Visas and immigration

Our global student advisor is available to help you with any aspect of applying for a student visa or your queries around student immigration.

On these pages you will find detailed information on applying for a variety of visas and help with visa and passport issues.

Please find below guidance relating to UKVI rule changes over the last couple of years applicable to all.

UKVI Changes from 5 October 2020

On 5 October 2020, the UK Home Office updated their immigration rules and guidance with details of the new student visa route which has replaced the previous Tier 4 student route.  Any visa applications submitted inside or outside the UK from this date will be subject to the new rules for the student visa route. Our International pages provide further guidance on the key changes you need to be aware of.

UKVI changes from 10 January 2019

  • The maintenance requirements for the Student route are reworded but remain the same; changes make clear that money from a loan does not have to be available to you on the date of application and that you need not have held funds from a loan or from an official financial sponsor for a 28-day period before you apply 

Important changes for Student Visa Undergraduate students

Starting an undergraduate programme

  • If you have already been studying in the UK, you must have successfully completed the qualification for which you were last granted a student visa (or if you changed programme, the programme that you changed to). This means that you must have received the award or have formal written confirmation of the award from your institution. Please note that other conditions still apply as per previous rules. 

Changing from BEng to MEng

  • If you change from BEng to MEng you may be able to extend your student visa from inside the UK. However the timing for doing so may differ. If you applied for your current student visa before 06 April 2016 you can transfer to the MEng and then apply for your current visa extension at any stage before your current permission expires. If you applied for your current student visa on or after 06 April 2016 then you must apply for and receive a new visa before you can continue on the MEng programme. You are strongly encouraged to discuss this with ISA.

Changing programme

  • You are not permitted to change programme if the new programme cannot be completed within the length of your current visa. If however you changed programme (within the length of your current visa) and subsequently require additional time to repeat part of that new programme, you may be able to extend your visa from inside the UK.  Other conditions in regard to course changes still apply. 

Changing from MEng to BEng

  • From November 2016 rules regarding who can change from MEng to BEng have been applied. If you applied for your current Tier 4 or student visa before 06 April 2016 you can transfer to the BEng and continue to complete the programme with your MEng visa. If you applied for your current Tier 4 visa or student visa on or after 06 April 2016 then you must obtain a new visa permission from outside of the UK before you can proceed with the BEng programme. You are strongly encouraged to discuss this with ISA.

Extending visa for current programme

  • If you have transferred from another campus and decide to increase the amount of time spent studying in the UK, you must apply for your visa extension from outside the UK unless you will be progressing from BEng to MEng - please discuss such cases with ISA.

Addition time needed due to re-sits/repeat year

  • If you have had to repeat a course or undertake a resit and now need additional time to complete your programme, you might be able to apply for your visa extension from inside the UK.  Please seek advice from the student visa team if you need additional time following a repeat year or having completed a resit/s. 
Important changes for Student visa Postgraduate students

Starting an MSc

  • If you have already been studying in the UK, you must have successfully completed the qualification for which you were last granted a student visa (or if you changed programme, the programme that you changed to). This means that you must have received the award or have formal written confirmation of the award from your institution.
  • If you had a visa for MEng and were granted a BEng award prior to undertaking your MSc, you will need to apply for your visa extension from outside the UK.

Extending your visa for the same programme

  • If you have transferred from another campus and decide to increase the amount of time spent studying in the UK, you must apply for a new student visa from outside the UK.

Changing programme

  • If your new programme cannot be completed within the length of your current visa you will have to leave the UK and then apply for a new visa for your new programme, however you are strongly encouraged to discuss the implications of this with the student visa team.

Addition time needed due to re-sits/repeat year

  • If you have had to repeat an course or undertake a resit and now need additional time to complete your programme, you might be able to apply for your visa extension from inside the UK.  Please seek advice from the student visa team if you need additional time following a repeat year or you have had a resit/s. 
Important changes for Student visa Postgraduate Research students

Starting a PhD

  • If you have already been studying in the UK, you must have successfully completed the qualification for which you were last granted a student visa (or if you changed programme, the programme that you changed to). This means that you must have received the award or have formal written confirmation of the award from your institution

Changing programme

  • If you applied for your student visa on or after 06 April 2016 and then wish to change programme, this will only be permitted if you can complete the new course within the length of your visa. If you subsequently need more time to complete, you must apply for your visa extension from outside of the UK.  Other conditions apply. 

Contact the Visa, Advice and Compliance team

Our Visa, Advice and Immigration team are available to answer your enquires through the Student Portal. You can also view frequently asked questions (FAQs) for many topics related to International students studying at our Scottish campuses.