VISAS AND IMMIGRATION
As an international student , you will need a visa to study in the UK . There are a few different types of visas available from the UK government , but the type you would normally need is a Student Route visa .
GETTING A VISA WHEN ALREADY IN THE UK
If you are already in the UK and hold a student visa for a different institution , you will still need to apply for a new Student Route visa . You may need to return to your home country to apply for a new visa . You will not be able to register on to your course at Portsmouth until you have applied for a new visa . Find out more at www . port . ac . uk / visa-advice or by emailing the International Student Advice Team at student-visa @ port . ac . uk .
PAYING THE IMMIGRATION HEALTH SURCHARGE ( IHS )
You will need to pay this if you are applying to study in the UK for a period of more than six months . You will also need to pay the IHS if you are already in the UK and apply to extend your stay . The charge is per person per year of the visa issued , payable at the time of visa application . If the surcharge is required , but not paid , the application will be refused or treated as invalid and will be rejected . For guidance , visit www . gov . uk / healthcare-immigrationapplication .
EU STUDENTS
If you are an EU , EEA or Swiss citizen , you will probably need a Student Route visa to study in the UK . The exception to this would be if you hold Settled or Pre-settled status to stay in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme or already have another type of visa that permits study in the UK .
COLLECTING YOUR BIOMETRIC RESIDENCE PERMIT ( BRP )
When completing your visa application form , please state you want to collect your visa from an alternative location . You will need to enter this code : 2HE479 for the Portsmouth campus . This will mean your BRP card will be available to collect during registration at the University .
BRP cards will be replaced by a digital status rather than a physical BRP card after 31 December 2024 .
GETTING A CONFIRMATION OF ACCEPTANCE FOR STUDIES ( CAS )
Once you meet all of your conditions ( including paying your deposit ) and accept your offer , we will provide you with a CAS for your visa application . As a sponsor , we are bound by law to abide by the regulations set out under the Student Sponsor Guidance . We may have to make checks on academic progression , length of time spent studying in the UK and financial capabilities of students prior to issuing a CAS .
Deadline for issuing a CAS
If you apply close to the deadline date , the University may contact you to discuss your circumstances before making a final decision on whether it is appropriate to issue you with a CAS statement . You may be asked to provide evidence that you are able to arrange your visa application and arrive in good time .
More information
The University of Portsmouth www . port . ac . uk / visa-advice UK Council for International Student Affairs ( UKCISA ) www . ukcisa . org . uk UK Visas and Immigration www . gov . uk / student-visa
You can also contact our International Student Advice Team at :
STUDENT-VISA @ PORT . AC . UK
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