Yes. You must ensure your visa is stamped upon entry to the UK. Your visa must be stamped with your date of entry to activate it.
You may also be asked to present your CAS number at the port of entry into the UK along with your documents. Please ensure you have this available when you travel.
If your visa is not stamped on entry, you must present yourself to an immigration official at the airport in the UK and explain that you have not had your visa stamped. It is advisable to keep copies of your flight booking and tickets for your personal record to confirm your date of entry to the UK in addition to the stamp on your passport in case of any issues.
Please note you must not use an eGate at the airport if you are entering the UK as a student, even if you are from a country that is usually allowed to use the eGates. This is because your Student visa needs to be stamped to be activated and as future evidence of your arrival date. You must see a Border Force Officer on arrival to stamp and activate your visa.
If you enter via the European Common Travel Area including the Republic of Ireland then you will not clear UK immigration. Therefore, is it important you do not book travel via Dublin as this may cause issues for your entry clearance and ability to study. If you do travel via this route you must retain your flight booking confirmation and boarding passes and speak to the VISA Team immediately upon arrival. These documents must remain with your passport for all future travel as evidence of your confirmed entry and activation of your Student visa.
The University will monitor this during Registration and Attendance Checkpoints. Please contact Visa Immigration Support and Advice or GCU London for further information.
It is important you check that all the details are correct on your visa as soon as you receive it. If you have been issued a vignette then you should check that the information in the accompanying letter is also correct, as these details usually match the information that will be printed on the BRP you will collect in the UK after you arrive. If you have been issued digital leave, make sure that the online checking system shows the correct details for you, including the type of leave you have applied for.
Please note as the Home Office is rolling out digital statuses, your visa will either be granted in the form of a vignette within your passport and then replaced with a physical BRP card when you arrive in the UK, or you will have a digital status.
Please note if you are provided with a physical BRP the BRP card end date will more than likely be 31 December 2024. This is not your visa expiry date. The reason for this is due to the Home Office moving digital for all visas, the Home Office will contact you in early 2024 to confirm how you can prove your status digitally.
This means if your BRP end date is 31 December 2024 you must refer to your visa decision email as this will show the correct visa expiry date.
Make sure all of these details are accurate:
- Your name and date of birth
- Your sex
- That you have permission under the Student or Child Student route
- The Sponsor Licence Number (GCU's sponsor licence number is J5TNG1750)
- That the start and end dates are correct (see above)
- Work conditions (see further information here: How many hours can you work?)
Once you have checked that you are eligible to apply, you apply online. The only exception to this is if you are applying in DPRK (North Korea).
If you have difficulties with the online form, contact the VISA Team directly.
Please refer to your CAS for information on your sponsor institution (GCU), course information including course name, course level and course dates, and fee information.
Glasgow Caledonian University's Sponsor Licence Number is J5TNG1750.
When you are ready to apply you will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, any biometric enrolment fees, any value-added service fees, and the visa application fee.
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and what type of passport you have. Most applicants must still attend a visa application centre for a biometrics appointment. The only exception is EEA nationals who have a biometric chip in their passport. You’ll be told exactly what you need to do when you apply.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later. In some countries, the Visa Application Centre is run by a commercial company (such as VFS Global or TLScontact), but they do not have any influence over the visa process itself; your application will be decided by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
As part of the process, you may also be interviewed. The interviewee will be looking to show that your English is up to the required standard (without the need for an interpreter). They may ask you about why you chose to study in the UK and at GCU in particular, and some information about your chosen subject area. You may also be asked about your life and family at home, and your immigration history (particularly if you have been to the UK before). To find out what to expect during the interview if you are called for one, please view our page on Credibility Interviews.
You should apply in the country where you are living. In this context, "living" somewhere means that you are there lawfully for a reason other than for a short-term visit. You can also apply in any other country whose passport you hold. It is important to consider that if you are applying in a country where you do not hold nationality, you may be asked to prove your immigration status for that country.
If there is no suitable Visa Applicant Centre (VAC) in the country you are currently living in, you should make your application to the appropriate application post as designated on the Home Office website.
Please visit our dedicated webpage about Credibility Interviews for further information and guidance, we recommend students review this in advance of making their visa application.
If you are applying for a Student Visa you must have enough money to pay for your course fees and your living costs, known as the maintenance or financial requirement. You are normally required to submit financial documents to show that you meet the financial requirements.
You will need to provide evidence that you meet UKVI's financial requirements covering course fees and living costs.
Money you need
You must have enough money to pay for your course and support yourself in the UK. How much money you need depends on your circumstances and what you’re applying for.
Course fee
You need enough money to pay for your course for one academic year (up to nine months). The amount you need to pay will be on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies ). If you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, you do not need to prove you have this money for your visa application.
Money to support yourself (‘financial requirement’)
You’ll need to show you have enough money to support yourself - unless you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application. How much money you need depends on where you will be studying. You’ll need either:
- £1,334 per month (for up to nine months) for courses in London
- £1,023 per month (for up to nine months) for courses outside London
Documents need to meet the requirements stated in the UKVI's Student Guidance and the UKVI's Immigration Rules in:
You’ll need to prove you have extra money for each family member you bring with you. You must have this money for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa. For example, if you submit your application on 1 January 2021, you’d have to show that the funds were in your bank account for at least the 28-day period ending on 1 December.
If you have a student loan or financial sponsorship, you’ll need to provide evidence of this from your loan or sponsorship company. Read the guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
When you do not need to prove you have money to support yourself
You do not need to prove the financial requirement if:
- You’ve had a UK visa for 12 months prior to the date of your Student Visa application - you must currently be in the UK
- You’re applying as a student union sabbatical officer
- You’re applying as a postgraduate doctor or dentist on a recognised foundation programme
If you are a national of a country listed in Appendix ST paragraph 22.1 of the Immigration rules, you must meet the financial requirements described below but do not need to submit your financial documents as part of a Student Visa Application.
To benefit from the Differentiation Arrangements as a ‘low-risk national’, you must be applying in the UK or the country you live in. If you rely on the differentiation arrangements, you must still have the financial documents available and in the required format as the Home Office may request evidence that you do meet the financial requirements whilst processing your application.
For this reason, you will be required to provide this evidence to the Admissions Team in the same way that students who do not fall under the Differentiation Agreements would. Failure to provide these documents when asked will lead to your application being refused.
Read the guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
Worked examples for living costs
If you are going to study on a three-year undergraduate course, you will need to show (£1334 × nine months) £12006 for your living costs.
If you are a current student and are not exempt from the financial requirements as described earlier and you have three months remaining of your course, you will need to show (£1334 x three) £4,002 for your living costs.
A worked example for total finances
If you are studying for a one-year master's course, your tuition fees are £14,000 and you have paid your £4,000 deposit plus an extra £2,000 towards your fees.
You must show £8,000 (£14,000 - £4000 - £2000) for your tuition fees and £12,006 (1334 x nine months) for your living costs. The total maintenance amount you are required to show is £20,006 (£8,000 + £12,006).
If you are relying on funds in your parent(s)' account, you must include the following documents in support of your application:
- A letter from your parent(s) confirming that you are their child and that they consent to you using their funds to study in the UK.
- Your birth certificate with your name and your parent(s)' names (with a translation if not in English).
- Your parent(s)' financial documents.
If your money is not in pound sterling, you must convert the funds into pound sterling to ensure that the closing balance meets the minimum level required using the OANDA currency converter.
