Current position
- The Home Office has confirmed a new date for Graduate route applications and has agreed to delay the date by which international students must be in the UK to benefit from the concessionary basis when applying through the Graduate route. The date will change from 6 April to 21 June.
- The Government has announced that all individuals seeking to travel to the UK (even if they are a UK citizen) will be required to provide proof of a negative test. The test must be taken in the three days before the start of the journey to England.
- You do not need to take a test if you began your journey from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey, Ascension, Falkland Islands, St Helena. There are also exemptions for certain categories of jobs, as well as limited number of other categories.
- The guidance outlines specific details around the type of test and the information that the results must include.
- All travel corridors have been suspended.
- Individuals must isolate upon arrival for 10 days, regardless of the pre-departure test result. Individuals can opt into the Test to Release for International Travel scheme to shorten the self-isolation period.
- The Home Office released guidance for students whose vias expires between 1 January 2021 and 28 February 2021, and who intended to leave the UK but have not been able to do so – they may request additional time to stay known as ‘exceptional assurance’.
Official guidance
- Letter from Minister Donelan to International Students
- International students Covid-19 messaging script
- Department for Education – Travel guidance for education settings
- Home Office – Covid-19 factsheet: visa customers outside of the UK
- Home Office – Covid-19 factsheet: visa holders and short-term residents in the UK
- Home Office – Covid-19 factsheet: guidance for sponsors
- Home Office – Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for Tier 2, 4 and 5 sponsors
- Joint ministerial letter to international students on 9th April 2020
- Joint ministerial letter to international students’ on 22nd June 2020
- Home Office – Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tier 4 sponsors, migrants and short-term students
- UKVI new guidance for visa migrants and visitors which gives those with leave expiring 31 July 2020 a month’s grace period to get a new visa or leave the UK. Those with leave until 31 August 2020 have the full month of August to do the same.
- The Home Office has made revisions to the guidance for migrants and visitors. This includes a new process for replacing expiring 30-day visas now that VACs are re-opening and a clarification that a new replacement will be valid for 90 days.
- Home Office – Updated Covid-19 guidance for Visa holders in the UK
Useful resources
- UKCISA – Information for international students
- UKCISA – Mindfulness seminar
- UKCISA – HEPI Blog Looking after international students during the Covid-19 crisis – and after
- Carter Thomas – Guidance on Tier 4 student coronavirus (Covid-19) related absences
- Carter Thomas – UK immigration updates
- IC Cafe Webinars – HE International Student Recruitment Covid-19 Tracker
- British Council – All Chinese provinces have now announced dates for the staggered reopening of schools and universities
Joint ministerial letter to international students
Universities Minister Michelle Donelan MP has published a joint letter with her counterparts within the devolved administrations addressed to international students seeking to study in the UK. The letter,which IHE members have been asked to send to their prospective students, is written to ensure prospective students feel confident in their decision to come to the UK. It highlights:
- Universities and education providers are recruiting now and on an ongoing basis.
- The UK is launching a new Graduate work route for international students that will enable individuals to work, or look for work in the UK, at any skill level for two years after graduation.
- UK degrees main a globally high standard even if some provision is delivered online
- The UK government and devolved administrations are committed to safeguarding student wellbeing and safety
Please take a look on our website to read the documents in full.