Students from abroad

As an international/EU/EEA applicant, you will need to obtain a Student Visa before coming to the UK to start your course. You can check whether you need a visa (as there are a few exceptions) at this government webpage.

Before applying for the visa, you will need to receive and accept an offer on one of our MA/MFA courses. You will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) in order to start your Student Visa application.

The CAS is a virtual electronic document that is assigned by the licenced sponsor and sent digitally to the Home Office. The NFTS Registry team will contact you about your CAS requirements and advise you through the entire process after receiving your offer. You can apply for a student visa up to six months before your course start date. Each CAS is valid to use for six months, and you must apply for your visa within this time.

We can issue a CAS once we have received all the documents relevant to your circumstances and you have paid your first-year tuition fees in full; unless you are paying via an approved finance or loan provider. The CAS can then be generated and your CAS number will be e-mailed to you. This is when you can start your student visa application.

Please prepare for this as early as possible so that there are no delays to your visa being issued or arrival into the UK. You will need to allow sufficient time to book your visa appointment as some countries have lengthy waiting periods. For information, check the website belonging to the country from where you are applying for a visa.

You will also have to pay a fee called a UK Healthcare Surcharge. This gives you access to the UK’s National Health Service. How much you pay depends on the length of your visa. Please view the “How do I access UK healthcare?” tab for more information.

To find out how to apply for a visa in your home country, please visit the Student Visa website.

If you are unsure about the requirements for getting a student visa, or need any other advice, please contact the NFTS Registry: registry@nfts.co.uk.

You will also find useful information on the UKCISA website.

While the School is a multinational community, courses are taught and assessed in English. Therefore, all applicants must be fluent in written and spoken English which will enable you to fully benefit from the course.

Currently, the School does not require a certificate of competency in English from students who already hold a valid EU settlement status or indefinite leave to remain. If the applicant holds a different type of visa, English Language proficiency will be subject to review, depending on individual circumstances.

However, to obtain a Student Visa, you will have to meet the academic language standard and will need to prove your competency in English. For the most of applicants, this will be an IELTS (Academic) test with a minimum total score of 6.5, with 6.0 in each individual category. https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/knowledge-of-english  

You will not be required to demonstrate your English language level if:

• you have obtained a full bachelor or higher degree which has been taught in English and awarded by a UK institution (including degrees jointly awarded by a UK institution and another institution) or
• you have obtained a full bachelor (e.g. BA, BSc) or higher (e.g. MA, MSc) degree which has been taught (in its entirety) in a country on the UKVI list of exceptions (excluding Canada) https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/knowledge-of-english or
• you are a national of Canada and have obtained a full bachelor or higher degree which has been taught (in its entirety) in Canada and awarded by a Canadian institution

Distance learning and self-taught degrees are not acceptable for English language evidence.

Your knowledge of English will be assessed by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider and you must obtain a minimum of CEFR level B2. These tests are valid for 2 years. We will only accept a SELT from one of the following providers: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your-english-language-abilities-with-a-secure-english-language-test-selt

• IELTS SELT Consortium
• LANGUAGECERT
• Pearson
• PSI Services (UK) Ltd – Skills for English (UKVI)

If you are an EU/EEA national with settled or pre-settled status, you may be eligible for home fees, subject to meeting the residency requirements - you will need to have been ordinarily resident in the UK or EEA for 3 years prior to the start of your course. Otherwise, International fees will apply.

EU/EEA Nationals without EU settlement status and international students will pay the overseas fees rate.

(You can find the specific tuition fees rate on individual course pages under Fees and Funding tab.)

Permission to stay under the Graduate route enables international students who have completed an MA degree to work or look for work after their studies for 2 years. The work can be in any sector and at any level without any minimum salary requirements or the need for visa sponsorship.

It is possible to work full-time on your Student Visa after you have completed your course and whilst it remains valid, but with some restrictions on the type of work you can do.

You will need to apply in the UK whilst your current Student visa is still valid after successful completion of your degree, meaning after you have received your final results. Eligible graduates also must wait for formal confirmation from the school that they have been reported to the Home Office before proceeding with their visa application under this route. Please note you cannot travel overseas until you have received the outcome of your application.

Applications must be made online.

If your visa expires after you have applied to the Graduate route, you will be permitted to remain in the UK whilst your application is being considered under the conditions of your Student permission until you have received the outcome of your Graduate visa application.

Further information is available from the https://www.gov.uk/graduate-visa and Work in the UK.

The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK’s state healthcare system providing a wide range of health care services including appointments with a doctor, hospital treatment and dental care. You should register with a doctor as soon as possible after your arrival in the UK. You can ask the school about local GP surgeries in Beaconsfield. https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/pay

STUDENT VISA HOLDERS

If you are applying for a Student Visa and coming to the UK from overseas for 6 months or longer, you will be required to pay an immigration health surcharge as part of your Student Visa application. If you have any dependants on your visa, they will also be required to pay the surcharge. https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/family-members

The immigration health surcharge will entitle Student Visa holders to access NHS care in the UK at no additional cost in the same way as a permanent UK resident. This includes at the Doctor's surgery (known as General Practitioner or GP), a Healthcare Centre or in a hospital. You may need to pay for dental and optical treatment as well as medicine prescribed by the doctor and collected from a pharmacy. There are also exceptions for particularly expensive discretionary treatments. If your visa application is not successful, you will automatically be refunded the immigration health surcharge (but not the visa application fee). The surcharge will not be partially refunded if you depart the UK earlier than the expiry of your visa. The surcharge is also not refunded if you do not use the NHS during your time in the UK.

EU PRE-SETTLED/SETTLED STATUS

A status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme, designed to protect the rights of EU citizens and their families living in the UK after the Brexit transition period, will enable EEA nationals to continue studying in the UK and use National Health Services.

DO I NEED A HEALTHCARE PLAN IF I AM ON A COURSE SHORTER THAN 6 MONTHS?

If your course is less than six months or you are required to make a number of occasional visits to the UK for short study periods and you are an EEA national, you should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

If you are from a non-EEA country, you are advised to take out medical insurance as you will be liable for NHS charges for the treatment you receive in the UK except for in a medical emergency and this is limited. Some countries have a reciprocal agreement with the UK which may entitle you to some free healthcare on the NHS but you should seek advice from the health authorities in your home country about what treatment will be covered.

DOES PRIVATE HEALTHCARE INSURANCE REPLACE THE NEED TO PAY FOR THE HEALTH SURCHARGE?

No. You cannot take out private healthcare insurance as an alternative to paying the health immigration surcharge as this is a mandatory fee included as part of your visa application. It is a personal decision whether you also have private healthcare insurance. You may wish to consider this to cover the following potential health-related costs:

• Loss of fees if you are unable to complete your course
• Costs incurred returning to your home country for treatment
• Private medical treatment: if you already have medical insurance in your home country, you may wish to check whether this can be extended to cover your stay in the UK.

For more information, please email registry@nfts.co.uk.

We aim to provide a response within 5 working days, but this is not always possible during peak periods.

The service is available throughout the year, Monday to Friday during the office hours of 9:30-17:30, except for the Christmas and Easter closure period.