International

Now is the time to start making some general enquiries about obtaining the necessary documents. The person to go to is your nearest British representative at the British Embassy or British High Commission. You can also find information regarding visas on the UK visas web site

You should have already applied for a place on a course, and immediately you receive the letter of acceptance from the college you should start to obtain the necessary documents. Depending on what country you are coming from you will need one of the following documents:

1. An entry clearance certificate
2. A visa

(this does not apply to EU/EEA students)
together with these four documents:

• (a) Passport (or for EU students a national identity card).
• (b) Letter of unconditional acceptance for a full-time course at Hackney Community College.
• (c) Evidence that you have enough money to live on in the UK. This can be done by sending or taking along your bank statements. If you are being sponsored, then you will need a letter form the sponsor stating what support they are offering you. They will also need to provide evidence that they are in a position to sponsor you, i.e. confirmation that they have enough accommodation to house you and also providing a bank statement showing that they have enough money to support you.
• (d) Valid international vaccination certificates if there have been cases of diseases such as Cholera in your area.

It may take some time to complete the formalities. You will need all the documents, a, b, c and d. You should state clearly that you wish to study and be ready to show any letter of information you have received from the College. It is not enough to say that you wish to study. You must have evidence that you have made the proper arrangements. Similarly it is not enough to say you have enough money – you must be able to produce evidence.

Do not attempt to travel on a visitor’s visa with the idea of changing it once you are here, not all nationalities are able to do this. If the UK Immigration Office has any grounds to suspect that you are not a genuine students, they may refuse to allow you to enter the UK.

Work - Non EU/EEA Nationals

You may take part-time or holiday work but you must not:

• work for more than 20 hours a week during term time.
• do business; be self-employed or provide services as a professional sports person or entertainer.
• work full-time in a permanent job.

Overseas students part-time study and visas

Hackney Community College offers a wide range of part-time courses. Part-time courses are courses of less than 15 hours a week. Overseas students are welcome to join our part-time courses and they will be charged at the part-time overseas student rate, approximately £7 per hour. However, studying a part-time course will not entitle an overseas student to apply for a Student’s Visa. Student Visas are awarded only to students studying 15 hours a week or more during the day.

Applying for a visa

In order to study in the UK you will need to get a student visa. You should apply to the UK Embassy/High Commission in your country for this visa and you will need to meet the requirements of the UK Immigration service, which are:

1. That you have been accepted for a course of study which is to be provided by an organisation which is included on the Department for Education and Skills’ Register of Education and Training Providers, and that the course is run at either; (a) a publicly funded institution of further or higher education; or (b) a bona fide private education institution which maintains satisfactory records of enrolment and attendance.
2. That you are able and intends to follow either: (a) a recognised full-time degree course at a publicly funded institution of further or higher education; or (b) a weekday ful-time course involving attendance at a single institution for a minimum of 15 hours organised daytime study per week of a single subject, or directly related subjects.
3. You intend to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your studies.
4. You do not intend to engage in business or to take employment, except part-time or vacation work undertaken with the consent of the Secretary of State for Employment; and
5. You are able to meet the costs of your course and accommodation and the maintenance of yourself and any dependants without taking employment or engaging in business or having recourse to public funds.

Obtaining a visa is your responsibility, however, we hope that these notes will help you. The UK Embassy/High Commission is not obliged to grant you a visa, but, it is more likely that they will grant a visa if they are re-assured on the following four points:

1. Firm offer of a place. The UK Embassy/High Commission will expect you to have a firm offer of a place on a named course at a college in the UK. The Offer letter from college will provide evidence of this.
2. Sufficient money – You have to prove that you have sufficient money to pay your UK college fees and your living expenses. A bank statement showing your foreign exchange will provide evidence.
3. Accommodation – If you are going to live with a relative or friend in the UK please provide evidence of this and the relative or friend’s address to the Embassy/High Commission. Again, you will have to satisfy the Embassy/High Commission that you have enough money to pay for accommodation.
4. Intention to return to your own country – The UK Embassy/High Commission will need to be convinced that you plan to return to your own country after you complete your education in the UK. Evidence that might reassure the Embassy/High Commission includes evidence of a job to return to, a home or family to return to or a further course to return to.

Finally, please note that if you have a sponsor in the UK (or a friend, relative or employer who will look after you in Britain), please ask them to write to the UK High Commission in your country providing details of the sponsorship. Ask your sponsor to send you a copy of that letter.

Apply for your visa as early as possible. It can sometimes take several weeks to obtain a visa.