Areas we cover:
- Qualified/expert advice on UK Immigration and Visas. Specifically, Student Route/Tier 4 students and their dependants. (The Student Route visa is now the visa majority of International Students need to study in the UK)
- Home Office Compliance – to ensure that the University carries out its responsibility as a Student Sponsor in adherence with Home Office rules. Also to ensure Student Route/Tier 4 student visa holders comply with the terms of their visa which is sponsored by the University.
- Advice and support to help all international and EU students have the best experience possible at Reading.
The International Student Advisory team (ISAT) are the only people within the University who can give advice on visas and immigration, therefore please refer all questions from your students to us.
Changes to a Student Route/Tier 4 student visa holder’s course or student status can affect their visa. Therefore, if your student is considering changing course, suspending or withdrawing please refer them to us to advise them on how their plans may affect their visa.
A Student Route/Tier 4 visa ties a student to the University, specific course and course dates stated when applying for the visa. The University, as the student visa sponsor has specific duties. Failure to meet or comply with these could put the University’s Student sponsor Licence at risk. Further information on Student Route/Tier 4 students and the University’s responsibilities can be found on our website, including a link to our Institutional Compliance Policy which all students agree to when enrolling/re-enrolling.
After a Student Route/Tier 4 visa holder successfully completes their degree, there is now a Post Study work visa (called the Graduate Route) which can be applied for, once their confirmed result has been published, providing they meet the eligibility requirements and when ISAT have reported the student’s successful completion. Any questions on this please refer the student to ISAT. Please also be aware that changes to an expected course end date and assignment/dissertation extensions in the student’s final year could impact a student’s eligibility for this post study visa route. Therefore, any student in this position please refer the student to speak with ISAT so they understand any implications of changes to their course end date.
ISAT are based in the Carrington Building. We can be contacted by you on our extension number 8038. However, to provide advice, we ask students email us so we can provide the advice in writing.
How to refer your students to us? We offer appointments that can be booked at a students request by contacting us by email through the ‘ask a question’ section of the RISIS portal or by emailing immigration@reading.ac.uk. Students can turn up at the Student Services reception, but we cannot guarantee there will be colleagues available to see them, so would always recommend booking an appointment or emailing in the first instance.