Visas

You will need a visa if you:

• Are not an EEA national,
• Are stateless (you don’t have a nationality),
• Hold a non-national travel document or
• Hold a passport issued by an authority that is not recognised in the UK. 

You will need to apply for a Tier 4 Student Visa.  We have a Visa Support Team, who are immigration/visa specialists with over 50 years’ experience.  The Visa Support Team provides you with a one-to-one personalised service covering every aspect of the visa application process and is always available to give you whatever advice you need.  This specialist service is provided to you free of charge.  Since 2009, all students who have followed their advice have successfully obtained their student visas, so you can be confident that your application will be in the safest possible hands. 

As part of our acceptance procedures, we will ask you to complete a Background Information Pro Forma (BIPF) and submit a copy of the personal details page of your passport and a copy of the financial document you propose to use in support of your visa application. (Note all communications will be via email, so please ensure you have provided an up-to-date email address that you regularly access on your application form, and that you respond to communications from the Visa Support promptly. Any documents required to process the application may be scanned and uploaded;) 

When you have been given an offer by the RAU, the Visa Support Team will be in contact to guide you through the visa application process. 

It is vitally important that you obtain your visa well ahead of the start date of your course. Visa application processing times at the Home Office Visa Departments world-wide vary, but you need to expect your application to be under consideration with the Entry Clearance Officer for up to 20 working days. Under certain circumstances, it could take longer so allow yourself plenty of time and do not be tempted to leave things until the last minute. 

Please note the free visa support is only for those who are studying with the RAU. The Visa Support Team can provide help with other visas, such as for dependents, but there would be a charge for those services. 

The Royal Agricultural University has Tier 4 Sponsor status and is on the Home Office’s Register of Sponsors. 

For all visa enquiries please contact visa.support@rau.ac.uk