Guide to completing Points Based System Appendix 8 (August 2013) Tier 4 (General) Student Self-Assessment Form

Guide to completing Points Based System Appendix 8 (August 2013) Tier 4 (General) Student Self-Assessment Form Last updated 1 August 2013 When you apply in your home country for a Tier 4 student visa you need to complete Appendix 8 on paper with blue or black ink and include it with your documents for your visa application. You need to do this as well as completing the online stage of your application or form VAF9 on paper if online application is not available in your country. Make sure you have the current version of Appendix 8 by downloading it from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/vaf9-app81.pdf. You must have your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) number from Oxford before you apply for your visa. For information about receiving your CAS, see http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/international_students/visabefore/tier4studentvisa/. You will receive an email with your CAS number and other information you will need for completing Appendix 8. This email is your CAS statement. You cannot apply for your visa more than three months before your course start date as stated on your CAS. Your must apply within 6 months of the CAS issue date. If your CAS was issued more than six months ago, contact your department or college to get a new one. In several places this Guide refers to the UKBA s Tier 4 Policy Guidance: http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4migrantguidance.pdf which sets out the exact requirements for a Tier 4 application. You will need to check this and follow the instructions very carefully. Reduced evidence provision for designated low risk nationals of Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (holding Taiwanese passport which includes identification card number), Trinidad and Tobago, USA, and BN(O)s If you are a national of, and are applying in, one of these countries, you come under the UKBA s differentiation arrangements and will not have to send documentary evidence of your qualifications and funding with your application. However, you must make sure you have the required documents ready to send if the UKBA ask for them later in the application process. Your application could be refused if you do not provide the specified documents within the requested time limit. NOTE If you apply in a country other than your country of nationality you cannot use this provision and must submit all the necessary supporting documents with your visa application. Your visa could be refused if you do not include these documents 1

Completing Appendix 8 Part 1 Write your name exactly as shown in your passport and CAS statement. Include middle/other names with your Given name(s) in 1.1. If you only have one name, write it in the box for family name. Part 2 If you are 18 or older, leave all of Part 2 blank. Part 3 Tier 4 Sponsor (Education Provider) contact details The information you need for this section will also appear on your CAS Statement: 3.1 Write University of Oxford 3.2 Write UED4UGNF1 3.3 Write University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JD Part 4 Course details 4.1 This should match Programme Title from your CAS Statement 4.2 This should match Course Level from your CAS Statement 4.3 Start and end dates for your course of study: For the From date: If you will be starting a new course, put your Start Date 1 from your CAS Statement If you will be taking a pre-sessional course or attending an induction programme at Oxford before your main programme, put your Start Date 2 from your CAS Statement if an earlier date has been specified there If you have already started your course at Oxford and you are applying for a visa to resume or continue it, put your Start Date 1 from your CAS Statement, but next to the date, write *this is the original course start date. The date from which I need a new visa is [then write the date in your Start Date 2 ] For the To date: put the Expected End Date given on your CAS Statement. 4.4 Write the same address as for 3.3. 4.5 Answer yes if you are a continuing student. Whether you answer yes or no, complete Part 5 Part 5 Attributes This section is asking about your CAS and the qualifications on which your Oxford offer was based. 5.1 If you do not have a CAS number, you cannot proceed with your application. For information about receiving a CAS see: http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/international_students/visabefore/tier4studentvisa/. To be valid, your CAS must not be more than six months old at the time you apply for your visa. If you are reapplying after a visa refusal, you will need a new CAS. 5.2 Copy this from your CAS Statement, being careful to make clear the difference between any 0 s and O s and 1 s and I s. 2

5.3 This Guide only applies if you are choosing the studying option. 5.4. Look at the heading on your CAS Statement, Evidence Considered in Accepting Application. If any qualifications are listed here and you do NOT come under the reduced evidence provision (see box on page 1 of this Guide), put an X in the first box to confirm you are including the required original certificates and/or transcripts for each qualification listed. If qualifications are listed, but you DO come under the reduced evidence provision put an X in the second box: do not send the original certificates or transcripts but make sure you have them available to send if UKBA requests them. You must have completed any qualifications listed; UKBA will not accept provisional documents. Look at the Tier 4 Policy Guidance http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4migrantguidance.pdf pages 23/24 para 134 to make sure your documents fully meet UKBA requirements. If you cannot provide the required original documents, contact your College (undergraduate and visiting students) or Department (graduate and recognised students) for advice, including where qualifications that you have not completed are mentioned. If any of these documents are not in English you must also send a translation in the required format. Only send evidence for qualifications listed on your CAS Statement. If no qualifications are listed on your CAS, leave 5.4 blank. 5.5 If you are a continuing student and under the heading, Evidence Considered in Accepting Application your CAS Statement says I confirm that the student is progressing satisfactorily on their course, answer yes and write in the box below 5.5, Assessed on progress on current course. If you are a new student but your offer was based on something other than previous qualifications and no qualifications are listed on your CAS, answer yes and write in the box below 5.5 how you were assessed, as given on your CAS Statement (omitting for this section the information about English assessment and any statement confirming academic progression). You do not need to send any documents with your visa application to demonstrate this. If you are coming to Oxford as a visiting student, your CAS may state student has been assessed as competent by the home institution we have not required to see any qualifications. If so, answer yes and write in the box below, assessed by my home institution. English language ability 5.6 Choose one box only. Look at your CAS, under the heading English language assessment to find out which of the other boxes you should choose: 3

