A look into the UK student visa process
So, the final hurdle. The deciding factor that can say whether I study in England or not. How to get a UK student visa. I had no idea how complicated it is to get one.
To help the three people who read this blog to get one someday, I have compiled a list of things to do. It's pretty inclusive as far as I know. Well, inclusive of the things I know for sure, and the things I know in theory.
1. find a school you want to go to with an appropriate major.
2. figure out how much it will cost to go and stay in the UK.
2a. get the money.
3. apply to the school.
3a. collect transcripts, recommendations, and personal statements.
4. wait to be accepted.
5. upon acceptance, send international wire of first tuition payment.
6. wait forever.
6a. in the mean time, get or renew passport.
6b. for that you'll need new passport photos, 75-100 dollars, and the application.
6c. in the mean time put all necessary money (after initial payment) into checking account in your name.
7. once the school gets the payment, wait for them to mail you an official 'Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies' letter.
8. get two more passport photos.
8b. it would be more efficient to get these in step 6b, but now you know.
9. confirm all the money you need to pay for tuition and living costs is still in a checking account and has been for at least a month.
9a. get copies of bank statements that attest to step 9.
9b. alternatively, get the bank to write you a letter that attests to step 9.
10. go to a travel agent and get them to print out a potential flight itinerary for your travels.
10a. write your name on top of that paper. For real.
10b. this doesn't even need to be a flight you will actually take, just proof that you know how to book flights.
11. apply for visa
11a. here's where it gets sketchy for me.
11b. to start, you need to know where you'll be living, and have your passport, and an e-mail address.
11c. oh, and $250.
12. print out completed application.
13. go to local police station and get fingerprints taken, and another passport type photo taken.
13a. this should be fun.
13b. once fingerprints are taken, you have two weeks to submit the visa application.
13c. this is in case your fingerprints change.
14. collect all important documents (application, passport, school letter, bank statements, bank letter, fake flight itinerary, fingerprint receipt (for real it’s a receipt))
14a. get picture of you hugging a beefeater. (something to do with loyalty to the crown, and they're more cuddly than the guys with the big hats.)
14b. ensure your proficiency in standing in lines, making tea, and drinking beer.
14c. know the difference between crisps, chips, crackers, fries, biscuits, and cookies.
14d. incorporate words like 'whilst' 'courgette' 'loo' and 'bollocks' into your everyday vocabulary.
15. mail all important documents and passport to a visa expediting service.
15a. insure it and get them to sign for it.
16. this service will make sure everything is in order for you (allegedly) and then take it to the British consulate for you. Then they will mail it all back to you (hopefully)
16a. all this is for a fee of at least $50.00.
17. wait patiently and nervously for the application to be approved.
18. wait patiently and nervously for the expediting service to mail everything successfully back to you.
19. receive your shiny new visa.
20. actually book the fake flight from step 10.
21. send an international wire for the remainder of the tuition.
22. arrive in UK, learn and enjoy.
22a. never, ever part with any document you collected before arriving in UK (especially the passport with visa attached) even whilst in the bathroom whilst taking a shower.
23. upon arrival, register with the local police.
24. leave when the visa tells you to.
I am only on step 8, and although steps 9-24 are mostly theory at this point, I believe and fervently hope that once it gets started, everything will fall into place and happen very quickly. Except for the leaving part.
To help the three people who read this blog to get one someday, I have compiled a list of things to do. It's pretty inclusive as far as I know. Well, inclusive of the things I know for sure, and the things I know in theory.
1. find a school you want to go to with an appropriate major.
2. figure out how much it will cost to go and stay in the UK.
2a. get the money.
3. apply to the school.
3a. collect transcripts, recommendations, and personal statements.
4. wait to be accepted.
5. upon acceptance, send international wire of first tuition payment.
6. wait forever.
6a. in the mean time, get or renew passport.
6b. for that you'll need new passport photos, 75-100 dollars, and the application.
