On the 10 September 2020, the Home Office issued a Statement of Change to immigration rules introducing the new student and child student routes from 5 October 2020 as part of the government's commitment to introduce a new points-based immigration system.
Although the core purpose of the visa will remain the same, the student visa immigration rules are moved from the current Point Based System to the Appendix ST of the Immigration Rules bringing EEA nationals under the eligible applicants.
According to the Home Office Statement:
The new Student route improves on the previous Tier 4 route by making it more streamlined for sponsoring institutions and their students, creating clearer pathways for students, and ensuring the UK remains competitive in a changing global education market.
The new route will be continued to consider under points-based criteria to meet the eligibility requirements. A successful applicant must indeed score a total of 70 points from Study-Sponsorship, meeting Financial and English language requirement. The route now provides more flexibility and no longer require applicants to meet English and maintenance requirement if they have already evidenced those for their current leave. The eight-year time limit on studying courses at postgraduate level has also been removed. The new route also permits for an increased in-country switching between routes within the 'Points Based System'. There will be no limit on the number of international students who can come to the UK.
The government is reportedly on track to launch its new points-based, post-Brexit immigration system on 1 January 2021 and has reaffirmed the launch of the Graduate route (post study) in the summer of 2021. For further information on the new Student Visa route, you may contact us at enquiries@citylegalservices.co.uk, or call us on 0330 058 3929.
