Visa requirement

1. Tier 4 Visa Maintenance
Requirements

2. What Documents Do I Need for my
visa application?
You need to submit a number of original documents to support your Tier 4
application.
 CAS Number and CAS Statement issued by Cardiff Metropolitan University
 Current Passport & Previous Passport (if used to travel to the UK)
 Passport size colour photographs
 Previous original academic qualifications used to obtain admission at Cardiff
Metropolitan University
 Translations that meet Tier 4 requirements (if any documents that are not in
English)
 Secure English language test certificate (if applicable)
 Evidence of Funds – bank statements / financial guarantee letter (more details to
follow in this video)
 Birth Certificate / Affidavit / Sponsor letter (more details to follow in this video)
 Medical Evidence for tuberculosis screening (if applicable)
 ATAS Certificate (if applicable)
• More details on what documents you will require for your visa application will be
given in our ‘General Documents Required for Tier 4 Application’ video.

3. 3333
Bank Statements - How much money will I
need to show?
You will need to submit bank statements with your application to show that have enough money to cover:
1. Any outstanding course fees that you still have to pay:
 If your course is 12 months or longer – you will be required to show 1 year of course fees
 If your course is less than 12 months – you are required to show all course fees
PLUS
2. Living expenses:
£820 per month if you are studying in Cardiff.
 If your course is longer than 9 months – you will be required to show £7380 for your living expenses
(maintenance)
 If your course is less than 9 months (such as a pre-sessional course) – you will be required to show :
Number of Months of the Course X £820 per month
 Dependants –will be required to show maintenance of £4140 (if applying at same time as main applicant)

4. Are you eligible for the lower
maintenance requirement?
If you have previously studied in the UK and still have a valid Tier
4 visa, you may be eligible for the lower maintenance of £1640
provided you meet the ‘established presence’ rule:*
*You have established presence if:
1. You have a valid Tier 4 visa AND
2. You have studied or completed a single course that was at
least 6 months long within the validity of your current visa
(otherwise know as your last period of leave) OR
3. You are applying for a visa to continue your current course of
study, where you have already completed at least 6 months
of that course

5. If I pay accommodation fees, will this be
deducted from the maintenance costs?
• University-owned Accommodation – If you make a payment
to the university for Halls Of Residence accommodation, a
maximum of £1020 can be deducted from your total living
costs.
• Maintenance costs WILL NOT be reduced if you make a pre-
payment towards privately owned accommodation.

6. Example 1
1 year Postgraduate course (applying from overseas):
Course fees – £12,000
Course fees already paid - £3000
Course fee outstanding = £9000
Maintenance (Living costs) = £7380
Overall amount you must show in your bank statement:
£16380 (£9000 + £7380)

7. Example 2
3 year Undergraduate course (applying from overseas):
Course fees (for one year) = £10200
Course fee already paid = £3000
Course fee outstanding = £7200
Maintenance (Living costs) = £7380
Accommodation Fee Paid = £2000 (Maximum of £1020 can be
deducted from maintenance costs)
Living costs outstanding (£7380-£1020) = £6360
Overall amount you must show in your bank statement =
£13,560 (£7200+ £6360)

8. Will my maintenance costs be lower if my
course is shorter than a year?
• If your course is less than 9 months (such as a pre-sessional course /
CSM Summer School Programme) – you will be required to show
the Number of Months of the Course X £820 per month
Example: 12 week pre-sessional course (3 months)
Course fees - £3200
Course fees already paid - £3000
= £200 course fee outstanding
Living costs - £820 X 3 months = £2460
Overall amount you must show in your bank statement =
£2660 (£200+£2460)

9. What documents can I use to show I
have the required funds?
The Immigration Rules state that maintenance must be in the form of cash
funds and that as evidence of your maintenance you need to submit one of
the following with your application:
– Original bank statement
– Printed bank statements- Electronic / Online bank statements – need
to be stamped, signed and dated by the bank on EACH PAGE
– Letter from bank to confirm that the minimum required level of
funds have been held in the account for at least 28 consecutive days
– Letter from a regulated financial institution confirming savings
– Educational Loan from a financial institution provided by a national,
state or regional government, or a government-sponsored student
loan company, or be part of an academic or educational loans
scheme.

10. What information must the financial
document contain?
• Account holder’s name
• Account number
• Date of the statement/letter (this must be no more than 31 days
before the date of visa application)
• Financial institution’s name and logo (Please check Appendix P for
list of UKVI approved banks –
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-rules-
appendix-p)
• All transactions to show that the required funds have been held in
the account for at least a consecutive 28 day period or a written
statement from the bank confirming this prior to the date of the
application.
• If your money is not in pounds sterling (£) – You must also submit
evidence of the currency conversion on the date of your application
using the OANDA Conversion facility:
http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/

11. IMPORTANT!
• The balances in your account have to be
maintained for at least 28 consecutive days
prior to the date of application.
• If the funds drop below the required amount
at any time in the 28 day period, your visa
application will be refused!

