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In-Person Right to Study Checks

The advice on this page was last reviewed on 17.08.23 and supersedes any previous versions.

As part of it's  Sponsor Licence duties, the University is required to ensure that all students hold appropriate immigration permission to study in the UK for the full length of their course. As a result of your application, or fee assessment, the University has identified that you are, or have been, subject to immigration control in the UK.

Right to study checks are done via Immigration and International Student Advice team and must happen before you can complete enrolment. Our International Student Advisers will be more than happy to discuss any concerns or queries you have.

In person right to study checks for September 2023 enrolment will start from 1st September 2023.

The headings below provide information for students on a wide range of immigration situations. If you do not fit into one of the categories below, please contact us for further advice on your own individual situation.

The guidance on this page is reviewed regularly to ensure the advice provided remains correct and compliant with the current Immigration Rules, Student Visa Policy Guidance and Student Sponsor Guidance, which are subject to frequent change by the Home Office.

Examples of time limited immigration permission include Student Visas, Tier 1/2/4 and 5 visas, Student Route and Skilled Worker routes.

Students with time limited immigration permission will need to provide the following documents:

  • Current Passport
  • Vignette in passport and Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card
    OR
  • Digital Status document - please contact us if you hold digital status

If you have a pending application , we will need to see evidence that your application was submitted before your previous leave expired, and evidence that your application is still pending.  We will also need to see any UKVI or Home Office reference or case ID numbers you have been given.

Students with indefinite immigration permission, Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILTE) or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILTR), will need to provide the following documents:

  • Current Passport and
  • Vignette in passport, OR
  • Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), OR
  • Stamp in a valid Passport
  • Stamp in Previous Passport, with VIPP stamp in new passport

OR if none of the above are available:

  • Letter confirming you have been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.

Please note, if you have been outside the UK for a continuous 2-year period, the University will need to confirm your grant of ILTR or ILTE is still valid with UKVI before you are able to enrol.

Students who hold British nationality, but have been assessed as international fee payers, may need to provide their current British passport if you have not already done so as part of the fee assessment process.

If you choose to enter the UK using a non-British passport, you may also need to supply this to us so that we can check if any other immigration conditions apply.

In most cases, British Nationals are pre checked before enrolment based on the fee assessment documents provided. We will only check your status if you are a British National if we are unable to check your right to study based on the documents submitted.

Students who have been granted Refugee / Asylum / Humanitarian Protection or discretionary leave will need to provide the following documents:

  • Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or Vignette, OR
  • Stamp in passport confirming leave, OR
  • Letter from Home Office / UKVI confirming leave has been granted, OR
  • Valid Immigration Status Document

Please note a travel document alone is not sufficient evidence to demonstrate your right to study in the UK, and so one of the above documents must accompany it.

Students who have applied for, but have not yet been granted by Asylum, will need to provide the following:

  • Application Registration Card (ARC) confirming employment or study rights, OR
  • Recent IS.96 or Bail 201 document confirming study is permitted

For students who are awaiting a decision on their Asylum application we may need to undertake additional checks on your status as you study with us.  If this is the case, an adviser will talk you through the process and allow you time to ask questions before any further checks are undertaken.

Students from the EU / EEA and their relevant family members, who are subject to immigration control, will need to provide the following documents:

  • Current Passport
  • Vignette in passport or BRP card
  • Proof of Pre-Settled or Settled Status - this will be in the form of a share code. Please contact us for more information.

If you do not hold the above documentation, you can provide one of the following, when accompanied by additional photographic identification:

  • birth certificate
  • adoption certificate
  • certificate of naturalisation

Acceptable forms of photographic ID include:

  • A photographic EU national ID card
  • Photographic driving licence issued by an EU country
  • Armed Forces Identity card
  • Validate UK or Citizen Card.

If you have a pending application, we will need to see evidence that your application was submitted before your previous leave expired, and evidence that your application is still pending.  We will also need to see any UKVI or Home Office reference or case ID numbers you have been given.

The above guidance covers most of the common immigration categories, however if you hold immigration permission which is not covered in one of the sections above, please contact us for further advice and guidance.