If this information is on your CAS: Higher Education Institution (HEI) sponsor has made assessment Student from majority English speaking country Student holds degree from majority English speaking country CAS is for a course which is below degree level and the CAS states which approved English language test you have completed CAS confirms the Academic Registrar has approved a language waiver because you are a gifted student and the University has provided you with a letter confirming this to show on your entry to the UK CAS confirms that you completed a course in the UK as a child student then choose: 5th box: Your sponsor is a Higher Education Institution, and has made its own assessment of your English language ability You do not need to include language test certificates or results with your visa application. Go to 5.14 If you are a national of one of the countries listed in the box under 5.7, as shown in the passport listed on your CAS and that you will use for your visa application, put an X in the first box under 5.6 National of a majority English speaking country and write your nationality in the box under 5.7. Then go to 5.14. 2nd box: Academic qualification equivalent to UK degree, taught in majority English speaking country You will need to include an original transcript/certificate for this qualification, IF your English language assessment was based on a different qualification from the one mentioned in the Evidence Considered in Accepting Application section of your CAS. If you DO NOT come under the reduced evidence provision this will mean submitting two different pieces of evidence. Go to 5.8 and write the academic qualification (see Evidence Considered in Accepting Application) and the country where it was taught in the box. At 5.9 either tick the first box (this should read original degree certificate and NOT test certificate ) or that you are not required under guidance if you come under the reduced evidence provision and in both cases you and then go to 5.14 3rd box: complete 5.10 with details of the language test stated on your CAS. At 5.11, put an X in the second box only if you come under the reduced evidence provision - see box on page 1 of this Guide - and make sure you have the certificate in case UKBA request it. Go to Part 5.14 6th box: Your sponsor is an HEI, considers you to be a gifted student and has waived the language requirement Go to 5.14 4th box: Previous study as a child student Go to 5.12. At 5.13, put an X in the second box only if you come under the reduced evidence provision - see box on page 1 of this Guide - and make sure you have the certificate in case UKBA request it. 4

ATAS Certificate 5.14 Your CAS statement will state whether you need an ATAS certificate. For information about ATAS see Step 2 at http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/international_students/visabefore/tier4studentvisa/ If you have a question about whether you need an ATAS certificate, contact your Oxford college (undergraduates) or department (graduates) or email student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk 5.15 If your CAS Statement says you require an ATAS certificate, you must get it before you submit your visa application this could take 20 working days or more. You will receive your ATAS certificate by email you must print this out and include it with your application. Part 6 Maintenance (Funds) You must ensure you enter the correct information in this section and have the specified documentation as evidence of your funding as set out in UKBA s Tier 4 Policy Guidance: http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4migrantguidance.pdf Pages 27 35 paragraphs 154 204. If you come under the reduced evidence provision - see box on page 1 of this Guide and you are applying in your home country, you do not have to send documentary evidence of your finances with your visa application, but you must have the documents available in case UKBA requests them later. Note that the reduced evidence provision does not apply if you are making your application in a country that is not your country of nationality. Course fees 6.1 Copy the figure for Total Fees given on your CAS Statement under the heading, Fees and Payments. Note that this figure will represent your fees for a maximum of one year, not the total fees for your course if more than one year. If you have 0.00 for total fees on your CAS, put 0.00 at 6.1. 6.2 This means payments that have been made towards the amount in 6.1 and which are either shown on your CAS Statement as Fees Paid Towards Total or for which you have an original paper receipt from the University or your college. If you are a Visiting Student who is not required to pay any course fees direct to Oxford because your home institution is paying Oxford, and you have 0.00 for Total Fees on your CAS, put an X in the box for Yes Paid to Overseas Higher Education Institution (Zero fee on CAS). You must include with your visa application a letter from your home institution confirming the arrangement. 6.3 Tick the third box if you are a national who comes under the exemption arrangements - see box on page 1 of this Guide (you can if you wish tick the first box as well if you are exempt but payments are shown on the CAS). If you do not come under the exemption arrangements and you have paid anything towards the amount in 6.1, either ensure these are recorded on the CAS (which your college or department can update electronically even after your CAS statement has been issued) or provide an original paper receipt from the University or your college. 5

