International students

From 1 January 2021, you will be considered an International student if you do not fulfil one of the following categories:

• a UK citizen, of England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
• an Irish citizen living in the UK or Ireland (whose right to study is preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement)
• a British citizen of the Channel Islands or Isle of Man
• a British citizen of a British Overseas Territory
• EU, other EEA and Swiss national, who has been granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• a child of  a Turkish worker who arrived in the UK before 31 December 2020 and who meets the eligibility criteria detailed here.
• you have British Government recognised Refugee status
• you have been granted Exceptional Leave to Enter or Remain, Humanitarian Protection or Discretionary Leave
• you have indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain in the UK or have the Right of Abode in the UK and have lived here for a minimum of three years, but not just for the purpose of education

Please refer to the website of the UK Council for International Student Affairs for further details on all the information above.

Like all universities, City & Guilds of London Art School charges different rates of tuition for Home and International. These terms come from the fact that, broadly speaking, Home fees are charged to UK nationals and International fees are charged to international students including those living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.

However, the rules are more complex than this simple distinction, and it is important to check your eligibility carefully.

In order to qualify as a Home student, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• you must be an EU, other EEA and Swiss national, who has been granted settled or pre-settled status under
  the EU Settlement Scheme
• you must be ‘settled’ in the UK within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971 on the ‘first day of the first academic year of the course’;

and

• you must also have been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK on the ‘first day of the first academic year of the course’;

or

• you must have been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK and Islands (the Islands means the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) for the full three year period before the ‘first day of the first academic year of the course’

and

• the main purpose for your residence in the UK and islands must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of that three year period.

For more detailed information, please check the document new eligibility rules for home fee status and student finance from the 2021/22 academic year.

Fees:

Annual International Tuition Fees for students joining in 2023/24 are as follows:

Payment:

International students will be requested to pay the Annual Tuition Fee (see above) and a Successful Application Processing Fee (£325) on acceptance in order to secure their place. If you would have difficulty in paying the Annual Tuition Fee in full on acceptance, please contact the Admissions Team to discuss making an alternative arrangement.

International students can apply to study any of these courses delivered at the City & Guilds of London Art School:

• UAL Awarding Body Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design
• BA (Hons) Fine Art
• BA (Hons) Conservation
• BA (Hons) Carving
• MA Fine Art (full time)
• MA Conservation (full time)
• MA Carving (full time)
• PG Dip Carving (full time)
• Graduate Diploma Arts (full time)

We also welcome International students who wish to study for credit alongside our undergraduate students for a period of up to six months. Our Study Abroad programme is especially for students who want to transfer credit to their home institution.

International students are not usually able to study these courses at the Art School:

• MA Conservation (part time)
• MA Fine Art (part time)
• MA Carving (part time)
• PG Dip Carving (part time)
• Graduate Diploma Arts (part time)

Yes, on our Study Abroad programme, you can apply to join us for one or two terms, to study alongside our undergraduate students on any of the following courses:

BA (Hons) Fine Art

BA (Hons) Conservation: Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces

BA (Hons) Conservation: Books & Paper

BA (Hons) Carving: Woodcarving & Gilding

BA (Hons) Carving:  Architectural Stone 

Find out more about Study Abroad here >

Yes, if you are an International student you will likely need to obtain a Student visa before you can study at City & Guilds of London Art School.

It is important to ensure you have the correct visa which permits study in the UK.

The type of visa you require depends on the type of course you are coming to study:

• if you are coming to study a course that is less than 6 months, you should apply for a Short-Term Study Visa;
• if you are coming to study a course that is longer than 6 months, you should apply for a Student visa;
• if you already have UK immigration permission under a different visa type you may be able to study on that visa without needing to apply for a Student visa: you will have to provide evidence of this permission before starting your course.

The UK operates a points-based immigration system that requires a visa application to be sponsored. Student visas can only be sponsored by the educational institution to whom you are applying. The Student visa is specific to an institution and course.

Usually you must apply for a Student visa prior to travelling to the UK and at least three (3) months prior to the start of your course.

To ensure that you will be able to start the course from the beginning, if we do not receive all necessary documents by three (3) weeks before the course start date, we will not able to process your visa application, based on an assumption that you will be using the priority service.

If you are using the standard service, please ensure you will send all necessary documents to us ten (10) weeks before your course start date. Please see the timeline and cost for application below.

The latest guidance, is available here.

