If you are on a Tier 4 general student visa or a Short Term Study (STS) visa and you wish to travel to another country after you have completed your studies and then return to the UK on that visa you may not be allowed back into the UK. This is because your visa is for study and you no longer have anything to study as you have completed your studies. You should obtain a new visa for the purpose of your return to the UK for your graduation ceremony. You will need to return to the UK as a visitor.
The precise requirements for doing so will differ depending on your nationality. Nationals of some countries are able to visit the UK without entry clearance, as a General Visitor. Others (the majority) will be required to obtain entry clearance before being granted leave to enter the UK as a General Visitor. If you fall into this latter category, you need to apply for the visa at British High Commission in your home country.
To find out whether you will require entry clearance, or whether you can enter the UK as a visitor without entry clearance, please see https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor-visa/overview.
If you require a document to submit as part of your visa application please see below:
- Download your Registration Status Document from eVision under My Studies tab
- Please print your graduation booking confirmation email which confirms you have booked to attend your graduation ceremony
- Provide your own covering letter addressed to the Embassy or Visa Application Centre with the following information:
- The Purpose of the visit (ie, a short visit, to attend graduation or to come as a dependent
- Full name (as written on passport)
- The address where you will be staying in the UK
- Photocopy of the visa and bio-data pages of your passport (if this applies to you)
If the Embassy or Visa Application Centre have any further queries, they can contact SiD directly as stated on your registration status document.