Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my dependants?
What is a CAS?
What is the 'Sponsor Licence Number'?
I applied to another institution and already have a Tier 4 student visa to study at that institution. Now I wish to come to Sheffield Hallam University instead. What should I do?
Do I need an ATAS certificate?
What are the timescales involved in applying for a visa?
I am a national of a country in the European Economic Area (EEA); do I need a visa to study in the UK?
I am coming to study at Sheffield Hallam on a Pre-Sessional English language course followed by a longer course; which visa should I apply for?
How long will my Tier 4 general visa be?
Can I work in the UK on a general student visa?
Can I get a work visa after I finish my studies?
Can I bring my dependants?
Your dependants can apply for immigration permission to join or remain with you only if
- You are a government-sponsored student and your course is more than six months long
or - You are doing a postgraduate level course of 12 months or more at a Higher Education Institution
or - You had Tier 4 or pre-Tier 4 student leave for your previous course where the course was more than six months long
and
your permission is current or expired no more than three months before this immigration application
and
your new immigration application is for a course more than six months long
and
your dependants already have Tier 4 dependant or 'student' dependant leave
and
you apply for immigration permission at the same time as your dependant
You can use the UK Council for International Student Affairs' (UKCISA) new interactive web tool to help you decide whether you can have family members with you while you are in the UK.
What is a CAS?
Your details will be uploaded to the UK Border Agency database and you will receive a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which includes a reference number. You will need this number to apply for your visa. The CAS will be sent to you after you have fulfilled the conditions of your offer and paid the required deposit towards your tuition fees. Your visa will be tied to the institution that issued you the CAS.
What is the 'Sponsor Licence Number'?
The sponsor licence number is a reference which indicates which University you are coming to study at. The sponsor licence number for Sheffield Hallam University is G5N8YGW40.
I applied to another institution and already have a Tier 4 student visa to study at that institution. Now I wish to come to Sheffield Hallam University instead. What should I do?
You may experience problems at immigration control when you try to gain entry to the UK if the sponsor licence number or CAS number on your Tier 4 student visa does not match the university you wish to study at. We cannot enrol you at Sheffield Hallam University if your visa is attached to a different university. Therefore we recommend you make a fresh Tier 4 student visa application in your home country with your CAS from Sheffield Hallam University before you travel here.
Do I need an ATAS certificate?
If you are applying for a postgraduate or research course you may need to obtain an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before applying for UK entry clearance. If you do need this, it will be stated at the end of your offer letter. To double check if you need one and to apply, please visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.
What are the timescales involved in applying for a visa?
Your CAS is valid for six months after issue, and you should not receive a CAS more than six months before the start of your course. You can apply for a visa a maximum of three months before the start of your course. Remember that if you are self funding you will need evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover living expenses and tuition fees for 28 days prior to application.
We strongly recommend you apply for your visa as soon as you can. This is because it will give you plenty of time to solve any problems you may have during the application process. It can take between a few weeks to a few months to get your visa application processed, depending on where you are applying and how busy your visa application centre is. You will need to check the timescales with your visa application centre before you apply.
I am a national of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA); do I need a visa to study in the UK?
No, if you are a national of the EEA you do not need a visa to study in the UK. A list of EEA countries is available on the UK Border Agency website. Further advice for EEA nationals can be found at UKCISA.
I am coming to study at Sheffield Hallam on a Pre-Sessional English language course followed by a longer course; which visa should I apply for?
If you have an unconditional offer for a Pre-Sessional course and a conditional offer for a subsequent course you will need to apply for a Tier 4 general student visa. The visa will only be given initially for the length of the Pre-Sessional course plus one month. When you have passed the Pre-Sessional course and received your unconditional offer for the subsequent course, you may apply to extend your visa while you are in the UK. You must apply for an extension before the end date of your visa.
If there is more than one month between the expiry of your student visa and the start of your new course, you will need to return home to obtain a new student visa for your next course.
If you obtain a student visitor visa you will not be able to switch to a Tier 4 student visa while you are in the UK. You will have to return home and apply for a Tier 4 general student visa from your home country. Usually the gap between the end of the Pre-Sessional course and the longer course is quite short, there is not much time to return home and apply for a visa, so it is much better to apply for a general student visa from the start.
If you have an unconditional offer for a short Pre-Sessional English course an unconditional offer for a subsequent course, you may be able to get a CAS to cover both courses. This means you may be able to get a visa to cover both courses.
How long will my Tier 4 student visa be?
Your visa should be issued for the duration of your course. You will also receive some additional time at the end of your course. This varies depending on the course level and duration.
Can I work in the UK on a general student visa?
Yes - if you are studying at Sheffield Hallam at degree level or above (including Sheffield Hallam foundation degrees) you can work 20 hours per week during term time and full time during vacations.
If you are studying below degree level you can work 10 hours per week during term time and full time during vacations.
Always check what the visa in your passport says as this will confirm what hours you are eligible to work.
Can I get a work visa in the UK after I finish my studies?
After you graduate, you may be able to apply for Tier 2 General visa. To qualify for this visa inside the UK you must have a job offer from an employer who has a sponsor licence number. You must meet certain requirements including:
- the job being a graduate level job and a shortage occupation or a job for which the employer has carried out the Resident Labour Market Test
- the job has an appropriate wage
- you will also need to prove your English language ability and meet the maintenance requirements for Tier 2
- Sheffield Hallam University International Support and Careers Advisers offer workshops to help you prepare for this visa.
You can read more about the rules from the UKBA website and UKCISA .
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