Immigration and visa services

1. Complete the Student Visa online application form on the UKVI website but stop at part 4 - “Declaration”. Do not complete this section or your answers cannot be changed and corrected later if necessary.
2. Complete the ‘Check and send’ request form using your Salford Advantage account.
3. Upload the supporting documents required for your Student Visa application (e.g. passport, visa, financial evidence) and a PDF of the draft  Student Visa application form. 
4. We will check your Student Visa application and supporting documents. If we require any more information we will contact you directly by email. This process normally takes two working days.

Q. Can I register from outside the UK if I am unable to physically attend the University?

In order to formally join the University you need to attend International Check-In in person with your original documents and then complete online registration. This is a strict requirement for the majority of programmes. If you cannot attend the registration event we will discuss other options with you which may involve deferring your studies or taking an interruption of study.

In a very small number of cases where there is no attendance requirement at the University at the point of registration, we can review your individual circumstances and complete registration in your absence.  This facility is strictly controlled and is limited to split-site programmes, distance learning programmes or Postgraduate Research programmes for students on confirmed periods of data collection. Please see here for more information about registration.

Q.  What is the engagement monitoring policy?

The University is required under Home Office Regulations to monitor and record all Student Visa holders’ engagement at the University.  The University of Salford therefore monitors your attendance at lectures electronically or via meetings with your academic supervisor if you are a research student.

Applying for a CAS for the same course

If you are a current student and your programme end date has changed, you may wish to extend your visa.  If this is the case you will require a new CAS number which can be applied for via Salford Advantage.

Q. I have extended my programme, can I definitely get a new CAS to cover the extension?

If you get an academic extension to your studies, this does not automatically mean you can have a visa extension.  There are Home Office regulations governing Student Visa extensions that are subject to frequent change and are different from the University’s academic extension policy.

In addition, your School will need to confirm whether you require academic support during the extension period. If academic support is not required, a new CAS cannot be issued. We will look at each individual situation on its own merits to determine whether a CAS can be issued and the outcome will then be communicated to you.

Please note: If you are eligible for a new CAS, you may not be able to extend your visa from within the UK and may have to return home. We will discuss this with you if that is the case..

Applying for a CAS for a new course

If you are a new student or are applying for a new course, your CAS will be produced by the CAS department in the Home Office Compliance Team. They can be contacted at Salford-CAS@salford.ac.uk.

Q. How do I make a Student Visa application from inside the UK?

If you are eligible to make an in-country Student Visa application, you can apply online.  

You must complete and submit the online form and pay all relevant fees for the application to be accepted. You must then send your original supporting documents to UKVI within 15 working days for your application to be processed. 

Once you have received your visa, we will need to see it and update your student record.  Please contact the Home Office Compliance Team to discuss this.

Q. Can I go home and make my new or extended visa application from there?

You can return to your home country to make your visa application if you wish. However, you will need to use a different application system – as you did when you first entered the UK.

Q. Can the University help me to make my new visa application? 

If you are an international student already registered at the University and are applying for your Student Visa from within the UK you can use the ‘Check and Send’ scheme.  This scheme ensures your Student Visa application and supporting documents are correct before being submitted to the Home Office. 

We can advise you on filling-in the application form, correct any mistakes that might delay or create problems with your application. This scheme is designed to reduce the risk of your application being refused and to take the stress out of the application process for you. 

Q. How long will it take to receive my new visa?

Whether you apply for your new visa individually or via the University’s ‘Check and Send’ scheme, the average processing time to receive your new visa is six - eight weeks (if you use the standard service). Please note, this timeframe can increase significantly during August, September and October.

Q. Can I extend my Student Visa to attend Graduation?

You cannot extend your Student Visa purely for Graduation purposes. If your visa expires before your Graduation ceremony then you must return home and apply for a Standard Visitor Visa to return. 

You will need a Graduation letter as part of your Standard Visitor Visa application.  If you would like to invite family members to attend Graduation with you, you will need to provide them with a letter to apply for their Standard Visitor Visa.  

Q. How do I apply for a Standard Visitor Visa to attend the Graduation Ceremony? 

You can make an application for a Standard Visitor Visa though the Home Office website.

There are no strict financial requirements you need to meet for the Standard Visitor Visa but you must be able to show that you have sufficient personal funds to be able to support yourself for your trip. It is advisable to use the Home Office Student Visa maintenance requirement(s) as a guide.

Please note: You must be outside of the UK to apply for this visa or your application will be refused. 

This might have happened for a number of reasons.  There might be missing documents (for example bank statements), you might have submitted copies of certain documents instead of original versions or you may not have met all the Student Visa rules (for example the lack of necessary funds in your bank account for a period of 28 consecutive days).

If this happens, let us know and we will advise you on what you should do next. It might be possible to ask for an administrative review on the decision, so please get in touch with us without delay.

On 23 May 2023, the UK Government announced some important changes for international students that are likely to come into effect from January 2024. The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided a useful summary of these changes and included FAQs on their website.  

We advise individuals who may be impacted by these changes to take a look at the information provided by UKCISA; further updates will be shared on their website when more details are available from the government.

Here at the University of Salford we are also closely monitoring this situation and are represented on various committees that will be able to feed into conversations about these changes.