Thursday 10 October 2013

Just 119 Graduate Entrepreneur visas granted in 12 months

A visa scheme set up to mitigate the loss of the post-study work route for international students granted just 119 work permits in its first year.

The graduate entrepreneur visa for international students with “world-class and innovative” business ideas was launched in April 2012. It was brought in as the popular Tier 1 post-study work visa, which allowed non-European Union students to work for two years after graduation, was axed – a change that has been credited with causing a huge drop in demand for UK courses from students in some countries, especially India.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Playing by rules, Work entitlement for private tier students

Home Office ‘looking into’ partnership between Glyndwr University and London School of Business and Finance
It is understood that the Home Office has been looking into the partnership between Glyndwr University and the London School of Business and Finance, although there is no suggestion that any rules have been broken.

The breakdown of the arrangement follows the end of a similar partnership that the LSBF had last year with London Metropolitan University.

Read more here

Thursday 28 February 2013

Net migration to UK drops to 163,000

Fall of 84,000 from previous year has been caused mainly by decline in overseas students coming to Britain
The detailed ONS figures show that the fall has been concentrated in a decline in overseas students coming to Britain, down from 239,000 in the year to June 2011 to 197,000 in the year to June 2012.
The detailed Home Office figures show the biggest drops were in overseas study visas for places at English language schools which were down 69%, at further education colleges, which were down 62%, and at public schools – down 14%. Study visas for university places rose by 3%.

Read more here

Friday 7 December 2012

Post Study Work Visa......What Next? - Part II


Post Study Work Visa......What Next? - Part II

Consultant Editor - Fahmida Khan 

The new rules that were enforced on the 6th of April 2012 has led to the closure of the PSW route to all new applicants. In the light of this new change this article focuses on the options and alternatives available for new and qualified graduates.

The current immigration rules has outlined the below as potential routes to extend the current leave to remain:
  • Tier 4 student 
  • Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur 
  • Tier 1 Entrepreneur 
  • Tier 1 Investor 
  • Tier 2 
A graduate who has either just graduated or is under the PSW route could opt to extend their stay as a Tier 4 student provided a valid CAS and sufficient maintenance funds are available to satisfy the points requirements. However careful consideration and attention has to be given to the changes in the new policy guidance that place limitations on the type of course, length of study, continuity of studies, work restrictions, type of the education provider, and bringing dependents - if opting for this route.

The other more favorable route for fresh graduates would be to switch to the Tier 1 route of Graduate Entrepreneur. This is a new category that is intended to retain graduates identified by UK higher education institutions as having developed world class innovative ideas or entrepreneurial skills, to extend their stay in the UK after graduation to establish or more businesses in the UK. This is not applicable for PSW holders or other graduates outside the UK. There is a limit of 1000 places per annum for this category.

The main conditions that need to be fulfilled for this category is to obtain 95 points based on: 
  • Letter of endorsement from a higher education institution that has been approved by the UK Border Agency for the purposes of endorsing the application under this route. The endorsement letter should confirm that the candidate has been assessed and the business idea and that the business they pursue is genuine, credible and innovative, and are willing to spend the majority of the working time on developing business ventures. The letter could be used as part of the application within 3 months of the date of issue. 75 points will be awarded for this.
  • 10 points each will be awarded for English language and satisfactory maintenance funds – please refer the relevant policy guidance for further information. 

Tier 1 Entrepreneur 

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) is for non-European migrants who want to invest in the UK by setting up or taking over, and being actively involved in the running of, a business or businesses here.

You must score a total of 95 points and meet all the other requirements below:
  • Access to investment funds : 25 points 
    • not less than £200,000 OR 
    • not less than £50,000 if it is from a UK venture capital firm or entrepreneurial seed firm OR 
    • not less than £50,000 if applying for leave to remain and have, or were last granted, leave as a Tier 1 (Graduate entrepreneur) migrant. 
    • not less than £50,000 if are applying for leave to remain and have, or were last granted, leave as a Tier 1 (Post-study work) migrant; and were registered with HM revenue and Customs as self-employed, or a registered director of a new or existing business no more than 3 months before your application; and are engaged in business activity, other than the work necessary to administer your business. 
  • These funds are held in 1 or more regulated financial institutions - 25 points
  • These funds are disposable (free to spend) in the UK - 25 points
  • You can speak English to the required standard – 10 points 
  • You have enough money to support yourself while you are in the UK -10 points 
Please refer the relevant policy guidance for further information.


Tier 1 Investor 

The Tier 1 (Investor) category is for high-net-worth individuals who want to make a substantial financial investment in the UK.

To be able to apply, you must score 75 points by either
  • having £1,000,000 or more of your own money for investment in the UK; OR 
  • having £2,000,000 or more in personal assets, plus a loan of £1,000,000 or more for investment in the UK. 
Please refer the relevant policy guidance for further information.


Please Note: 
  • From the 20th of July 2012, all the regulations laid out in the policy guidance documents have been passed as a parliamentary act and therefore forms an integral part of the Immigration rules. Hence failure to satisfy all the specific requirements would lead to an automatic refusal of your visa application.
  • Ensure that you are thorough with the policy guidance for the particular the points based route that you opt for. It is a daunting task and would be advisable to seek professional guidance if you are unable to come to terms with the policies and procedures.
All the Best!!

You can subscribe to our email news letter FREE of charge, all new updates will be emailed instantly to your inbox

Friday 31 August 2012

London Metropolitan University Suspended


The UK Border Agency has revoked (withdrawn) London Metropolitan University's license to sponsor students from outside the European Union.

Well, What this means to you as an non EU student/ existing London Metropolitan University student or a new student who is planning to travel to the UK

If you are an existing London Metropolitan University student with a current, valid visa and on holiday outside the UK, then you can return to the UK. London Metropolitan University students who are already in the UK with a current, valid UK visa do not need to do anything immediately. More significant matter is if you are a new student who is planning to travel to the UK to start studying with London Metropolitan University then you should not travel.

London Metropolitan University's HTS status was suspended last month while the UK Border Agency (UKBA) examined alleged failings consequently it was revoked (withdrawn) yesterday, meaning thousands of its non EU students may face deportation and the university is stripped of its right to admit non EU students.


More on This Story

Why has London Metropolitan University been banned from accepting foreign students from outside of the European Union? An interesting analysis by BBC Home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani: London Met's foreign students

Students from London Metropolitan University launched a sit-in protest: video;

A blog entry at Guardian written by a lecturer at London Metropolitan University on University's license revocation and students English standards

Q&A on London Metropolitan University's visa licence suspension/revokation

Be the first to learn about...Updates on UK education policy, Updates on student visa matters, College/University rankings, Etc... Subscribe Today to Receive New Posts straight in to your Inbox ##About http://www.ukeducationforall.com, Disclaimer Policy and Privacy Policy##: All information or other content, including, but not limited to, opinions or statements and advice, made on the site are those of Rushdy Razak(Chief Editor) here in known as Editor or respective authors, not of www.ukeducationforall.com and should not necessarily be relied upon. www.ukeducationforall.com does not essentially approve, support, authorize, encourage or agree with the comments, opinions or statements of any information or other content on the site and does not in any way guarantee the accuracy, reliability, usefulness or completeness thereof. Under no circumstances will www.ukeducationforall.com or the Editor be responsible for any damage or loss arising from anyone's reliance on information or other content shown on the site, or transmitted or otherwise communicated to users of www.ukeducationforall.com. The information provided by this blog/website is solely for advisory basis and originates from its information sources and personal opinions of the writers, the opinions or the projected outlook presented by the editor not connected or influenced by any vendors, institutions or institutions he works for