UK Study Visa Checklist

Tier 4 Visa Application Document Checklist

When applying for a Tier 4 Student Visa, you will need to submit a variety of documents to support your application. This page serves as a guidance for which documents you may need to submit.

Whilst Low Risk & Tier 4 Pilot students will not need to submit all of the documents on the checklist, they will still need to ensure that they can provide the documents if requested by a UKVI caseworker.

Please remember that if a document is not in English or Welsh, the applicant must provide a fully certified translation from a professional translator or translation company that can be independently verified by the Home Office.

Documents needed for ALL Tier 4 Visa Applications

CAS Number

  •   A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, or a CAS Number, is a number that confirms that you have accepted your offer of a place to study
  •   It is specific to each applicant.
  •   You will be issued a CAS up to 3 months before the start of your course.
  •   If you are a New Student the CAS Number will be issued by the Admissions department. To learn more visit here. However, if you are a Current Student and extending your visa, you will need to apply for a new CAS. The CAS request form can be found

Current Valid Passport & Visa (or Biometric Residence Permit - BRP)

  •   You must provide your original current passport. Copies are not accepted.
  •   If your current visa (vignette) is in an expired passport, this will also need to be submitted.

Evidence of Sponsorship

  •   If you are financially sponsored during your studies you will need to provide a stamped letter from your official sponsor confirming your sponsorship
  •   If your sponsor does not cover all of your fees and living expenses, then you will also be required to submit a bank statement too.

Bank Statements

  •   You will have to show an amount of £9,135 (£1,015 per month up to a maximum of 9 months) or the length of your course, whichever is shorter.
  •   Up to £1,265 of any University of Leicester accommodation fees paid can be deducted from the total amount. This can be evidenced on your CAS or by receipts. This does not include fees paid towards private accommodation.
  •   Each dependant will be required to demonstrate maintenance of £6,120 (£680 per month up to a maximum of 9 months) or the total length of visa, expected to be granted, whichever is shorter.
  •   You will need to have the required amount of funding in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days prior to submitting your visa application
  •   You can submit evidence from your own bank account or your parent's bank account. If using your parents bank statements, you will also need to submit the documents below.

Parental Consent to use Bank Statements

  •   If you intend to use your parents' bank statements as evidence of your funds to study, you will need to provide a letter from your parents consenting for you to use them

Birth Certificate

  •   This will only be required if you are under the age of 18 or you intend to use your parents' bank statements to support your visa application.

Parental Consent to Study (Under 18's Only)

  •   You will only be required to submit this if you are under the age of 18
  •   The letter will need to confirm that your parents' consent for your application for a student visa
  •   It will also need to provide consent from parents for you to travel to the UK and live here independently

Previous Qualifications

  •   You will need to provide any documents listed on your CAS under the section "Evidence used to obtain offer"
  •   Please remember that if any document not in English or Welsh, the applicant is required to provide a fully certified translation from a professional translator or translation company that can be independently verified by the Home Office.

English Language Ability

  •   We will assess your level of English language competence as part of their academic assessment of your ability to follow a particular course.
  •   A list of the approved English language tests for Tier 4, including the time period tests are valid for, and the scores you must achieve for all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening), is available on the Home Office pages here.

ATAS (If required)

  •   Before applying for a visa, students studying certain courses will need to apply for Academic Technology Approval Scheme or ATAS
  •   To check whether you need to apply for an ATAS visit.
  • Additional Documents required for Tier 4 Applications made INSIDE the UK

    Biometric Residence Permit
    •   You will only need to submit this if you already have a BRP. You must submit the original.
    Police Registration Certificate

    •   You must provide the original certificate. Before submitting the document, please ensure that your UK address is up to date. If you are not required to register with the police as part of your visa conditions then you will not need to submit this. To check whether you need to register

    Additional Documents required for Tier 4 Applications made OUTSIDE the UK

    Valid Tuberculosis (TB) Certificate
    •   Some students from certain countries will need to submit a valid Tuberculosis Test Certificate with their application
    •   This is to show that they have been screened for TB
    •   To check whether you will be required to submit a TB certificate, please visit here