The University is one of only four higher education institutions in the UK to trial the new Tier 4 visa application pilot, which simplifies the visa process and extends post-study leave to six months.
Under the Home Office pilot launched on Monday, students applying for their visa will be required to submit fewer documents alongside their visa applications.
The two-year trial will apply for 2016/17 and 2017/18 entries, with the Home Office signaling it will publish its evaluation of the pilot in 2019.
All overseas applicants to Cambridge applying for a visa to undertake a Masters course of 13 months or less will automatically be considered under the scheme.
Though all students will be subject to Immigration Rules and undergo Home Office security and identity checks, they will no longer need to submit financial documents or their previous academic qualifications when applying for their visa.
The extension to students’ post-study leave means students who enrol on Master’s courses at Cambridge will have more time to find work after graduating and switch to a work visa, or to pursue further studies in the UK.
Anthony Dangerfield, Head of Cambridge’s International Student Team, said:
“We welcome any developments to the student visa system that support the University in attracting the brightest and best students from around the world.
“Those eligible under the pilot will have access to a streamlined visa application process and the additional time granted on the visa will be in helpful in supporting students who wish to seek employment opportunities in the UK after completion of studies.”
The Home Office has launched the pilot in order to test the benefits of a differentiated approach to the student visa system, to help ensure UK universities can maintain a highly competitive offer to international students.
After a two-year trial of the scheme, the Home Office Science (Migration and Border Analysis) will carry out an independent evaluation, examining management information and data from the participating universities. The evaluation will test the aims of the pilot and will report interim findings with a final report in the spring of 2019.
Detailed information about the pilot is outlined on the University’s student visa webpages at www.internationalstudents.cam.ac.uk/tier-4-visa-pilot
A pilot scheme to streamline the international student visa process could benefit more than 1,000 Masters students at the University of Cambridge each year.
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