Introduction
Please read this guidance carefully! We realise there’s a lot to read through, but if your visa is refused then you might not have time to make a new application before your course starts, and it could affect future visa applications.
The information on these pages should be read together with the Home Office’s . 
The visa information in this section was last updated on 06 April 2016
Do you need a Tier 4 Student visa? 
You should check if you need a visa to study at the School by completing the web form . Even if you have immigration permission for the UK, you should use the form to check whether you need to do anything further. 
Important: You cannot arrive in the UK without a visa and apply for a Tier 4 Student visa from within the UK. If you do this, you could be refused entry or only admitted in to the UK for 6 months as a Visitor or Short Term Student. We cannot register you on your course with these types of immigration permission as they will not cover the length of your course. You also cannot switch from Short Term Student or Visitor to a Tier 4 Student visa from within the UK. 
Watch this video to find out more about other students' experiences of applying for a Tier 4 Student visa from overseas.
Video credit: University of Sheffield
How to Apply
How to apply for your Tier 4 Student visa
Once you have received your CAS from the School, you will need to complete an online application. Further instructions can be found on the .  Please note if you are from Cuba or North Korea you must apply in person. 
You need to make your Tier 4 application from the country in which you normally live.
When applying online, please select the following for the visa type when you start your on-line application:
   Reason for Visit > Study
   Visa Type > PBS Tier 4 Student
   Visa Sub Type:
Tier 4 (General) Student if you will be self or family funded, otherwise privately funded or fund
Tier 4 (General) (Sponsored) Student if you are going to be funded by an "official financial sponsor", which includes LSHTM or other university scholarships or bursaries, the UK government, your home government (though this does not include student loans), the British Council or any international organisation or i
Tier 4 (Chevening, Marshall and Commonwealth Scholars Only) Student only if you are the holder of a Chevening Scholarship or Fellowship, a British Marshall Scholarship, a Fulbright Scholarship or a Commmonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan.
You will have to give the date that you intend to travel to the UK.  Remember that you can only enter the UK up to 1 month before your course start date.  You will also need enough time for your visa application to be processed and your passport to be returned.
As part of the online application, you will also be asked specific questions about your course and your finances.  To help you fill in the online application form, you will receive guidance for the Tier 4 Student section of the application with your CAS number.
After submitting the online application, you will need to submit your supporting documentation and attend a biometrics appointment to have your photograph and fingerprints taken. Please see below for further information about the documentation you need to submit.
Attending an interview 
All students are asked to attend a brief interview as part of the visa application process. This will take place at the same time that you have your biometrics taken. Further information on credibility interviews can be found on the
The Immigration Health Surcharge
The Immigration Health Surcharge allows you to access the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) during your studies. You will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) when you complete your online visa application. You should read the guidance on the surcharge .
When to apply
You can apply for your visa up to 3 months before the start date of your course. It’s a good idea to start preparing for your visa application early to make sure you have all the necessary documentation ready.
Important: You should not book your biometrics appointment before receiving your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from the School. We also advise that you don’t arrange your flights to London until you have your visa.
To find out how long your visa application will take, see the information on
on the Home Office website.
Request a CAS
Once you have submitted all the required documents for your offer to study at LSHTM, you should complete a CAS request form.
You must read the CAS Guidance to confirm what supporting documentation you need to include before sending the request form.
The CAS request form must be completed using Adobe Acrobat Reader and not with another application.
You should return the CAS request form with any additional supporting documentation to . The School will then assess your eligibility for a CAS, making sure you have documentation which meets the Home Office Tier 4 visa requirements. For further guidance about these requirements, please refer to the sections on finances and supporting documentation. 
Once Registry has confirmed you are eligible for a CAS, you will receive your CAS statement by email. Registry will start issuing CAS for MSc students from the end of June. Research Degree students can request a CAS up to 3 months before their start date.
Top tips when preparing your financial evidence
Read our guidance carefully as submitting incorrect evidence with your application can lead to an automatic visa refusal.
You should also read sections 153-205 of the
to understand the Home Office requirements.
For financial documents which show foreign currency, make sure you write any amounts of money in pounds sterling on the visa application. The Home Office use the 's currency converter.
The Home Office has a list of
whose documents cannot be used in support of a Tier 4 Student visa application.  Check this list if your financial institution is located in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Iran, Pakistan, the Philippines or Sri Lanka.
to see whether your evidence meets the Home Office requirements!
Documents you need as financial evidence
If you have financial sponsorship:
If you are sponsored by an Official Financial Sponsor, you will need to provide a letter from your sponsor confirming the amount they are contributing towards your course fees and living costs. You will need to send us a hard copy of your sponsorship letter. This is a requirement of the Student Finance Team who cannot accept a photocopy or scan of the original letter. 
