Student immigration route launched to replace Tier 4

The UK Government has introduced a new Student visa route, which replaced the Tier 4 route on 05 October 2020.

Any applications submitted after 09.00 on 05 October will be considered under the new Student rules.  Dependants of Students will also now apply under this route, rather than in the PBS Dependant category.

If you have already applied under the Tier 4 or PBS Dependant route, you do not need to take any action. 

EEA nationals can apply under the Student route for entry to the UK on or after 01 January 2021 (any EEA nationals arriving before 31 December 2020 will be able to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme instead).

You can read an overview of the main differences between the Tier 4 and Student routes on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website:

UKCISA news item about the new Student Route