Student visa time limits:

If you are studying a course at BA (Hons) degree level or above (i.e. MA), you can spend a maximum of 5 years in the UK with the Student visa. The time limit does not include any time spent studying 17 years old or younger. For example time spent as a Tier 4 (Child) student when you were 17 years old or under or any other immigration category that permits study would not be counted.

You need to apply while you’re still in the UK and before your current visa or permission expires.

Find out more about extending your stay here.

If you study at City & Guilds of London Art School as an international student on a full-time course, you will be able to earn money by working in the UK.

You can work for a set number of weekly hours in term time but you’ll be able to work full time outside of term time.

If you want to study on one of our postgraduate courses on a part-time basis, you will not be able to work in or outside term time.

You can find more information here.

Yes you can work in the UK after graduating after you have applied for a Graduate visa.

The new Graduate Immigration Route from the UK government is open to all international students with a valid Student visa and enables graduates to remain in the UK for up to two years, unsponsored, to work or look for work of any skill level. This means you can study in London, Europe’s leading cultural and creative city, and make the most of the job opportunities here after you graduate.

You must be living in the UK when you apply for the Graduate visa.

Before you can apply for your Student visa you will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number from the City & Guilds of London Art School to support your Student visa application.

The CAS reference number can only be provided after you have firmly accepted an unconditional offer of a place with us and once you have supplied all the information and documents detailed below.

• To be able to apply for the Student visa, you will need a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies) number from us, your visa sponsor.
• We will not start the CAS process any earlier than three months from the start date of your programme.
• After we assign you with the CAS statement, including CAS number, you can start your visa application.
• All the documents you submit to us to obtain the CAS number must match the documents you submit for your visa application.

Please note, the bank statements you will submit must not be more than 31 days old when you apply for your visa.

In order for the City & Guilds of London Art School to issue your CAS, you must ensure the following conditions are met:

1.Full Payment

You must have paid, both your Successful Application fees and your Course fees for the first year of study in full. Please note that should your Student visa application be unsuccessful your Course fees will be fully refunded.

2.Copy of your passport /current visa

You must provide us with full-colour legible copies of your passport photo page and any current or past UK study visas. If you have previously studied here in the UK, please complete the form to declare your previous studies. Please provide all relevant passport pages if you have had visas on more than one passport.

3.Bank Statement

You must provide bank statement/s as evidence of your ability to cover your living expenses. For study commencing in 2022/23 the figure set by Government is £1,334 per month for courses in London. You must provide evidence of funds equal to every calendar month of study. If your study time includes a partial month, this is rounded up. Even if you are studying for longer, you need only provide evidence equivalent to nine months of living expenses. This totals £12,006 in 2022/23. The full amount of money must be held in the account for at least past 28 consecutive days. The money cannot drop below at any time during these 28 days.

Please note: the closing balance must not be more than 31 days old on the date you submit your visa application form and pay the visa application fee. Any financial statements that belong to a third party has to be linked to you by the provision of proof of relationship. 

4.Previous Academic Qualifications

If you have not done so already, you must provide us with originals of your previous academic qualifications, along with certified translations where necessary.

5.Academic Reference

You must provide us with an academic reference written by your current or most recent school or higher education provider, either on official headed-paper, or via email from an official education provider’s address direct to the Admissions Officer at admissions@cityandguildsartschool.ac.uk

6.English Language Qualifications

You must evidence your proficiency in English to study in the UK. This can include GCSE or A-level qualifications, or standard English language tests (SELT) from recognised providers which must have been carried out in the last 24 months.

However you do not need to provide evidence if:

• you hold a degree level qualification from, OR are a national of: Antigua & Barbuda; Australia; the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Canada; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Ireland; Jamaica; New Zealand; St Kitts & Nevis; St Lucia; St Vincent & the Grenadines; Trinidad & Tobago; UK; USA; OR
• you have studied in the UK before as a Tier 4 (Child) student; OR
• you are applying to come to the UK for a study abroad programme as part of a university degree course in the USA.

The following types of original documents (in English) are acceptable:

• Bank or building society statements
• Letter from your bank confirming funds (this should hold the official logo of the bank, date, account number, closing balance, minimum balance figure over previous consecutive 28 days, signature of the staff and the name of the bank or a staff in English)
• Building society pass book
• Letter from a financial institution regulated either by the Financial Services Authority or, in the case of overseas accounts, the home regulator (official regulatory body for the country the money is held) confirming money or loan.

You do not need to prove you have enough money to support yourself if you’re a British national overseas or from one of the countries or territories listed here.

However, you might be asked to provide this evidence before you get a decision on your application. If you do need to provide it, you’ll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) after you’ve submitted your application.

