Applying for a Tier 4 Student Visa from inside the UK

If you are already in the UK and you need to apply for a visa extension under Tier 4 (General Student), either to complete a full-time course you are currently studying or to begin a new one, you will be able to apply from inside the UK provided you currently have immigration permission in one of the following categories:

• Student
• Tier 4 Student
• Tier 1 Post-Study Work
• Tier 2.

Applicants currently in the UK under a different immigration category, for example General Visitor, Student Visitor or Dependant are required to apply for their Tier 4 visa from outside the UK.

How do I apply for my Tier 4 visa from inside the UK?
You can choose to make your Tier 4 visa application either by post or in person. Postal applications are significantly cheaper, but often take a long time (two to three months) to be processed. In-person applications at a Public Enquiry Office (PEO) are much more expensive, but applicants receive an instant decision on their application and successful applicants receive their visas within one week of the appointment. We would therefore recommend that you apply in person if you have made any plans to travel outside the UK after making your visa application.

The International Student Support Service are able to help both postal and in-person applicants to prepare their applications – find out more about the support we offer with your application. You are also advised to read our guidance on preparing to extend your student visa in the UK , which will give you detailed information about the visa requirements and the documents that you will need to prepare.

When should I apply for my Tier 4 visa from inside the UK?
It is very important that you make your visa application (by posting it to the UKBA or submitting it in person at a PEO) before your current visa expires.

If you are applying for a Tier 4 visa from inside the UK in order to begin a new course, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) suggest that you apply within the last three months of your current visa. If you have been studying a different course, you should wait for this course to end before submitting your application. There cannot be a gap of more than one month between the expiry date of your current visa and the start date of your new course. If the gap is longer than one month, you must apply for your Tier 4 visa from outside the UK.

Tier 4 students joining NTU from a different institution must be aware that they will need to submit a Tier 4 visa application using the CAS issued to them by NTU before being able to enrol at the University. Find out more information about which visa you need.

If you are applying to extend your visa from inside the UK in order to complete your current course, your application must be submitted before your course end date.

You must meet the conditions of your offer and get a CAS number before being able to apply. You must also make sure that you have prepared the relevant documents and meet the maintenance requirement.

Which documents do I need to prepare to support my application?

Please see the required documents page.