International Students

How to apply for a course in 2013 - 2014

The procedure set out in this section is for applicants who are not nationals of the UK or any of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, and who require a Tier 4 Student Visa to enter or remain in the UK.
 

You should be aware of the UK Border Agency’s points-based system for issuing Tier 4 Student Visas. Further information on this can be obtained from the following websites:

• UK Border Agency - www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

• UK Council for International Student Affairs - www.ukcisa.org.uk

Because you will not be required to attend an interview at Lambeth College, it is important that you follow the procedure described below very carefully. 

We are not able to accept an online application. You must complete a hard copy of the application form which you can obtain by:

• downloading a copy

• emailing courses@lambethcollege.ac.uk

• phoning the Course Information line on: 0044 20 7501 5000

Before applying for a specific course, please check that:

• The course will be suitable to apply for a Tier 4 Student Visa. It must involve daytime study of at least 15 hours per week.

• If you are aged 18 or older, it must be a course at Level 3 or above (as identified in our course descriptions). You will need to apply for a Tier 4 (General Student) Visa.

• If you are aged 16 or 17 and wish to study a course below Level 3, you will need to apply for a Tier 4 (Child Student) Visa. However, if you wish to study a course at Level 3 or above, you can choose whether to apply for a Child or General Tier 4 Student Visa. Note that a Tier 4 (Child Student) Visa has a potential advantage of extra flexibility.

• You have the necessary qualifications to be accepted on to the course. The required UK qualifications are listed in our course descriptions. If you are unsure whether your qualifications are equivalent to those stated, the best place to check would be the British Council in your country.   

• If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country*, you will need to supply current evidence that you have taken a UKBA approved secure English language test and passed at least at Level C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) – see Stage 1 below.

• You will have sufficient funds to pass the UK Border Agency maintenance test. This requires you to demonstrate that you have funds to cover the course fees, plus a specified minimum to meet your living expenses in the UK. If you are applying as a Tier 4 (General) Student the minimum amount is £1000 per month (£9,000 for a one-year course). If you are applying as a Tier 4 (Child) Student the minimum is £900 per month (£8,100 for a one-year course). When making your Tier 4 Visa application, you will need to provide evidence that the required money has been held by you (or your parents) for a consecutive 28 day period ending no more than 1 month before the date of your visa application.

Stage 1 - The Application Form 

Complete the application form thoroughly. Send it to the Course Advice and Information Service, Lambeth College, 56 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1QS, United Kingdom. It must be accompanied by: 

• photocopies of the certificates stating your educational qualifications. (Do not send the originals of these to the College. You will be required to submit the originals with your Tier 4 Visa application, and might be asked to show them to the entry clearance officer when you land in the UK. The College will also need to see them when you arrive to start the course.)
• and, if you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country*, current evidence that you have taken a UKBA approved secure English language test and passed at least at Level C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). More information on this level, and its equivalents, can be found at: http://www.ielts.org/researchers/common_european_framework.aspx . A list of approved English language tests is available from the UK Border Agency website.

 *Majority English-speaking countries are defined by the UK Border Agency as: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States of America.

Stage 2 - The offer of a place on the course 

On receipt of your application form, the College will check that you have the appropriate entry requirements for the course for which you have applied, and that the course meets the requirements for a Tier 4 Student Visa. The College will then write to you indicating whether we are able to offer you a place on the course.

If we offer you a place, the fees you need to pay and methods of payment will be indicated in that letter, and an 'Acceptance of Offer' form will also be attached. You must complete this fully and return it as soon as possible to confirm that you wish to proceed with your application.

Stage 3 - Fee payment 

You will need to pay your fees at this stage. Please see our page on International Student Fees.

Stage 4 - Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and Tier 4 Visa application 

When we have received your completed 'Acceptance of Offer' form and your fee payment has been cleared, we will issue you with a ‘Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies’ (CAS) Reference Number. You will need to include this on your Tier 4 Student Visa application. 

A CAS is normally valid for 6 months from the date it was issued, but you must not make your Tier 4 Visa application more than 3 months before the start of the course.

Please note that once you have applied for a visa using this CAS Reference Number, you will have to make a fresh visa application if you decide to attend another college. 

You should keep copies of all correspondence for your own reference, and also be prepared to show these to UK immigration officers.

Stage 5 - Starting at Lambeth College 

Before you start the course, we will need to see the originals of your educational certificates and will require you to take a college entry assessment. 

While we will try to ensure that you are offered a place on the right course, it is essential that you have the necessary ability and motivation to follow your chosen course. However, as you will not have attended an interview or taken the college entry assessment prior to being offered a place, we cannot guarantee that the course will fully meet your needs. The College, therefore, retains the right to review your placement on your chosen course when you arrive or during the first few weeks of term. Should this be necessary, you may be offered a place on another course which is deemed to be more appropriate for you.

If for any reason the course for which you have been accepted does not run, we may be able to offer you a place on another appropriate course. 

You should be aware that if there is no other suitable course that meets the requirements of your Tier 4 Student Visa, you may lose your right to remain in the UK.