FAQs relating to visa implications of resit/result outcomes
Below are some FAQs concerning how the differing resit/repeat situations might affect your individual immigration situation. You will need to know which category you fall into so that you can see which advice applies to you. Unfortunately, International@CampusLife (ICL) are unable to give you that information as it is linked to your academics and, therefore, needs to come from your College.
I have repeat/resits that start in the first semester and continue for the whole year
Providing you have enough time on your current visa to complete your resits, you will just use your existing visa to study. If you subsequently need additional time to complete your course you would usually make that application after the results come out of the last year you completed. E.g. if you will need to apply for a visa for your final year, you would make that visa application after the results for your second year come out.
If you do not have enough time to complete your resits on your current visa, you will need to make a visa application before your current visa runs out. You will need to apply for a CAS statement to make a Tier 4 application. Please email Student Compliance Services so they can send you the relevant form to do so (please note that we do not issue CAS in ICL). There is comprehensive information about making a Tier 4 application to help you.
I have repeat/resits that are only in the first semester
Providing you have enough time on your current visa to undertake your repeat/resit you would just use that visa to study. However, Student Compliance Services (SCS) will automatically suspend you at the end of Semester 1 and report this suspension to the UKVI. SCS will give you further advice around this when it happens. Your visa will then be curtailed (cancelled). If you will be continuing your course in the following academic year, you will need a new Tier 4 visa to come back to the UK. Information on making a Tier 4 application from overseas can be found here.
I have repeat/resits that are only in the first semester and have been offered to enrol as an External Student- what does that mean?
In very rare cases your College might give you the option to resit/repeat as an external student. As you only have semester one modules, you would need to apply for a Short Term Student Visa to do so. This visa can only be applied for from overseas, information can be found here. You would need to leave the UK within 30 days of your resit/repeat finishing and you would then apply for a new Tier 4 visa from home to complete any subsequent remaining years of study. This is not normally a viable
My repeat/resits only start in the second semester
In this case you will be expected to leave the UK. Student Compliance Services (SCS) will automatically suspend you and report this suspension to the UKVI and will give you further advice around this. Your visa will then be curtailed (cancelled). You will need a new visa to come back to the UK.
What visa will I need to apply for to come back in my second semester?
This depends on whether you agree with your College to come back under Tier 4 or as an External Student under Short Term Study visa. This depends on your individual academic situation and ICL cannot give you information about that- please speak to your College.
If I get a Short Term Student Visa can I switch back to Tier 4 in the UK?
No. If you come back to the UK for a resubmission or exam as an External Student you will need to leave the UK within 30 days of your last resit/resubmission. If you then need to come back for additional years of study, will need to go home and apply to come back in under Tier 4 to complete your course. Information on making a Tier 4 application from overseas can be found here.
What about the UKVI time caps?
The UKVI state that students can only study a course of degree level or above (UG and/or PG not counting foundation or pre-sessional English) for a maximum of 5 academic years (or 6 years if you are studying a course of 4 year duration such as an MEng or some medical degrees). These time limits are explained in full in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance (pages 71-78) All time on your visa is counted- whether you were in the UK or studying during that time. Having multiple repeat years can mean that you do not have enough time to complete your degree or to study a further Masters degree if you have had multiple repeat years for your UG. You can normally carry one repeat/resit year under Tier 4 without being affected. However, if you have had one or more repeat years already and you have a repeat/resit that is only in either semester one or semester two, you may, if it is possible, want to think about undertaking any resists/repeats as an external student as Short Term Study Visa does not count in the 5 year cap. This will only affect a small amount of students but it is worth thinking about if you have had multiple repeat/resit years or have switched courses and ‘redone’ years 1 or 2.
I don’t know which semester(s) my resit/repeat is in or whether I can study as an external student
If you do not know these things you need to go and speak to your College so they can explain this to you and tell you what your options are. Once you know this, you will be able to identify any visa implications by using the FAQs above.