All international students from outside the EEA (non-EU counties) need to obtain a Tier 4 General Student Visa or a Student Visitor Visa to enter the UK. The UK government has introduced a Points Based System for Immigration that has several ‘Tiers’ (the Student Tier, Tier 4, came into force on 31 March 2009). You can check if you need a visa by visiting the UK BORDER AGENCY website. You can also check with the British Embassy or Consulate in your own country or, if there is not one where you live, in a neighbouring country.
Visa applications can be a lengthy process and therefore it is advisable to apply well in advance of your planned trip.
There are 2 types of student visa, these are:
- Student Visitor Visa (needed for courses of less than 6 months)
- Tier 4 General Student Visa (needed for courses of 6 months or more)
Student Visitor Visa
For students studying on a course of less than 6 months (i.e. LFA Certificate, Foundation and Specialised courses)
STEP 1 - Application
Submit your Application Form online at www.londonfilmacademy.com/admissions
STEP 2 – Course Fees
Your letter of acceptance, which you need in order to apply for your student visitor visa, can only be issued once you have met all the admissions criteria and we have received your full course fees.
STEP 3 – Acceptance
Once we’ve received your full courses fees we can issue you with a letter of acceptance, which you can use to apply for your student visitor visa. In order to issue your letter of acceptance we will require:
• your passport number
• your name as it appears on your passport
• your nationality
• the address you will be staying whilst studying in the UK
Tier 4 General Student Visa
For students studying on a course of 6 months or more (i.e. LFA Diploma courses)
You can watch the UK Border Agency video explaining how to apply for a general student visa – to watch this video please click here (available in the following languages: English, Arabic, Cantonese, Korean, Madarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish).
STEP 1 - Application
Submit your Application Form online at www.londonfilmacademy.com/admissions
STEP 2 – Deposit
Once you have submitted your application materials, attended your interview and been offered a place on one of our Diploma courses you will be required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the course (we accept credit/debit cards, bank transfers, cash or cheques).
STEP 3 – Confirmation of Studies (CAS)
Before we can issue a CAS, we must ensure that you are competent in English language at a minimum level B1 in the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR), as outlined by UKBA. The list of approved language exam centres can be found here.
Once you have met all the admissions criteria and we have received your deposit we can issue your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). We will require the following:
• your passport number
• your name as it appears on your passport
• your nationality
• your address in the UK
NOTES:
The CAS provides you with 30 points and you will require an additional 10 points from your bank statements to prove that you can pay for the course. For example: £18,500 course fees for Filmmaking Diploma + £7200 to cover living costs for nine months = £25,700.
You will need to show that you have the above in your bank account 28 days before the date you apply for your visa. If you are using funds from your parents, you will need to show evidence that you are related to them. The student’s personal bank or building society statements must show:
- the student’s or their parents(s)/legal guardians name; and
- the account number; and
- the date of the statement; and
- the financial institution’s name and logo; and
- the amount of money available.
If you wish to submit electronic bank statements from an online account these must contain all of the details listed above. In addition, you will need to provide a supporting letter from your bank, on company headed paper, confirming the authenticity of the statements provided. A summary of the guidelines can be found here.
NB: Do not travel to the UK if you wish to study without obtaining a student visa. If you enter the UK under a visitor visa or a student visitor visa, you will not be able to switch this to a general student visa without returning to your home country.
London Film Academy has received confirmation that the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has scheduled us for a Review for educational oversight during 2012.
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