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New rules for student visas come into force


21 April 2011

Changes have come into effect today affecting Tier 4 - the student tier - of the points-based system.

The changes to the Immigration Rules were announced by the Home Secretary in a statement to Parliament on 22 March. They follow a major public consultation on reforming Tier 4.

The aim of the revised Rules is to deliver a strong migration system which tackles immigration abuse, while allowing genuine students to study at genuine colleges.

Details of the changes were outlined in a news story on 22 March. You can also find a summary of the new student policy under 'Related documents' on the right side of this page.

New versions of our policy guidance documents for Tier 4 migrants and sponsors were published last month and come into effect today. You can find these in the Studying in the UK and Sponsoring migrants sections of this website.