In March 2020, the government released new guidance for Tier 4 sponsors (including GCU) in light of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The VISA Team have reviewed this guidance and have provided information below on how the changes may impact you. If you have any questions, please contact visa@gcu.ac.uk.
These arrangements are based on Home Office Guidance, and will apply until 31 July 2020, when they will be reviewed by the Home Office. This guidance will be updated accordingly.
Tier 4 - Information for Tier 4 sponsored students - (COVID-19)
If you are a Tier 4 sponsored student by GCU, you should already have been in touch with the VISA Team to complete the Tier 4 checkpoint table sent via email on 18th March, to confirm if you are remaining in UK during this time or if you plan to exit UK. If there are any changes to your travel plans, please ensure you keep the VISA Team informed, by emailing visa@gcu.ac.uk.
Exiting UK or taking an absence from remote-learning for reasons relating to Coronavirus will not result in you being reported to the Home Office, even if you are unable to attend for more than 60 days. However, it is important you keep the VISA Team, and your Programme, informed of any absence or changes to your travel plans.
Regardless of whether you are in UK or outside UK, it is important you keep in touch with your Programme, and fully engage in remote-learning activities. Doing so will ensure your attendance is recorded on the attendance monitoring system.
If you need to take absence from remote studying due to illness or another reason, please inform your Programme as soon as possible as per the standard absence policy.
Although you will not be reported to the Home Office as a Tier 4 sponsor student for absences due to coronavirus, it is important that your Programme are aware of any absence from remote-learning and that the VISA team have your current address and contact details.
The Home Office will keep this under review and this guidance will be updated with any changes.
- If GCU are sponsoring you as a distance learning student:
If you are a Tier 4 student who is continuing their studies through distance learning, GCU will continue to sponsor you whether you are in UK, or another country.
If you have been permanently withdrawn from your studies or have deferred your studies for reasons unrelated to coronavirus, The University will report this as usual.
If you have been issued a Tier 4 visa but you are distance learning because you are unable to travel to UK, GCU will not report this to the Home Office.
If you are a new international student who has not yet applied for a visa but want to start a course by distance-learning, you do not require sponsorship under Tier 4 at this time. This is because you do not need to travel to the UK. However, it is important you secure a visa to use when you are able to travel. Please contact visa@gcu.ac.uk if you are in this situation, for further guidance.
GCU do not need to tell the Home Office when students have moved to distance learning.
- If you have been issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) but have not yet applied for a visa:
You will still be able to apply for a visa.
The start date for the course stated on the CAS may have changed. The Home Office will not automatically refuse such cases.
For example, The Home Office may accept a CAS if it has become invalid because you were unable to travel as a result of coronavirus. The Home Office will consider this on a case by case basis. Please contact visa@gcu.ac.uk if you are in this situation, for further guidance.
These arrangements are based on Home Office Guidance, and will apply until 31 July 2020, when they will be reviewed by the Home Office. This guidance will be updated accordingly.