Visa and Immigration Advice  

As an international student, you’ll need to check whether you need a student visa to study in the UK. You can do this by visiting gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

If you need a student visa, you must follow the steps outlined below to obtain a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and apply for your visa.

Please do NOT travel to the UK until you have received the appropriate visa that permits you to enter the UK and study at the RNCM. Otherwise, you will not be able to enrol at the RNCM and may be asked to return to your home country.

The CAS is a unique reference number which confirms that the College has agreed to be your sponsor and provides information about you and your study to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as part of your visa application. We will contact all international students with details on the CAS request process in May.

Before you request a CAS, please make sure:

• You have met all offer conditions and have obtained a Guaranteed Unconditional (GU) offer.
• You have paid a 25% tuition fee deposit.

Information on how to pay this deposit will be outlined in an email from the Admissions team. If you are receiving a US loan, a tuition fee deposit is not required.

Eligibility and Requirements

We recommend that you review UKVI’s information about the student visa and that you use the resources available via UKCISA to ensure that you understand the requirements and the evidence that you will need to submit with your application. If you have any questions about the requirements or evidence needed, please contact us at [email protected].

Differentiation Agreement

The Differentiation Agreement (or Low Risk Nationals) refers to students who don’t need to provide evidence of their qualifications or finances when applying for a student visa.

To see if your nationality is ‘exempt’ please refer to the UKVI’s list of nationals subject to differential evidence. If your country appears on the list and you’re applying for your visa in the country of your nationality, you won’t need to submit educational and financial documentation.

You must, however, sign a declaration within the application to state that this evidence is available should UKVI need to request it as part of their decision process. Please make sure that you still obtain all necessary documents as failure to produce these within a specified timeframe may result in your application being refused.

Credibility Interview

You may be invited by UKVI to attend a short ‘Credibility Interview’. These are usually carried out at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) when you attend to submit your biometric details. A UKVI will ask you some questions which may include:

• Why have you chosen to study in the UK?
• Why have you chosen to study at the RNCM?
• Did you consider any alternative universities/conservatoires?
• What made you choose your course of study?
• What do you intend to do after your course?
• How are you paying for your tuition and maintenance?
• Where will you live while you are in the UK?
• How did you choose your accommodation?

Please answer these questions as fully as you’re able, as an overview of the interview will be included in the case file to be reviewed with your student visa application.

Immigration Health Surchage

If you apply for a student visa which will last for more than six months, you will need to pay towards the Immigration Health Surcharge. This covers the cost of health care, available via the National Health Service, while you are in the UK. You will pay for the Immigration Health Surcharge when you submit the application.

Once your visa application has been assessed and a decision has been made, you will receive your visa decision letter from UKVI. Please make sure that you retain a copy of the email or letter.

If you receive a visa refusal, please email [email protected] for advice as soon as possible and attach a copy of the visa refusal notice.

You should only travel to the UK once you have received a successful decision within the period of entry granted.

The RNCM provides information in good faith, based on details that you give to us about you and your current situation. We endeavour to ensure that the information is accurate, but since both your situation and the legislation relating to immigration status can change at short notice, we cannot accept any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or other consequences arising, nor for decisions made by the Home Office or other agencies regarding immigration applications.