For visa purposes, an Official Financial Sponsor is only one of the following: Her Majesty’s Government, your home government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or an Independent School (Please refer to sections 177-182 of the
to confirm what information is required in the letter from your sponsor). 
If you are self-funded:
If you are funding your studies yourself or by a parent/guardian, you should take note of the following points:
You need to demonstrate the minimum required amount of money, and that you have held it in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days.
The money you show must be in cash funds in the bank e.g. current or savings accounts. Other accounts or funds will not be accepted e.g. shares, bonds, overdrafts, lines of credit and pension funds.
You need to show that funds have not gone below the minimum required, even for one day, or even by a small amount.
The evidence must have been issued no more than one month before the date of your application.
If necessary, you should provide evidence that is translated into English (see sections 16-18 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance).
The bank account you use must be in your name (joint accounts in your name are acceptable but not business or corporate accounts).
If you are being funded by a parent or guardian, you can submit bank statements in their name but you also need to provide evidence of your relationship and a letter of permission from them. Go to sections 199-202 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for further information.
As part of the visa application, you are required to declare that the funds will be available to you for the duration of your studies.
You must read section 191 onwards of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for full details of the Home Office requirements.
If you are taking out a loan:
If you are funding your studies through a loan, this must be in your name. There are also rules about what type of loan is acceptable. Read section 198 (v) of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance to find out more.
How much money you need to show
Students coming to study for 9 months or more will need to show:
i) enough funds to cover the first year’ and
ii) ?11,385 for living costs (= 9 months at ?1265 per month for a student based in London). Even if your course is longer than 9 months, you only need to show 9 months’ living costs at ?1265 per month. You need to show this amount even if you plan to live rent-free (for example with family) in the UK.
Students coming for less than 9 months will need to show:
i) enough funds to pay the tuition fees, and
ii)  ?1265 for each month of the course (this would apply to a student taking the split-study mode who wishes to come on a Tier 4 Student visa).
Paying your tuition fees
We recommend that you apply for the visa before paying tuition fees to the School. As part of the visa application you will need to prove you have the funds to cover your fees.
Tuition fees invoices will be sent during August – please do not try to pay your fees until you have received your invoice. More information about payment of tuition fees can be found .
Supporting documents
Other Supporting Documents
You will need to submit the following documents with your Tier 4 Student visa application:
A valid passport: This should be the same passport which you submit as part of your application to the School as we use this information to issue the CAS. If you get a new passport before your CAS is issued, then please email
with the new passport information and provide copies of your new passport (front cover, photo page, visa and any UK endorsed pages).
Original evidence of qualification(s): You will have to submit the original evidence of qualifications used to obtain your offer to the School, as specified by Registry in the e-mail containing your CAS number. If you need us to return your original evidence of qualifications, please contact Registry. You should allow up to 7 days for delivery of your documents.
The visa application fee: The fee is ?328, payable in local currency.
Two recent passport photographs
Please note that you are also required to submit photocopies (to the visa application centre) of all documents you are submitting for your visa application. We recommend that you also take extra copies for yourself.
Documents in a language other than English: Any supporting documents not in English must be sent with a fully certified translation by a professional translator that can be verified by the Home Office. Please refer to sections 16-18 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for full details of what is required.
English Language Requirements
All students must meet LSHTM’s
to meet their offer condition. This means you cannot be issued a CAS until you submit evidence of the required English language level to the Admissions Team.
When you make your visa application, you do not need to include evidence of your English Language level because the School will state in the CAS that we have assessed your English language level as part of the admissions process.
Different arrangements for applicants from low-risk countries 
All Tier 4 applicants must have the required maintenance funds for their studies.  However, the UK Home Office has set out differentiation arrangements for some applicants.  Those who qualify for these arrangements do not have to provide evidence of finances or qualifications with their visa application. However, you must submit copies of these documents with your CAS request so that we can confirm you meet the Tier 4 Student visa requirements.
To qualify for the differentiation arrangements you must meet all of the following criteria:
Be a national of one of the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, the United States of America or a British National O AND
Apply for your Tier 4 Student visa in your country of nationality.
If you qualify for these arrangements, you will have to declare on your application form that you are applying under the differentiation arrangements set out in the Tier 4 Policy Guidance and that you hold the documentary evidence required.
Even if you qualify for these arrangements, the Home Office sometimes asks low risk applicants to submit this evidence after receiving their visa application.  Failure to comply with this request will mean your application will be rejected.
Receiving your visa
After the Entry Clearance Officer has finished assessing your visa application, your passport will be returned with a decision letter.  If your application is successful, your passport will contain a vignette (sticker).  This vignette is valid for 30 days and you must enter the UK during this period.