Yes, you can provide a download of electronic bank statements as long as it has this information. You do not need to have these stamped by the bank.

• the date it was issued
• your name (or the account holders name if it is your parent or partner)
• the name of the bank or building society
• balance on the account.

UK Visas and Immigration may do verification checks with your bank. If they’re unable to verify the funds your application may be refused.

If the funds are not held in British pounds (£GBP), you must use www.oanda.com to convert these and include a print out of the conversion with your application. Enter the lowest amount of money held during the 28 consecutive days before the closing balance on your financial document. You must use the currency exchange rate on the date you submit your online visa application form and pay the visa application fee.

If a document is not in English or Welsh, the original document must be accompanied by a fully certified translation by a professional translator/translation company. The translations must meet all of the requirements listed below.

You must submit Original & Certified translation (which should include the information of Date of translation, Translator /translation company’s contact details, Details of translator/translation company’s credentials, Original signature of translator or an authorised official of translation company, Confirmation from translator/translation company that it is an accurate translation of the original document)

Please visit this link to start your Student visa application.

You will be requested to create an account if you are applying for the first time and pay the application fee and health surcharge.

Please Note: Students from certain countries will need to have a tuberculosis test before you apply. Find out if you need to have it checked here.

Your visa will be issued as a vignette (sticker) in your passport. You should take a photocopy of this vignette and of the pages of your passport that contain your personal information, and carry these pages separately from your passport when you travel to the UK (and/or scan and save these pages), in case your passport is lost or stolen.

If your application was for leave for six months or less, your vignette will be valid for your whole stay in the UK.  However, in most other instances the vignette in your passport will only be valid for 30 days.

This 30 days will start 30 days before the course start date on your CAS or seven days before the date that you specified on your application as your intended date of travel to the UK, whichever is later.

It’s important to realise that if the intended date of travel that you state on your application form is less than one month before the course start date listed on your CAS then you will not be granted the maximum period of leave possible before the start of your course.  Instead your visa will start seven days before the intended travel date on your visa application; you will not be able to travel to the UK before this date.

If you do not travel to the UK during this 30 day period then your vignette will expire and you will need to apply for another 30-day vignette if you still wish to travel to the UK.  You will also need to do this if you lose your 30-day vignette before you travel to the UK.  Information about applying for a new vignette is contained within the Home Office guidance for staff ECB17.3.  You will have to pay £169 for this new application and provide your biometric information again, but you will not have to submit a new Student visa application. You should use the same online application form but you should select the following options:

• Reason for Visit: Other
• Visa Type: Others
• Visa Sub Type: Vignette Transfer

At the end of the application form you should use the ‘Any other information’ field to explain that you have been granted a Student visa to study in the UK but you need a new 30-day vignette as you have not been able (or will not be able) to travel to the UK before the end of the 30-day vignette that you have been issued; or because your vignette has been lost or stolen.

If you are applying for a new 30-day vignette because your passport has been lost or stolen then the Home Office guidance says that you should provide evidence that you have reported the loss/theft to the police if it is reasonable for you to have done so.

Your 30-day vignette will be accompanied by a letter. When you enter the UK you should show the border force officer your 30-day vignette and this letter.

Collecting BRP

If you have been issued a 30-day vignette, you will also be issued a biometric residence permit (BRP) which evidences your immigration permission for the full length of your course and any related period granted after your course has finished. You must collect your BRP within ten days of arriving in the UK, or before the end of your 30-day vignette, whichever is later. However, it is advisable to collect your BRP as soon as possible as you are likely to need it during your first few weeks in the UK.

When you are making an online application for a Student visa, please choose an option to collect your BRP from a post office. When you complete your visa application, the form will give you a choice of post offices from which to collect your BRP.  The form will select these post offices based on the addresses you provide on your application, that is, the address where you will be living and the address of your Student visa sponsor.  If neither of the suggested post offices are convenient for you then you have the option to enter a third postcode and select a different post office.  Please do not choose ‘Alternative Collection Location (ACL)’.

When the Home Office notify you of the outcome of your application, you will receive a letter that accompanies your 30-day vignette. This will specify where to collect your BRP and the date your BRP should be available for collection.  If you would now like to collect it from a different post office from the one you have chosen then you will have to pay a fee.  More information about collecting your BRP from a different post office can be found in the Home Office guidance. You do not have to make an appointment at the post office but you must take your 30-day vignette and your letter with you.

If you do not collect your BRP within ten days of arriving in the UK you may have to pay a fine and/or your visa may be cancelled.

