Starting last week, the UK government officially put in place the first of the changes to their Tier 4 (student level) Visa. The changes, which were first announced last month, cause a stir among current and potential international students, particularly those attending English Language schools as students would need a speak ‘higher level’ of English than previously required. Here’s a deeper look at the changes already in place, as well as those coming in the future.
- Students may only work during school terms, and no more than 10 hours per week (half of what was previously allowed).
- If you are studying for 6 months or less, you cannot bring dependents to the UK.
- If you are able to bring dependents, they cannot work unless they qualify as a highly skilled or skilled migrant worker (Tier 1 or 2 Visa).
- Starting April 6, 2010, if you are not studying a university level course, and are coming from outside of the EU, the institution you attend must be on a list of “highly trusted sponsors’.
- Starting in the summer of 2010, you must be able to speak English at an intermediate level (which means a [info:'toefl-score' TOEFL score] of at least 41 on the ibt), and you will need to show a test score to prove your abilities.
Read the full article: UK Starts New Student Visa Regulations