The Tier 4 (General) and Tier 4 (Child) routes will be closed to new applications after 5 October 2020 at 0859. References to Tier 4 have either been deleted from the Immigration Rules or amended where appropriate to reflect the new Student and Child Student rules.
Guidance relating to these rules changes will be updated and placed on GOV.UK website.
Closing the Tier 4 (General) and Tier 4 (Child) routes with have little or no effect on students currently in the UK or who were planning to apply under the routes as the Student and Child Student rules will replace the existing routes and will provide a simplified pathway through the UK’s education system. The changes will have a higher impact on students of EEA nationalities, as they will no longer be able to enter the UK on the basis of Free Movement and will have to apply for a visa prior to entering the UK
The changes are being introduced to give effect to the Government’s plan to create a global visa system which applies equally to all individuals coming to the UK to work or study, including EEA nationals. The Government set out its intent in a policy statement, The UK's points-based immigration system , on 19 February 2020 and provided further details in its policy statement, UK points-based immigration system: further details statement , on 13 July 2020.
The Student and Child Student routes, collectively referred to as the Student routes, are for both European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA nationals who wish to come to the UK for the purpose of study. The Student and Child Student routes will replace the Tier 4 (General) and Tier 4 (Child) routes in the Immigration Rules. The main differences between the Tier 4 routes and the Student routes are outlined below:
As part of the new simplified style, new rules are being introduced on English Language and Finance (which will only apply to the new Student and Child Student routes at this stage) with the intention of creating Rules on themes that apply across several routes. These thematic Rules include changes to:
The list of countries whose nationals may submit reduced documentary evidence (formerly Appendix H) has been updated to add all the countries which form part of the EEA and Switzerland. The following countries have been added to the list: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
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