The Home Office have confirmed that students with a Student visa are allowed to enrol at their institution using their 30-day vignette and letter.  However, if you do this you will have to show your BRP before the expiry of your 30-day vignette.  You may therefore find it easier to collect your BRP before you enrol, if you are able to do so.

You are advised not to travel outside of the UK until you have collected your BRP.  If you have an urgent reason for needing to do so then you should seek advice from us.

The Home Office has published guidance about biometric residence permits, including information about what to do if you lose your letter and/or 30-day vignette before you have collected your BRP.  The Home Office request you to have any errors amended, and also requires us to notify them if a student has been given the incorrect conditions (for example, if you have been given incorrect work conditions).

Police Registration

Some people need to register with the police after arriving in the UK with a visa, or after getting permission to stay for longer in the UK.

If you need to register, you must go to the police within 7 days of you:

• arriving in the UK if you applied for a visa from outside the UK
• getting your biometric residence permit if you applied to stay for longer from inside the UK

If you need to register, your vignette mentions ‘Police Registration’. It is often missed by students and it is extremely important to adhere to the 10 days timeline to register. If you are not sure whether you have to register with the police, please contact our Admissions Office for guidance.

Culture Shock

After the initial excitement of arriving and starting your course in the UK has ended, it’s normal to sometimes feel a little homesick or even a bit lonely. This is true for British students too, so remember, if you do feel like this, you aren’t on your own.

Take a look at the UKCISA Guide to Culture Shock to find out more about adjusting to life in the UK.

If you need someone to talk to, try chatting to your tutor about how you are feeling. You can also come to talk to the Admissions Officer who will be happy to listen and offer support and suggestions.

UK Healthcare

Most Student visa applicants who are applying for more than six months leave will need to pay the ‘immigration health surcharge’ as part of their visa application. Paying this charge will mean that you are entitled to receive free health services from the National Health Services (NHS) while you are in the UK.

The UKCISA guide to health and healthcare explains how the National Health Service works in the UK and has further information on if and how much you will need to pay.  It also has advice for students on courses of less than 6 months on how to access health services.

In order to use the NHS you will need to register with a GP (Doctors who work in the local community).  To find your closest GP, visit here.

UK Banking

It’s important that you speak to your bank in your home country before leaving to come to the UK. If they have a relationship with a UK bank that may help you to set up an account. It’s also a good idea to ask them if you can use your cash card in cash machines in the UK to access money from your home country account.

It can take up to three weeks to open a UK bank account, so make sure you have access to money for this period. Some banks also require a local address to open the account, so depending on which bank you choose, you’ll have to pay rent and a deposit to secure your accommodation first.

It can be useful to bring a bank statement, or we can write a bank letter addressed to your home country address, to help you open an account in the UK.

Before you receive a CAS

1. Did you receive an Unconditional from City & Guilds of London Art School?

2. Request a ‘Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies’ (CAS) number from us and check the information on your CAS is correct when you receive it. The CAS issuing process varies from institution to institution, so enquire  whether you need to provide further information or documents to support your request for a CAS. A CAS is only valid for six months and you must make your visa application within this time. You can only use your CAS once.

3. Book and take a TB test(if applicable)

4. Check the visa process in your country of residence and the visa processing times.

5. Check that you meet the Student visa requirements

Before you apply for a Student visa online

Make sure that you have all of the necessary supporting documents, including:

1. Valid passport

2. Photographs that meet the Home Office requirements

3. Valid TB test certificate showing you do not have TB (if required)

3. Evidence of qualifications listed on your CAS (*)

4. Evidence that you meet the English language requirement, or are exempt from the requirement

5. If you will be under 18 on the date that you apply for your visa, you will need a letter from your parent/legal guardian confirming their relationship to you and that they consent to your study and living arrangements in the UK and your travel arrangements. You will also need evidence of your relationship with your parent/legal guardian (eg birth certificate, certificate of adoption)

6. Original paper receipts for any tuition fees and/or accommodation costs that you have already paid to your institution, if this information is not included on your CAS (*)

7. Evidence that you can meet the strict financial requirements. Many Student visa refusals are caused by incorrect financial documents.  It is very important that to check that yours meet the requirements and that you have held the correct level of funds for the necessary period of time.  (*)

8. Translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh

9. Police Registration Certificate (if you have, or have previously held,  a visa in the UK which required you to register with the police)

10. (*) If you are a low-risk applicant then you must confirm on your Student visa application form that you have these documents but you should not submit them with your application.

If you are not sure about the process, please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Office admissions@cityandguildsartschool.ac.uk