If your study circumstances change during the course of your studies, the University will need to inform the UKVI, and there may be an impact upon your Student Route (previously Tier 4) visa.
For example, if you change the length of programme, finish your course early, leave your course, are withdrawn by the university or suspend your studies, it is the University’s obligation to report these changes to the UKVI. These types of changes in circumstances will result in visa curtailment. If your visa duration is going to be cut short due to your change in circumstance we will send an email to both your university and personal email address with the details and instructions on what to do next. Please see further information below regarding transfers or suspensions.
For those who decide to add a supervised, integral, and assessed semester or year-long industrial placement option as part of their course of study in the UK, please see the Student Route Visa Placement Policy for more information on engagement expectations and course transfers.
If you fail to enrol for each year of your studies, the University must report a withdrawal from studies for non-enrolment. If you are experiencing difficulties in enrolling on time, you must inform the University of your location and situation. Please email: visa.compliance@swansea.ac.uk
If you obtain a new BRP card or passport, you must make an appointment with the VISA Compliance Team with your new document for this to be scanned with our Validate scanners. If you have switched immigration category away from Student Route (previously Tier 4), we will also need to report this information to the UKVI. Please use the links below to make an appointment at your campus of study:
Bay Campus - MyUniHub, Tower Information Centre
Singleton Campus - Talbot Building Room 966 Reception
If your term-time address, telephone number or email address changes you must update your Intranet record with these details. You must also inform the University if you are convicted of a crime or have change to your personal details such as name, gender etc. It is a condition of your visa to update the University of all of these changes.
You must complete the Migrant Change of Circumstances form found on the Home Office website to update them of changes to contact details such as change of address, changes to personal details, criminal convictions, changes in legal representative’s details where applicable, and changes in your dependants family members’ details.
Study (Transfers/Suspensions) Frequently Asked Questions
How do I transfer to another course within the University?
You will need to speak to your Faculty initially to ensure you meet the academic requirements for the new course. If you subsequently meet the academic requirements, the Faculty will ask you to complete a ‘Previous Study Questionnaire’ (PSQ) form that will need to be fully completed and returned before your transfer request can be submitted through the online system for consideration by the necessary teams.
How do I suspend my studies and how will this impact my visa?
If you wish to suspend your studies, you will need to contact your Faculty initially to discuss this study option. If you decide to suspend, you will be asked by your Faculty to complete a ‘Previous Study Questionnaire’ (PSQ) form and you will need to fully complete and return the form to the Faculty, who will subsequently submit the suspension request via the online system for consideration by the necessary teams.
Once the suspension has been approved, and your student record has been updated to reflect this, the University will be required to submit a report to the Home Office to confirm your suspension and you will need to leave the UK within 60 days of the date of the Home Office report.
After the UKVI report has been submitted, the VISA Compliance team will send you an email with instructions on what to do next. After leaving the UK, you can request a CAS statement from the University to return to studies by contacting the VISA Compliance team at VISA.Compliance@swansea.ac.uk who will support you through the CAS process. As part of the CAS process you will need to provide us with proof of exit such as flight details / boarding pass or re-entry stamp in your passport issued on arrival to your home country.
I am interested in transferring to a new programme that is not related to my current programme. Can I transfer to the new programme on my current visa?
You will not be able to transfer to a non-related programme on your current Student visa as we do not permit these transfer requests.
If you wish to transfer to a non-related programme, you will need to withdraw from your studies and re-apply through the Admissions team. If you wish to pursue this study option, please speak to your Faculty initially to ensure this is viable.
I have repeated modules on my current programme and am interested in transferring programme to a similar course. Will I need a new visa, or can I transfer using my current Student visa?
If you have previously repeated modules and are unable to complete your new course within the validity of your current visa, you will need to apply for a new visa from overseas, before you will be permitted to transfer course.
In the meantime, if you have submitted a transfer request for consideration, your transfer request will be held until the VISA Compliance team have seen sight of your new visa.
When applying for a new visa from overseas, we recommend completing this during a vacation period to ensure you continue to meet the engagement monitoring requirements.
I am interested in transferring to a course that requires an ATAS certificate, can I transfer course before receiving the ATAS certificate?
You will not be able to transfer course until you have applied for and received a new ATAS certificate.
In the meantime, the VISA Compliance team will hold your transfer request until we have seen sight of the new ATAS certificate.
If you decide not to transfer programme, please can you contact your Faculty to ask for the online transfer request to be removed.
I am currently in my first year of the BEng programme and am considering transferring to the MEng, when is the most suitable time to transfer programme and how do I request a CAS?
If you are interested in transferring from the BEng to the MEng programme, we would recommend transferring programme in the summer period of your second year. This will enable time for your work to progress through the end of year progression board that will determine officially whether you meet the academic requirements for the MEng programme.
During the summer vacation period you may need to apply for an ATAS certificate depending on the course, that can take 30 working days (6 weeks) on average. This can take longer where ATAS have to ask you for further information or clarification about your submitted application. Any changes to processing times will be updated on the FCO ATAS website, so please check for the latest guidance.
We recommend submitting a CAS application to the VISA Compliance team after you have successfully progressed through the end of year progression board in July. You can locate the CAS application form on the website here and will need to return the completed form, along with a copy of your passport, eVisa (share code) and any previous UK study visas to the VISA Compliance team at VISA.Compliance@swansea.ac.uk.
Currently I am studying on a 3 year undergraduate degree and am interested in adding on the year in industry. Can I transfer on to the year in industry on my current Student visa?
Yes, you will be able to transfer on to the year in industry on your current Student visa, however, you will need to either apply for a new visa before you start your placement or after you have completed the placement to ensure you have a new visa in place, to cover you for the additional year of your programme.
If you are studying on an ATAS required programme, you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate as part of the visa extension process to ensure the ATAS certificate covers you for the additional study period.
To request a CAS statement from the University to extend your visa to cover the additional year, please visit the VISA Compliance section of the website to access the CAS application form. The application form will need to be fully completed and returned to the VISA Compliance team at VISA.Compliance@swansea.ac.uk, along with:
- a copy of your passport;
- a copy of your eVisa (share code) and;
- copies of any previous UK study visas.
I am currently studying on the MEng programme and have decided I wish to transfer off the MEng to the BEng, is this possible and how does it affect my visa?
Yes, you will be eligible to transfer off the MEng to the BEng on your current Student visa and will be reported as an early finisher once you have successfully completed your course. This will mean your Student visa will be curtailed to your wrap up period, permitting you 4 months in the UK to finalise your situation.
If you have successfully completed your programme, we will inform the Home Office to make them aware of this for the purpose of the Graduate Route and will forward you a confirmation email for your records.
If you are interested in applying for the Graduate Route, you will need to submit a visa application before the end of the 4 months wrap up period. For further information on the Graduate Route, please visit the VISA Advice section of the website.
I am interested in transferring to a lower-level course that is not part of an integrated programme. Is this possible?
No, you will not be eligible to transfer to a lower-level course that is not part of an integrated programme as this does not evidence academic progression and therefore does not meet the UKVI requirements to transfer programme.
If you wish to stop studying on your current programme and re-apply through Admissions for an alternative programme from overseas, you will need to speak to your Faculty to discuss this study option and withdraw from your studies.