is normally no, unless

you are travelling with an

organised group (this does

not mean family

members).

If someone other than those

listed intends to travel to

the UK with you such as a

parent, you will need to

choose ‘yes’ and will be

required to provide their

details. If nobody intends

to travel with you, choose

‘no’.

If you answer ‘yes’ you will be required to

provide address details. If you have applied for

university accommodation and

unsure of the address, you can enter the

university address: Heriot-Watt University,

Currie, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS

Where it asks ‘where are you planning to stay

in the UK’ enter the relevant city (Edinburgh

etc) or if staying with friends/family etc, then

provide their full name(s).

If you answer ‘no’ you will be asked to give as much detail as possible with regards to where

you intend to stay (with friends, hotel, private

housing etc).

Answer as required.

Answer as required. If you do

not answer ‘zero’ you will be

required to provide further

information with regards to

your visit(s) to the UK.

If you have been to the UK,

you will be required provide

this information in ‘your past

visit to the UK’ section which

will follow from answering

anything other than ‘zero’ in

this section.

Answer as required. If

you answer ‘yes’ you will

be required to provide

further information with

regards to your visit(s) to

the UK.

Answer as required. If

you do not answer ‘zero’

you will be required to

provide further

information regarding

your visit(s).

Answer as required. If

you answer ‘yes’ you will

be required to provide

further information

regarding your visit(s).

If you have had a visa refusal

to the UK in the past, it is

important that you state ‘yes’

here. The Home Office keep

records and will know if you

have received a visa refusal to

the UK in the past. If

incorrect information is

entered, the Home Office

could refuse your visa

application.

If you answer ‘yes’ you will be

required to provide further

information regarding your

situation.

If you answer ‘yes’ you

will be required to

provide further

information regarding

your situation.

Please answer correctly –

if you have any and do

not confirm this your

visa application will be

refused.

If you answer ‘yes’ you

will be required to

provide further

information regarding

your situation.

Please answer correctly –

if you have any and do

not confirm this your

visa application will be

refused.

If you answer ‘yes’ you

will be required to

provide further

information regarding

your situation.

Please answer correctly –

if you have any and do

not confirm this your

visa application will be

refused.

If you answer ‘yes’ you

will be required to

provide further

information regarding

your situation.

Please answer correctly –

if you have any and do

not confirm this your

visa application will be

refused.

If you answer ‘yes’ you

will be required to

provide further

information regarding

your situation.

Please answer correctly –

if you have any and do

not confirm this your

visa application will be

refused.

If you answer ‘yes’ you

will be required to

provide further

information regarding

your situation.

If you have worked for

any of these

organisations, you will

be required to provide

further information.

Enter this

information

EXACTLY as

shown here.

Heriot-Watt University is a

Higher Education

Institution (HEI)

This will be

Heriot-Watt UniversityEdinburgh CampusEdinburghEH14 4AS

If you are coming to study an

undergraduate course, then

you have more than likely

applied through UCAS so you

should tick ‘yes’ and provide

your UCAS personal

identification number as

requested.

If your course requires ATAS

clearance, your offer letter will

provide this information.

If you do require an ATAS, you

will be required to apply for

this and receive your reference

number BEFORE submitting

your Tier 4 visa application.

Please note this process can

take 20 days or longer. You can

apply for this as soon as you

have received your offer.

If you are financially sponsored

by an official sponsor in line

with the Home Office guidance,

then you should answer ‘yes’

and you will be required to

provide further information.

Please note that if you are NOT

being fully sponsored by your

official financial sponsor (if they

do not cover your full living

costs and fees) you will be

required to provide evidence of

any excess funds required

yourself.

If you are using bank statements in your own name, then you would answer ‘yes’.

If you are fully sponsored by an official sponsor, then you would answer ‘yes’ as the fundingwill be in your name.

If you are receiving a loan (in line with the Home Office guidance) then you would answer‘yes’ as the funds will be in your name.

