If you are a national from outside the European Union or European Economic Area, you may require a student visa to enter the UK and study with us. The type of visa you may require will depend on the course you wish to study. The following sections provide further information on the types of visas, requirements and application process.
If you are a national from a country within the European Union, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland then you do not need a visa to enter the UK and are able to enrol on a course of any duration, just like UK students.
Students from outside the EU wishing to study a course longer than six months may require a Tier 4 Student visa. Point Blank has been awarded Tier 4 Sponsor Status by the Home Office and is able to sponsor students on a Tier 4 Student visa.
Non-EU students can apply for the following courses which are longer than 6 months and are eligible for a Tier 4 Student visa.
In order to be accepted onto one of these courses, you will need to meet the academic requirements of the course as well the requirements for a Tier 4 Student visa.
The following steps outline the application process for these courses. We are only able to accept a limited number of International Students so please complete the application form as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Students from outside the EU wishing to study a course of 6 months duration or less will need to apply for a Short Term Study Visa. The following steps outline the application process for these courses.
CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies. A CAS is a unique number provided by Point Blank. You will need this number before you can apply for a Tier 4 Student visa. Students applying for a Short Term Study visa will not require a CAS.
We do not issue a CAS to everyone who applies. You must be able to meet the requirements of a Tier 4 Student visa before we can issue a CAS.
The exact requirements for a Tier 4 Student visa can be found in the Check Sheet in the application process above, however here is a quick summary of what you will need:
1. Academic qualifications (equivalent to high school or above)
2. English language qualification (if you are from a non majority English speaking country)
3. To be able to pay your fees for the first year of the course in full
4. To show you have a minimum of £12,000 to support your living costs (this is known as 'maintenance' and is in addition to the full course fees)
5. Valid passport
6. Tuberculosis Test if you are resident of these countries
There are no strict requirements for this type of visa. We recommend you have the following documents which will give you the best chance of having a successful application:
1. Academic qualifications
2. To be able to pay the fees for the course in full
3. To show you have a minimum of £1,265 for every month of your course to support your living costs (this is known as 'maintenance' and is in addition to the full course fees)
4. Valid passport
5. Evidence to show any assets in your home country
As there are no strict requirements, this is not a definitive list. Please contact us if you are unsure about any of these requirements.
Before we can issue you with a CAS (for a Tier 4 Student visa) or acceptance letter (for a Short Term Study visa), we need to see evidence that you have the funds to cover your living costs. This is in addition to the course fees.
If you are applying for a Tier 4 Student visa for a course over six months in duration, you will need to show you can support your stay for the first nine months of your course. We recommend you have a minimum of £12,000 however the more money you have available the stronger your visa application will be. This amount is in addition to the total course fees.
To show you can cover your living costs, we need to see a bank statement or letter confirming that this money is available in your account or a legal guardian's account. This money must have been cleared in your account for at least 28 days before the date when you apply for your student visa. Please refer to the Check Sheet in the application process above for the exact requirements.
If you are applying for a Short Term Study visa for a course of six months in duration or less, we recommend you show you have at least £1,265 for every month of your course. For example, if your course is six months long, we recommend you have a minimum of £7,590 for your maintenance fees.
To apply for a Tier 4 Student visa, you will need to provide us with a valid UKVI IELTS which must include a UKVI IELTS number. Only academic test certificates are accepted for study at Point Blank. No other certificate will be accepted for a Tier 4 Student visa.
You must achieve a minimum score of 5.5 for each of the test areas; Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. This gives an overall level of B2 and you must take the test at an approved test center listed here.
Exceptions
You do not need to provide a UKVI IELTS if you’ve recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree listed on this page.
You also don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if:
Please also refer to this section of the Home Office website for more information.
The fees for each course can be found on the course webpage. For courses which are six months or longer, there is an additional £1000 surcharge for students outside the European Union or European Economic Area who require a visa.
If you click the "Enrol Now" link of your chosen course and navigate to step 2, you will see the payment options available and total fees. After being accepted on a course, students can reserve their place with a registration fee. The remaining course fees will need to be paid before we can issue an acceptance letter (for a Short Term Study visa) or CAS (for a Tier 4 Student visa).
Point Blank will check all your documents before you submit your visa application and we will not issue an acceptance letter (for a Short Term Study visa applicants) or a CAS (for a Tier 4 Student visa applicants) until we are confident your application will be successful.
In the rare event that your visa application is rejected, there is an option to reapply. If you require extra time for your application, we are happy to postpone your course until the next start date at no extra cost.
If you visa application is refused, you are entitled to a full refund minus a £500 administration fee. This fee will remain on your account and can be used against a future course at Point Blank London or our online school.
Students from certain countries such as Australia or Canada will be able to apply for a Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa. This visa will allow students to work and study in the UK for up to 2 years. There are less requirements for this type of visa so we recommend this as the best option for students from eligible countries. Click here for more information on the requirements and a list of eligible countries.
If you have further questions, don't be shy, please contact a Course Advisor who will be happy to help.