6c. in the mean time put all necessary money (after initial payment) into checking account in your name.
7. once the school gets the payment, wait for them to mail you an official 'Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies' letter.
8. get two more passport photos.
8b. it would be more efficient to get these in step 6b, but now you know.
9. confirm all the money you need to pay for tuition and living costs is still in a checking account and has been for at least a month.
9a. get copies of bank statements that attest to step 9.
9b. alternatively, get the bank to write you a letter that attests to step 9.
10. go to a travel agent and get them to print out a potential flight itinerary for your travels.
10a. write your name on top of that paper. For real.
10b. this doesn't even need to be a flight you will actually take, just proof that you know how to book flights.
11. apply for visa
11a. here's where it gets sketchy for me.
11b. to start, you need to know where you'll be living, and have your passport, and an e-mail address.
11c. oh, and $250.
12. print out completed application.
13. go to local police station and get fingerprints taken, and another passport type photo taken.
13a. this should be fun.
13b. once fingerprints are taken, you have two weeks to submit the visa application.
13c. this is in case your fingerprints change.
14. collect all important documents (application, passport, school letter, bank statements, bank letter, fake flight itinerary, fingerprint receipt (for real it’s a receipt))
14a. get picture of you hugging a beefeater. (something to do with loyalty to the crown, and they're more cuddly than the guys with the big hats.)
14b. ensure your proficiency in standing in lines, making tea, and drinking beer.
14c. know the difference between crisps, chips, crackers, fries, biscuits, and cookies.
14d. incorporate words like 'whilst' 'courgette' 'loo' and 'bollocks' into your everyday vocabulary.
15. mail all important documents and passport to a visa expediting service.
15a. insure it and get them to sign for it.
16. this service will make sure everything is in order for you (allegedly) and then take it to the British consulate for you. Then they will mail it all back to you (hopefully)
16a. all this is for a fee of at least $50.00.
17. wait patiently and nervously for the application to be approved.
18. wait patiently and nervously for the expediting service to mail everything successfully back to you.
19. receive your shiny new visa.
20. actually book the fake flight from step 10.
21. send an international wire for the remainder of the tuition.
22. arrive in UK, learn and enjoy.
22a. never, ever part with any document you collected before arriving in UK (especially the passport with visa attached) even whilst in the bathroom whilst taking a shower.
23. upon arrival, register with the local police.
24. leave when the visa tells you to.
I am only on step 8, and although steps 9-24 are mostly theory at this point, I believe and fervently hope that once it gets started, everything will fall into place and happen very quickly. Except for the leaving part.
Comments
a) Learn the difference between a carnivore with a taste for bovine meat products and The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London. There are only 36 of the latter, they've all served in the armed forces for at least 22 years, with a record of exemplary behaviour and the ones I have met have an excellent sense of humour and repartee. There are no guarantees regarding the former.
b) The British do not stand in line - we queue, even if we are the only person in the queue. Tea must be made with water that has only just boiled. Beer is served warm.
c) Please write an essay on this subject in a future blog post, preferably after experiencing the British version of all the above.
d) Not everyone uses the fourth of those.
e) (You missed this one) Learn to spell such words as aluminium (yes, it ends in eee-um, you might want to practise the pronunciation a bit), words with "our" in (humour, colour, favourite, neighbour etc), ending in -re (theatre, metre), licence (n), practice (n), words like cheque and a lot of words which end in -ise (e.g. recognise)
f) Learn not be embarrassed when someone asks to borrow a rubber (they merely wish to erase some pencil writing or drawing). Learn to be embarrassed at the word fanny (except where it's someone's name).
You might enjoy "Watching the English" by Kate Fox. You might not get how excruciatingly painful it was to read the section where the author attempted to queue-jump. If you ever get sufficiently acclimatised that it hurts to read that bit, then your friends and family should become concerned and drag you to Disneyland/world etc. for a cure.
Sorry this got long!
All the best (and congratulations!!)
- Stephanie Berke