12. Example of Electronic Bank Statement for
Tier 4 Application
Account
holder’s name
Date of bank
statement
Financial
Institution’s
name and Logo
Amount of
money held
in the
account for a
consecutive
28 days
Account
number
Stamped and signed by the
bank

13. Example of Bank Statement for Tier 4 Application
Account holder’s
name
Financial
Institution’s
name and Logo
Account
number
Amount of money
held in the account
for a consecutive 28
days

14. Example of Educational Loan Letter
Student’s name
as per passport
Date of loan letter – valid
for at least 6 months
from date of loan letter
Must state the name of the
course you will be studying
and studying at Cardiff
Metropolitan University
Sanction for
Education loan
Nature of loan- to cover tuition
fees and maintenance – living
costs
Amount of loan – please
ensure that the loan
covers the required level
of funds for fees and living
costs
Stamped and
signed by bank
official
Financial
Institution’s name
and Logo

15. Bank Statements – Account Holder Details
• Only your own personal bank statements or bank statements in your parents’ names can
be used as acceptable evidence of finances. Bank statements in the name of family
members other than your parents will NOT be accepted by UKVI and your application will
be refused.
• Additional documents to be submitted if you use your parents’ statements:
1. Your original birth certificate (or certificate of adoption or court
document naming your legal guardian) AND
2. A letter from your parent/legal guardian confirming their relationship to you
and the fact that the funds in their account will be used for your course fees and
living expenses.
• Joint bank account- If you want to use a joint account as proof of your money, you must
be named on the account along with one or more other person.
You will need a consent letter from the other account holder permitting you to use the joint
account.

16. Official Financial Sponsorship or
Government Sponsor
• Only certain organisations may be defined as official financial sponsors:
- Your Home Government
- The UK government
- British Council or any International organisation
- An International Company
- University or UK Independent School
• The Scholarship letter must include:
· The student’s name (must be as per passport)
· The name and contact details of the official financial sponsor
· The date of the letter
· The length of the sponsorship; and
· Confirmation that the financial sponsor will cover all of your fees and
living costs.

17. Example Official Sponsorship Letter
/Financial Guarantee Letter
Student’s
name as per
passport
Student’s
name as per
passport
The name and contact
details of the official
financial sponsor
Date of
letter
Length of sponsorship
Confirmation that sponsor will
cover all tuition fees and living
costs

18. Are there any forms of financial
evidence that will not be accepted?
• Bank statements in a company name (Business statements)
• Bank statements from relatives other than your parents or
legal guardians
• Bank statements confirming accounts such as shares, bonds
and pension funds
• Sponsorship letters issued by a local company or organisation,
or a family member
• Any financial evidence from an overseas bank listed on the
UKVI website as a non approved financial institution
(Appendix P)
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attac
hment_data/file/370997/20141106_immigration_rules_appendi
x_p_final.pdf

19. Does your name appear the same on
all documents?
• You need to ensure that your name appears on all documents as stated on your
passport, such as:
-Academic documents (certificate, transcripts)
-English language tests (Secure English language tests)
-Birth Certificate (if applicable)
-Sponsorship letter –Financial Guarantee letter (if applicable)
-Bank statement
• You will need to obtain an affidavit if there are any discrepancies in your name on
various documents and this will need to be submitted with your visa application.
• An affidavit is a sworn testament (by a solicitor, British High Commission, Embassy)
to confirm that the differences in your name are in fact the same person.
Failure to provide this with your visa application may lead to a visa refusal

20. Will I be required to obtain translations of my
documents if they are not written in English?
• YES! All documents must be in English or accompanied by an
official translation which meets Tier 4 requirements.
Requirements of an acceptable translation:
– The date of translation
– The translator’s full name and signature
– The translators contact details and qualifications
– A statement to confirm that it is an accurate translation of
the original document

21. Financial Document Check list
 Calculate the amount of funds you will need to maintain (course fees and living expenses)
 Check that your bank does not appear on list of banks that are NOT approved by UKVI –
Appendix P of the Immigration Rules
 Monitor your bank account to ensure you maintain the required level of funds for a
consecutive 28 day period and obtain your bank statements in advance of your Tier 4 visa
application and check they meet all of the requirements
 If you will be sponsored – ensure your Sponsorship letter meets the requirements and send a
copy to the University.
 If you are using your parents’ bank statements, obtain a letter from them and your birth
certificate
 If any of your documents are not in English – obtain official translations
 Ensure that your name appears the same on all documents (bank statement, academic
documents, English language test, birth certificate) as stated on your passport, otherwise
obtain an affidavit and send this to the University.

22. Any questions?
• Still unsure whether you have the correct documentation
or how much money you are required to maintain?
• Please refer to the Tier 4 policy guidance on the UKVI
website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/att
achment_data/file/453913/T4_Migrant_Guidance_August_20
15.pdf
• Contact the International Office at
internationalaccept@cardiffmet.ac.uk to seek further advice
and guidance.