6.4 If you have no remaining fees to pay you should still put an X in the box. Maintenance (living expenses) 6.5 Some students, who have an established presence because they have already been studying in the UK for six months or more, are eligible to show a reduced level of funding for maintenance (living expenses). Only put an X in the YES box if you meet the following conditions (as set out in UKBA s Tier 4 Policy Guidance page 28 paragraph 168): on the date you apply for your visa, you still have a student or Tier 4 student visa that has not yet expired AND you finished a single course that was at least six months long during the period of this visa OR you are applying for a new visa to continue your course and you have completed at least six months of the course You can then go on to 6.9 Extension application (established presence) If you don t meet the requirements above, put an X in the NO box under 6.5. You will be making an initial application, requiring you to show the full level of funding. Go to 6.6 Initial application (you put NO at 6.5) 6.6 Put X in the second box. Go to 6.8 6.8 Calculate the figure by multiplying 800 by the number of months of your course, using the start and end dates from your CAS statement. If you have already started your course, count the remaining months. Count part of a month as a whole month. If your course (or the remainder of a started course) is longer than 9 months, put 7200. This is the maximum you need to write down here. Go to 6.12 Extension application (established presence) (you put YES at 6.5) 6.9 Put X in the second box. Go to 6.11 6.11 Calculate the figure by multiplying 800 by the number of remaining months of your course (using the course restart and end dates from your CAS statement). Count part of a month as a whole month. If the remainder of your course is more than 1 month, put 1600. This is the maximum you need to write down here. Go to 6.12 Accommodation fees already paid to your sponsor (the University of Oxford) 6.12 You can only state an amount paid towards accommodation if you will be or are staying in University accommodation and money has been paid to college and: this amount is shown on your CAS statement as Accommodation Fee Already Paid or you have an original official paper receipt for the amount paid from college In both cases put X at Yes - Paid to UK Education Provider, enter the amount below and go to 6.13 6

Note that, even if you have paid a higher amount to the University for accommodation, you are only allowed to offset a maximum of 1000 towards the amount you may need to show for maintenance. If you are a Visiting Student who is not required to pay any accommodation fees direct to Oxford because your home institution is paying Oxford, and this is explained on your CAS, put an X in the box Paid to Overseas Higher Education Institution and go to 6.13 If you are not in University accommodation, put X at No and go to 6.14 6.13 Put an X in either Shown in the CAS or An official, original receipt if you have paid an amount towards University accommodation and you do not benefit from the reduced evidence provision. If you do come under the reduced evidence provision see Box on page 1 of this Guide put an X in the box Evidence not required under guidance but held by applicant. Showing funds 6.14 Financial sponsor here means a body who is funding your studies (course fees or living expenses or both), who is the UK government, your home government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or an independent school. You may be receiving funding from another source, but it will not count as an official financial sponsor. Note that if you will be funding your studies using a student loan, you should give this information in 6.20, not this section. 6.15. If you have an official financial sponsor, you will need a stamped, original, headedpaper letter from them about the sponsorship (scholarship, award, bursary or equivalent) which meets the requirements in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4migrantguidance.pdf page 32 paras 191-193. If your financial sponsor is an international organisation or company we recommend that the letter makes it clear that they operate on an international basis. If the University (Oxford) or your college is your official financial sponsor this information will not be included on your CAS, and you will need to make sure you have a letter. Do not mark the second box. If you come under the reduced evidence provision (see box on page 1 of this Guide), put an X in the third box but keep the letter ready to provide if UKBA request it. Otherwise, put an X in the first box and include the letter with your other visa application documents. 6.16 If your financial sponsor will be paying all of your course fees as given in 6.1, write all in the course fees box. If your financial sponsor is paying all of your living expenses, or as much or more than the amount in 6.8 or 6.11 as applicable, write all in the maintenance box. If you will only be partially funded for either course fees or maintenance, write the actual figures as shown in your financial sponsor letter in the boxes, making sure it is clear which periods the funding relates to. Amount of funding you have to show as still due for payment 6.17 Answer No if there is nothing left for you to have to show because: 7

