The Tier 4 applicants chat thread and FAQ *read the first post*

Its okay to use a joint account as long as you're named as one of the account holders. Some people are also saying that it is okay to use your parents' account if they write a letter saying they will support you...but I would verify this.

In terms of which form you should fill out - depending on which country you are from you may be able to apply online, which should make the whole process much easier and simpler methinks!

Thanks, I think I am account holder, though English is not my native language so I am not exactly sure but the woman at the bank told me she can print that account's balance in my name as I do have a permission to use it. So I guess that's it.

Oooh, awesome, I can fill out online application! Does that mean that I only need to bring a filled out Appendix to my appointment?

I was just wondering do I need some kind of a proof of my accommodation, like a payment slip or a letter from provider or is it enough to put in application that I will be staying there?

Regarding online applications – where are you from? They are not available in every country so make sure you check that it is available in your country. I think that means you only need to bring the appendix to the appointment, yes.

In terms of accommodation - you do not need accommodation to apply for your visa. A lot of people who are renting privately don't get their accommodation sorted until a few weeks before their course!

I am from Croatia, I checked and it is available, I just thought I'd still need to file paper form when submitting other documents. But if I don't, that's great!

Oh I didn't know that about accommodation, in some forms I saw they ask for UK address.

Have you completed online form? Did it ask you for UK address?

I haven't completed the form yet but all the paperwork I got from the school I am attending specifically stated that "you do not need guaranteed accommodation to apply for a visa."

Not a problem!...but wait, have you've already submitted your application and got your appointment? Is there an extremely long wait to get an appointment? I'm worried since it seems I can't submit mine until July 12 since my course starts on October 12...but what if I don't get an appointment until weeks after that? I want to travel in mid Sept. since my accommodation contract starts then and I want to have a few weeks just to get used to a new city!

Hey everybody,

PLEASE help me with this, I'm so confused!

I won't be going to university, but rather I'm going for sixth form this coming Sept but of course, I'll have to go through the exact same processes to get my visa.

Okay so first,
I've read through this link and I'm just SO confused - does it mean that we DON'T have to deposit money 28 days prior to our application, but instead just show that we have proof on the day of the application itself?? Did they JUST change the ruling? How, then, do we prove that the money is ours if it isn't a loan or anything else?

Second,
uhhh I have to wait for my results to come out before I can apply for my visa, but the people here seem to be keen to apply 3 months (or more) before their course - is this applicable to everybody? Because I was only planning on applying somewhere in August!


Thanks

If you apply for a visa before 1st October this year you will only need to show that you have the funds on the day of the application, however I will still wait 28 days just in case, because it is only a week longer for me and I want to be sure because I phoned Embassy couple of times and they are giving different informations.

As to how to prove the money is yours I don't know really, but I will submit my mum's pay slips as well as a letter saying she will sponsor me.

And not everyone is applying 3 months early don't worry, I will apply a month before the course starts, and I only plan on travelling 4 days before course starts.

Be careful! I know the visa guidelines state that the money needs to be in an account with your name on it, or your name must be attached to the account. And then you submit a bank statement for proof.

My parents are paying for my fees, so they ended up transferring money into my account for this purpose alone- to secure the visa. As ridiculous and illogical this may be, when I inquired (just an email to US British Council) they confirmed that the bank statements must be for MY account.

SO I guess unless you get word otherwise, be careful in submitting your parents' pay slips. Especially if you don't leave much time to get the visa.

Well to be honest I got both informations, one person told me my mum's account is okay as long as my pays all my fees, later I was told that money has to be in my account.

Currently the money is in my mum's account but I am named a user of that account with equal rights, the only right I don't have is the right to close the account and they told me in the bank that they can write that one too. Plus my mum is also named on my student loan.

I didn't think that submitting mum's pay slips extra could be a problem? Do you think it might be?

No, I don't think it would be a problem if you submitted the pay slips as extra. It sounds like you meet the requirement already if you have equal rights to your mom's account, and your name is attached to her account and on the bank statement. You sound good to go

If you apply for a visa before 1st October this year you will only need to show that you have the funds on the day of the application, however I will still wait 28 days just in case, because it is only a week longer for me and I want to be sure because I phoned Embassy couple of times and they are giving different informations.

As to how to prove the money is yours I don't know really, but I will submit my mum's pay slips as well as a letter saying she will sponsor me.

And not everyone is applying 3 months early don't worry, I will apply a month before the course starts, and I only plan on travelling 4 days before course starts.

Be careful! I know the visa guidelines state that the money needs to be in an account with your name on it, or your name must be attached to the account. And then you submit a bank statement for proof.

My parents are paying for my fees, so they ended up transferring money into my account for this purpose alone- to secure the visa. As ridiculous and illogical this may be, when I inquired (just an email to US British Council) they confirmed that the bank statements must be for MY account.

SO I guess unless you get word otherwise, be careful in submitting your parents' pay slips. Especially if you don't leave much time to get the visa.

Haha okay, so on the day of my application itself, I'll have to go and get a bank statement for that particular date? Okay, say I wait the 28 days, how do I prove that I've had the money for 28 days? Hahaha sorry, I feel so immature asking questions about things that seem so simple for everybody else I've called the High Commission up a few times as well - and I've gotten different instructions. One said to put it in for 28 days while another said to prove it on that day only. I get headaches just thinking about it!




Hey hope you don't mind me asking - okay so your parents transferred money into your account.. for 28 days? And when you apply for the visa, all you need to show as proof of having the funds, is a bank statement?

My parents were thinking of transferring the required amount into a new account with my mom's name AND my name on the account - as in, a joint account; due to the fact that I'm under 18 and there are so many categories under Tier 4! Like, some say that for children under 18, the child needs their PARENTS to show that they have enough money to pay for the fees yet somewhere else it says children who are 16 or 17 must show that THEY themselves have enough money for the fees.

16 or 17 is considered under 18, so we got confused and decided that a joint account was the way to go - you think this will be okay?

Oooh! If you are 16 or 17 you can choose whether you want to apply as a child student or adult student. So be careful on that one.

If you apply as a child student money can be on your parent's account, but I think you are not allowed to work part time then and you possibly need someone to care for you in the UK

If you chose to apply as an adult student then money MUST be in your account or account with your name on it.

As for 28 days, you don't need a bank statement from the day of your application but rather a bank statement from within last 30 days, for example if you apply for your visa on 20th July your bank statement must be dated between 20th June to 20th July. And so 28 days if your statement is dated 20th June your money must be in that account since 23rd May (might have done the maths wrong but you get what I am trying to say ) Apparently money doesn't have to be in your account for 28 days but I like to play it safe so I guess this one is mostly up to you!

I won't have bank statement at all because I have to get all documents translated in English so I thought that letter from a bank looked nicer for that purpose, plus my banker told me that everyone else who applied for visa this year used letter from the bank confirming funds and account's holders (basically she told me she will write that account is in both names and we all have equal rights over it and that she confirms that there is so much money in the account, when was money put into account and that she certifies that since then amount of money in the account was never lower than that). Translation of documents takes from 1 to 2 days, so my bank statement can't be dated the same day as my application.

Also, my mum didn't transfer money into my account, she simply gave me permission to use the money from her account, so my name is now attached to her account, so I don't have to wait another 28 days.

The money is also in pounds sterling in foreign currency account so I don't need to calculate the money from our currency into pounds.
But if you decide to do this they will ask you to give bank statements for both accounts, foreign currency account and home currency account, I called Embassy and checked this one.