Visa and immigration information

• Tier 4 visas

  • What is a Tier 4 visa
  • How to apply
  • Arriving to Aberdeen
  • Visa checks
  • Your responsibilities

• Other visas

  • Switching to another visa type
  • If you don't need a visa

• European (EEA or EU) nationals

If you can’t find an answer here, please first consult our Visa Check Guide for detailed information and advice. If you still have questions, please contact the Tier 4 team within Registry or the International Student Advisers in the Student Advice and Support Office in the Hub.

Tier 4 visas

What is a Tier 4 visa?

If you are a full-time international student studying in Aberdeen, you will normally have a Tier 4 visa. To apply for a Tier 4 visa, the University (your sponsor) will generate a CAS (Certificate of Acceptance) number for you. You have to satisfy academic and immigration rules criteria before we can give you a CAS number. There are also a number of limitations and requirements you have to bear in mind as a Tier 4 student – these are explained further down.

How to apply?

If you are a new student and need a Tier 4 visa, the Admissions Office will give you a CAS number as part of the admission process. If you are a continuing student, contact the International Student Advisers at least 3 months before your current visa expires to get advice on applying and to request a CAS number. Please note that we can only give you a CAS number if you meet UK Border Agency (UKBA) and University requirements, for example course attendance and academic performance, and you don’t owe money to the University. Depending on your discipline you may also need to apply for an  Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate which can take up to a month to arrive.

Arriving to Aberdeen

You have to arrive in the UK on time to start your programme and you have to attend your appointment with your academic Adviser/Supervisor. If you decide not to start your programme at the University or you can’t attend your Advising meeting, you need to inform the Admissions Office as soon as possible. If you arrive late or you don’t arrive at all, you will not be able to use your visa and the University will have to inform the UKBA about this.

If you defer your start date, but you already applied for or received your visa, you may need to apply for a new visa with a new CAS number. Please don’t travel on the original visa, because the UKBA may not let you enter the UK. You can contact Admissions for a new CAS number.

Visa checks

During the registration process you will also need to attend a visa check before your registration is completed. We will inform you of the time and place of the visa check before your arrival.

What do we check?

At the visa check, we look at your passport and visa details and add these to our student record database. We also have to keep a copy of your documents so, along with your original documents, please bring a photocopy of your visa, all pages in your passport (except the blank pages), and your Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate (if you required one).

If you are renewing your passport or your visa, or lost your documents, please still attend the visa check. We will ask you to complete a disclaimer form to explain where your documents are and you will complete the visa check once you receive your new documents.

What if there is a problem?

If there is any problem or query about your immigration status, we will refer you to an International Student Adviser, who will provide you with immigration information and advice.

Please consult our Visa Check Guide for detailed information and advice on the visa check procedures.

Your responsibilities

As a Tier 4 student, you have a number of responsibilities that you should bear in mind. Please note that if you do not comply with these requirements, the University will have to inform the UKBA who may cancel your visa.

You have to comply with the terms of your visa and attend for visa check sessions 3 or 4 times in each academic year. This is in addition to any standard attendance monitoring in your School(s). You also have to keep your Aberdeen address and telephone number up-to-date through your Student Portal.

If there is any change in your studies, for instance if you miss more than two weeks of teaching due to prolonged  illness, change to part-time study, withdraw from the University, want to study off-campus, you have to inform the Registry immediately.

We will communicate with you through your University email account so please check this account at least once a week and respond to any correspondence about your immigration status without delay. In addition to the visa check sessions, the Registry sometimes has to ask to see Tier 4 students in person with their original documents. If you are asked to come in with your documents, please comply without delay.  A claim that you have not accessed your university email account cannot be used as an excuse.

Contact the International Student Advisers for more information on your responsibilities.

Attending classes

You should attend all classes, hand in course work as required and comply with any further monitoring procedures as required.

If you miss a class, contact your School immediately to explain your absence. If you miss too many classes, we will email you with a warning that you are being monitored – please reply to this communication without delay. If you miss too many classes, miss handing in your course work, or don’t reply to our emails, we may have to inform the UKBA that you are no longer engaged in your studies.

If you don’t have classes

With the exception of an expected holiday period, if you are not attending classes, for example if you are a research postgraduate student, or undergraduate or taught postgraduate student undertaking a dissertation you still have to comply with your School’s attendance requirement, such as regularly signing in and attending meetings. Your School will give you further information on this.

If you are a research student, you will be monitored during your studies, including any periods when you are writing-up , completing corrections or resubmitting.

If you are on a work placement off-campus

The University is still responsible for you as your ‘sponsor’ so some monitoring must continue, with the assistance of your placement provider.

Studying off-campus

If you have a Tier 4 visa, the UKBA will expect you to study on-campus in Aberdeen. However, in certain circumstances research students can study off-campus. Off-campus study is normally only allowed for sound academic reasons, and you need to secure approval from your supervisor(s), your School, and Head of College.

Although you will not participate in person in the visa checks we conduct each term, you still have to reply to our visa check emails to confirm your off-campus status.

Absence from studies

If you miss teaching because of illness, please submit a medical certificate to your School. If you have an ongoing illness that affects your studies, please contact the Tier 4 team at Registry.

If you are a taught student, you can’t to go on holiday during term time, because you are expected to attend classes. For postgraduate taught students term-time continues over the summer. Absence over a weekend is allowed if you are not missing classes due to this absence. If you are a research student, please contact your School for further information on taking holidays.

Visas other than Tier 4

You must have valid leave to remain in the UK to become a registered student at the University of Aberdeen. You must provide us with evidence of your immigration status at registration or if a member of University staff asks you to do so.

Switching to another visa type

If you would like to discuss switching to a Tier 4 visa, or any other visa contact the International Student Advisers.

If you don't need a visa

We must check that you do not require a visa so we will ask you for evidence of this at registration. If you have dual nationality, you will be required to provide your British or European passport to us for verification. If you have indefinite leave to remain, you still have to provide us with evidence of this.

European (EEA or EU) nationals

If you are an EEA or EU student, but pay overseas tuition fees, we will ask you at registration or during your studies to provide us with proof of your immigration status. If you hold dual nationality, you will be required to provide your British passport or European passport to us for verification.