International Students

Moving to the UK to undertake higher education studies can be a major decision, both personally and financially. UCS aims to provide a supportive environment to ensure that the transition to a new culture and education system for a student from outside the UK is as easy as possible.

Information and support is available for students on immigration matters, working whilst studying in the UK, opening a bank account and general information on the local area. This support helps students settle into life as a student in the UK.

Information included on this page:

English Language test

All students are expected to be able to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English. Students whose first language is not English will be expected to undertake a recognised English Language test in advance of commencing a UCS course.

The following standards are required:

IELTS (academic version): 6.00 for all degrees, apart from Diagnostic Radiography, Oncology and Radiotherapy Technology, and all Pre-Registration Nursing courses (Adult, Child Health, Learning Disability and Mental Health) that require 7.0.

TOEFL: 550 (or 213 on computer-based test) for all degrees

TOEFL: 550 (or 213 on computer-based test) for all degrees

Certain courses may also accept other testing including the following; Cambridge Proficiency Exam (CPE), Test in English for Educational Purposes (TEEP), GCE O-level, GCSE English Language or Use of English, Hong Kong Certificate of English Education and International Baccalaureate English B (standard level).

Applying

International students should aim to send their application to UCAS by 30 June 2010. Except for those applicants whose school or college is registered with UCAS, students needs to apply online independently. Additional advice for applicants can be sought from the British Council offices and other centres overseas.

For all applicants there are full instructions at www.ucas.com| to make it as easy as possible for prospective students to fill in their online application.

Further information on applying to UCS is available in the Apply| section of this website.

International fees

Tuition fees for full-time undergraduate international students for the academic year 2011-2012 are not yet known but as a guide fees for 2010-2011 are:

Classroom-based £9,900
Laboratory-based £11,990

UCS offers a range of generous bursaries for international students. For further information contact the Admissions Office on 01473 338348.

Details of the fees for postgraduate courses are available in the Tuition Fees guide| in the Student Finance| section of this website.

UCS requires all international students to show evidence of their ability to cover the costs of studying in the UK for the duration of their course. Students will be expected to provide a satisfactory financial guarantee certifying that they have sufficient funds.

Living costs

Before students come to the UK, they must ensure that they have enough money to cover the cost of living, as well as the tuition fees. For a single person, approximately £800-£1,000 per month is sufficient to cover living expenses, such as accommodation, food, books, clothing and incidental expenses. Prospective students wishing to bring a partner with them should allow at least an extra £150 per month, plus £50 per month for each child. This information applies to all students coming from outside of the UK.

Exploring the UK

Students are encouraged to make the most of their time whilst they are in the UK by exploring the local area and other parts of the UK. Tourist information centres located in towns and cities across the UK usually offer maps and leaflets of nearby places of interest.

International students may also want to apply for a Schengen visa, which will enable them to travel freely through any of the European countries which are Schengen states. A significant proportion of European countries are members.

Monetos is an international, free-of-charge research portal providing extensive information on the European social and financial sectors. The website offers students useful information on living and working in European countries. Visit http://www.monetos.co.uk/service/resources-uk-universities/universities/| for further information. 

UK Immigration advice for students

New UK Immigration Rules

In March 2009 the student visa system was replaced by the points-based system. Tier 4 is specifically for students coming to the UK to study. Since 31 March 2009, all new students wishing to come to the UK are be required to apply for entry clearance under Tier 4 before travelling.

Information, advice and guidance regarding the planned changes are still being released to institutions. We will endeavour to post the most up to date information here to assist you in your preparation for study in the UK.

Below you will find a summary of some of the Key changes:

How will the points-based immigration system affect my application for a student visa?

All universities will, from March 2009 have to be licensed by the government as a registered sponsor for their students for immigration purposes.

You will require a Visa letter from UCS before you can apply for entry clearance as a student. The Visa letter will also include a list of documents that were used to assess your suitability for your chosen programme at UCS. When you apply for your entry clearance you must include the originals of all supporting documents listed (or certified copies)

Students will have to demonstrate that they can meet a minimum number of points required for a student visa. You will require 40 points in order to obtain entry clearance as a student under tier 4 of PBS.

  • 30 points will be awarded for a valid ‘visa letter’ or CAS along with supporting documents listed
  • 10 points will be awarded for meeting the financial and maintenance requirements outlined by UKBA

Further details on these requirements can be found on the UKBA website below.

What type of student visa do I need?

If you are 17 years old or above and intending to study for a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate programme at UCS you must apply for a General (Adult) Student Visa.

How do I obtain my visa letter?

Since March 2009 applicants have been automatically issued with a ‘visa letter’ as a Letter of acceptance if they have been made an Unconditional offer. This will only be issued to once applicants have met any academic conditions and supplied the relevant original or certified copies of required documents.

From Autumn 2010 the ‘Visa letter’ will be replaced by a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS) which will be issued to applicants once they have confirmed their acceptance of an unconditional offer.

I’m already a student at University Campus Suffolk, does this affect me?

If you are already in the UK and are looking to extend your visa before the autumn of 2009, you will also need the appropriate ‘’visa letter’ before you can submit your application to the Home Office.

For students already in the UK, please refer to UKCISA who provide extensive information and guidance.

Reporting requirements

UCS will be obliged to report to the UK Border Agency any student who obtains entry clearance under PBS but does not enrol at the start of the course or for those that do enrol, but withdraw or fail to attend their classes for significant periods will also be reported to UKBA.

Where can I find out further information about the Points Based System?

We will continue to update this webpage with information as it becomes available however if you have any questions please contact us directly at admissionsucs.ac.uk|

You may also find the following websites useful; they also contain detailed guidance on the Points-based Immigration System.

UKCISA (Council for International Student Affairs) www.ukcisa.org.uk|

UK Border Agency www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk|