To study at an education establishment in the UK, such as a high school or university, students will need to get a visa. Prior to applying for this the institution where you intend to study must issue with a Certified Acceptance of Studies (a CAS) – our counselors can explain this further.

The number of CAS’s are tightly controlled as universities are responsible for the students they issue them to. Furthermore, the universities are given a limited number and they have to pay for each CAS they issue. The institution will only issue a CAS after you have applied to the university and been made an offer, and any deposits have been paid and other conditions fulfilled.

Once you have obtained the CAS and all the necessary supporting documents, you can start the application process. Be careful, too few documents may get your visa rejected! But at the same time too many may also get your visa rejected! The bottomline here is that you need the services of a professional to help, guide you through your VISA application process.

There are some documents, such as financial proof of funds which must be in particular accounts for a minimum number of days! As each student is different, it is important that you have a professional check that you have all the required documents you need.

To begin the application process, you need to go online and register an account and complete your personal details. When you have completed this and the account has been verified you then need to determine what Visa you need, a student visitor’s visa, tier 4 general student visa or a child visa.

The next step is to complete a variety of questions as what authority issued the passport, previous passports you have had, do you have any other nationalities, and where you live. The process will also take into account your travel history, where you have travelled to, when you have spent time out of your country and have you ever been deported from the UK or any other country, or have you been subjected to an exclusion order. The visa process will also assess whether you are a threat to the UK, so will be asked questions regarding links to terrorism or criminal activities. It is VITAL that you do not make any mistakes or omit any answers to these questions.

It is best to have these details checked by a professional. And be careful – do not simply rely on what your friend did, or what your parents think is the best answer. The visa regulations change frequently. Only rely on an organisation that keeps up to date and handles many visas to ensure you have the top chance for success.

When the application has been completed you will need to pay for the visa application and make an appointment with the visa office for the purpose of giving your biometrics and interview. The interview can be very daunting as the visa officers have been tasked to probe you and ascertain t he veracity of your application. To do this, they will assess your finances, how long they have been in your account, and where the funds originated from. Should you have travelled overseas before, you will be questioned over this and the reasons why. Further, you are likely to asked exhaustive questions regarding your choice of course, the universities and colleges that you have looked at and why you have made a final decision to attend your chosen institution. It is important to have  a clear understanding of your chosen course and the way  this can benefit you in the future. To do this, you will need to look at your background and what you have studied, but you will also need to have a clear idea of what you want to do in the future and your chosen course should be demonstrably important to your plans. This is especially true of courses that require ATAS clearance. It goes without saying that the most successful students are the ones who are best prepared.

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For experience, students that had their visa rejected have often been rejected for reasons such as not having thought clearly about their future prospects and career path. Studying overseas is a big investment; therefore students must be able to demonstrate and how this can help them develop their career. Sometimes it seems like the visa officer’s role is to assume that you are not a genuine student, and the onus is on you to prove that you are! There is no better way to prepare for the visa interview than by discussing it with a professional counselor who can give advice and ensure that your interview shows you to be the genuine student that you are.

Being rejected for a visa can look very bad, and may cause problems for you especially if you want to travel to other European Countries or North America. To maximize your chances of getting a visa it is a good idea to be debriefed by an experienced counselor and then properly prepared. They will give you information regarding what you need in terms of finances and also give you guidance on how to answer questions regarding your course and why you have chosen to do this. The world has become very security conscious, getting a student visa is becoming increasingly difficult, so maximise your chances of getting your student visa by availing yourself the opportunities provided by KnowbaseConsult and other professional bodies providing free educational Counseling services eg UKEAS.

To talk to a counselor, fill a request form here, a counselor will reach you on phone, you may as well be invited to our office for a discussion 

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Article Reference.

UKEAS Guideline for a Successful Visa Application in Nigeria