Make sure that you check the following information is correct on the vignette:
Valid from date (up to one month before the CAS start date)
Valid until date (30 days from the 'valid from' date)
Type = TIER 4 (GENERAL) STUDENT
Your name, passport number and date of birth
The sponsor licence number (you can find this on your CAS Statement)
If any of the above is incorrect, please contact your visa application centre immediately.
The decision letter will give the type of visa you have been issued and details of the post office where you will need to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) within 10 days of arrival in the UK.  Make sure that you keep this letter safe, as you cannot collect your BRP without it.
Travelling to the UK before the course starts
For courses lasting 6 months or more, you can normally come to the UK up to a month before your course start date. Do not travel before the start date on your visa as you will not be allowed to enter the UK.
Important information if your visa application is delayed
If you are not able to register on 26 September 2016 for reasons beyond your control, you must contact the
as a matter of urgency to see if it will be possible for you to register at a later date. You should not attempt to enter the UK without contacting the Registry, as you may be refused entry at the UK border.
CAS STATUS
 Accepting CAS requests for all applicants.
General queries on visa application and CAS.
Confidential advice on any specific visa queries.
USEFUL TOOLS
IMPORTANT LINKS
How to get in touch
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Keppel Street
Tel: +44 (0) 20
Help us improve our site.The Must Have Personality Traits to Start a Business as a Student
It is very easy to start a business these days. Many times, it does not even require any form of real investment. A person is able to hop online and start selling the things that they already own. But, if you are looking to start your own business whilst still studying, you should really ensure that you grow your personality to suit the work. Here are a few personality traits that you are going to have to work on if you want start a business and enjoy any sort of success.
A student has to be highly organized
This is absolutely imperative. Even people with the best idea on the planet are going to struggle if they are not organized. It not just a case of being organized enough to make deliveries on time. You need to be organized in the way you market your business, how you grow your brand, how you manage your PR, how you deal with complaints, and how you manage your money. Many large organizations are managed by accountants for the simple reason that money can be organized easier. That is why big companies set budgets first, prior to building marketing campaigns or beginning a new year’s worth of product production.
A student must be a careful planner
Creating and sticking to a plan is vital. It is a little bit like trying to lose weight without some sort of diet plan. You may have a small amount of success, but it is rarely something you can rely on.
A high level of discipline is needed
This works in numerous ways. A self-employed person needs to be disciplined enough to refuse offers that are contrary to his or her business. This means that you as a businessperson will need to discipline to refuse requests that are made by your friends and family.
You will also need to be disciplined enough to turn down any temptations. There are hundreds of little temptations that are going to pull you away from your workload. They range from things such as notifications on Facebook, to your new partner wanting to spend more time with you. You will need to portion out your business hours so that you spend enough dedicated time on your business. You will then need the discipline to be able to refuse anything that will tempt you away from those business hours.
A student must be risk averse
This is not a quality that students tend to have. This may be the reason why older people will often do better in business. It is often a student’s first instinct to try anything and to hell with the consequences. However, this tactic requires a lot of luck, which will always run out.
A new starter must be very tenacious
If you are going to start a business, then you need to able to see a task all the way from beginning to end with as little deviation as possible. As a student, there are two sides to this issue. As a student, you have even less time to dedicate to your business. This means that you have to be tenacious enough to be able to complete a project, whilst being purposely distracted by your studies.
On the other hand, as a student, you are going to have experience with seeing things through to the finish, because you will have had coursework assignments that require a certain amount of tenacity.
Good at time management
This ties in with discipline, organization and tenacity. “Time is money” is probably the truest statement ever when it comes to the business world. Being able to manage time productively may not lead to success, but it will avoid a lot of common business problems, and will stop you from hemorrhaging money at every turn. In addition, being able to accurately judge how long a project will take is vitally important in some industries.
A student businessperson needs to be ruthless
Finding what you want, and getting it at all costs is going to provide you with a safety net that other less-ruthless students will not have. Some people are naturally ruthless and will get what they want at any consequence. This is a fine quality to have, but may end with you upsetting people. However, on the whole, people who are ruthless will tend to do better than people who are overly passive.
Charming people often do quite well
This does not mean that the bookworm or the nerd doesn’t succeed in business. It just means that the charming people of this world often have it a little easier, as they find it easier to sell their products to customers and ideas to investors.
A student has to be a realist
So many people delude themselves and run themselves into the ground as they fail again and again. You have to be a realist and understand that in many circumstances, you will not even be able to give you products away, so selling them is going to be a massive struggle. You need to underestimate all of your income, and overestimate all of your expenses, because those figures will probably be how things turn out in the end.
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