AND You have an official financial sponsor who will be paying all your course fees or any outstanding course fees or all your course fees have been paid as you have stated in 6.2 or you have written 0.00 in 6.1 You have an official financial sponsor who is paying all your maintenance (or at least as much as you are required to show in 6.8 or 6.11 as applicable) or You have paid an amount towards University/college accommodation as shown in 6.12 which is at least as much as the figure you entered in 6.8 or 6.11 as applicable (note that you are only allowed to count a maximum of 1000 already paid for accommodation towards this) or You have paid an amount (of which you are allowed to count up to a maximum of 1000) towards University/college accommodation as shown in 6.12 and the rest of the amount you are required to show for living expenses is covered by an official financial sponsor Otherwise, as you will still have to show evidence of funding, at 6.17 answer Yes and fill in the boxes below: For Course fees give the figure in 6.1 minus any amount already paid as given in 6.2 and minus any amount covered by official financial sponsorship as stated in 6.16 for Course fees. For maintenance, give the figure in 6.8 or 6.11 as applicable minus any amount you have paid for accommodation (of which you are allowed to count up to a maximum of 1000) as stated in 6.12 and minus any amount covered by official financial sponsorship as stated in 6.16 in the Maintenance box. If this means the figure is less than zero, put 0.00. For the total, add the figures for Course fees and Maintenance together. You will need to be able to show you have this amount of money in savings or have a loan to cover it, or that your parent or legal guardian will give you this money. 6.18 Answer Yes if you have the money you need to show as your own savings, or savings in an account you hold jointly, or a loan in your own name. Otherwise you have to show funding in a bank account in the name of a parent or legal guardian. Note that you cannot show funding in the form of a loan in the name of a parent or legal guardian and you cannot show funding from any other family member or individual. Funding from your parent or legal guardian 6.19. If you do not have the money you need to show in your own or joint names, and want to show evidence for funding from your parent or legal guardian, you must obtain a letter from them, provide your original birth or adoption certificate or court document for guardianship and the financial information required in 6.20. See Tier 4 Policy Guidance http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4migrantguidance.pdf page 35 paragraphs 202-204. Remember that if any of these documents are not in English you will have to obtain a translation which meets the requirements in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance 8

(see page 3 paragraph 14). You can put an X in each of the Evidence not required... boxes if you come under the reduced evidence provision (see box on page 1) but remember you must have the documents available to provide if UKBA asks for them later. Note that the reduced evidence provision does not apply if you are making your application in a country that is not your country of nationality. Documentary evidence you must provide to show funding 6.20 If you come under the reduced evidence provision (see box on page 1 of this Guide) you can put an X in the box against Evidence not required under guidance but held by applicant, but remember that you still must make sure you have the documents available in case UKBA request them later. Note that the reduced evidence provision does not apply if you are making your application in a country that is not your country of nationality. If you do not come under the reduced evidence provision, put an X in the box for the type of evidence you will be providing for your funding. You must follow the requirements for original evidence of funding as given in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance and get translations if necessary. Only the specified documents will be accepted. Note: these requirements to show evidence of funding for your visa application are completely separate from any requirements you may already have had to comply with to fulfil your college Financial Guarantee do not assume the same evidence will be adequate. The requirements for documentary evidence of funding are in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4migrantguidance.pdf Pages 32-35 paragraphs 194-204. If you are showing evidence of money held in either your own or a parent/guardian s account, you must be able to show as set out in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance that you have held the required level of funding continuously for 28 days prior to application; otherwise your application is likely to be refused. If you will be funded by a US Federal Student Loan, make sure you have the original paper letter and Notification from the University s Student Funding office and send this with your visa application unless you come under the reduced evidence provision (see box on page 1). Note that the reduced evidence provision does not apply if you are making your application in a country that is not your country of nationality. If you need further information about this email student.funding@admin.ox.ac.uk. Remember that if the loan is partial you may need to provide other documents as specified in Tier 4 Policy Guidance to show that you have the balance. 9

Part 7 You must fill this in and sign it yourself. Enter 30 points for possession of a CAS and list the original certificates or academic transcripts for any qualifications stated on your CAS, even if you are exempt from sending them with your application. If you have answered Yes at 5.5 and written Assessed on progress on current course you are not required to provide any evidence and write this phrase in the box. You do not have to provide a copy of the CAS Statement. Enter 10 points for Maintenance. List the documents (which must comply with Tier 4 Policy Guidance) that you are providing with your application or, if you are exempt from sending them, keep them safe and ready in case they are requested later by UKBA. Enter 40 points for the total. Do not proceed with the application if you cannot score 40 points seek advice by emailing student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk. Sign and date the form. Submit the completed Appendix 8 along with your other documents in support of your visa application. Finally... Keep a copy of the application and any documentation you submit for your own reference. We hope your application goes smoothly. If you follow the instructions carefully to show you meet the requirements you should not encounter problems. However if you do experience difficulties or your application is refused, contact your Department or College or email student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible. 10