If you are using funds in your parents’/legal guardians’ name, then you should answer ‘no’and answer the questions that appear. Please note if you are using this type of funding, youwill be required to provide evidence of your relationship (birth certificate etc), a letter fromthem confirming you have their permission to access their funds while you are in the UK andalso the original financial document(s).

Low Risk Nationals: if you are a low risk national applying from your home country, thenunder the *differentiation agreement, there is no requirement for you to provide financialevidence with your visa application. However, the Home Office may request this informationso you should the required documents before applying for your visa.

If you are unsure of what funds you are required to show, please email us and will advise you.

Copy and paste your course name from your CAS

information.

The qualification level you will get will also be on your CAS

(RQF 7/SCQF 11 for postgraduate studies, etc).

The course start date and end date should match the

information on your CAS.

In most instances this will be ‘no’ but if you are, then you should answer ‘yes’.

Name of sponsor institution (school/college/university)

Heriot-Watt University

Course name

Qualification you will get

Are you going to be a student union sabbatical officer? (Required)

Only answer ‘yes’ if you are staying in Heriot-

Watt University accommodation and have paid something

towards your accommodation fees.

Please note, you can on enter a maximum of

£1265.00 on the application form even if you have paid more as

this is the maximum amount that you can

deduct from your maintenance costs.

Your course fees will be indicated on your CAS.

Answer ‘yes’ if you have paid towards your fees

and enter the amount you have paid.

If you make any additional payments after your CAS has been issued, please advise us so that we can update the Home Office with this information.

Answer ‘My sponsor has confirmed this information

on my CAS’.

You can use this free text box to add any

additional information which you think might

be relevant to your visa application.

You will have the opportunity to review your answers and make any changes needed at this stage.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU CHECK YOUR ANSWERS CAREFULLY AS ONCE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ONLINE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES

Answer as required.

If you have used

evidence from more

than one financial

institution, answer

‘yes’ and provide the

information as

required.

Once you have confirmed all your information is correct, you will see a list of supporting documents that you will be required to submit as part of your visa application. Please note that

the document checklist is for information only, depending on your answers you may get different options that you must provide.

If you are unsure if you need

to have a TB test, click on the

link on the application form

for further information.

If you are required to provide

a TB test certificate and do

not do so, your visa

application will be refused.

You will have the opportunity to review your answers again at this stage and make any changes needed at this stage.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU CHECK YOUR ANSWERS CAREFULLY AS ONCE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ONLINE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES

Once you have confirmed all

your answers are correct

and ticked all boxes

confirming supporting

documents you will be

providing, you will need to

read and agree the

declaration.

The Immigration Health Surcharge must be paid before you can complete and submit your visa application. This payment is done online using a debit or credit card.

Click on ‘Go to IHS website’ below to continue. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Most of the information will be automatically pulled through from the application form but you will

need to answer some further questions at this stage.

Read this information

carefully before clicking on

‘continue’ below.

Anything highlighted in red

on your screen should be

added by you.

Once you have confirmed all

your answers you will be

taken to a summary. Please

check all information is

correct and if not, make any

changes.

Once you have confirmed

all your answers are

correct you will need to

read and agree the

declaration.

This will show the

amount you are required

to pay for your

Immigration Health

Surcharge

Once your payment has been

processed, you will receive

confirmation like this providing your

IHS number. The number is

automatically attached to your visa

application. You will receive an

email with this information, please

keep this in a safe place.

*Differentiation Arrangement – you are eligible for this if you are a national of a differentiation

arrangement country.

Once your visa is granted, if you are coming to the UK for more than 6 months, you will receive a 30 day vignette (sticker) in your passport.

On arrival to the UK, you will be required to collect your BRP from the

Post Office indicated on your visa approval letter as soon as possible.

Please ensure that you choose the option which is likely to result in you

getting a decision on your visa application in time to allow you to

travel to the UK and enrol before the latest enrolment date as indicated on

your CAS. Please DO NOT travel to the UK if you receive your decision

after the latest enrolment date.

Once you have chosen the service you wish to use, you will need to

select the application centre you wish to attend and book a suitable date

for your appointment.

This will be the end of your application.