Child Student Visa UK for Nigerians

Want to Give Your Child the Possibility to Study in the UK?

We have successfully helped numerous Nigerian children aged 4 to 17 in securing their UK Child Student visas. If you need guidance on where to begin, get in touch with us for expert support. Our team of lawyers is here to address any questions you may have regarding your visa application.

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Overview of Child Student Visa UK for Nigerians

Formerly known as the Tier 4 Child visa, the UK child student visa permits Nigerian children between the ages of 4 and 17 to study at an independent school in the UK as long as they fulfil the eligibility requirements.

Applicants must also meet certain financial and academic requirements to apply. The visa typically lasts for the duration of the course and an extra four months. Applications for this visa can be submitted as early as 6 months before the course’s start date if your child or ward is in Nigeria or 3 months if they are in the UK. If they are in Nigeria, they can enter the UK as early as 1 month before the start of their course, but they cannot enter the UK before the date on their visa.

Who Can Apply for the Child Student Visa UK?

Before applying, your child or ward must meet the child student visa UK requirements stipulated by the Home Office.

They must be between 4 and 17 to apply for this visa. This visa is specifically for children. Anyone who is above 18 would have to apply for a Student visa.

Your child must have an unconditional offer from an independent school in the UK approved by the Home Office as a student sponsor. They must also be admitted to study a course that meets the national education framework requirement.

You must also prove to the Home Office that you have sufficient funds to pay for their fees and living expenses in the UK.

Finally, you have to show the Home Office that you consented to their moving to the United Kingdom to study.

Financial Requirements

Overview

This is a condition that must be met when applying for a child student visa. You must prove that you can pay for the fees, accommodation, feeding, and other living costs of your child. The amount you need to show depends on who will care for them in the UK and where they will live.

Living as a Boarding Student

If your child will live in the school’s accommodation as a boarding student, you must show that you have sufficient funds to pay for their tuition and boarding costs for at least one academic session (9 months).

Living with a Relative or Foster Guardian

If they will live with a relative or foster guardian, you have to show you have sufficient funds to pay for their tuition for at least one academic session. This is typically 9 months.

Additionally, the relative or foster guardian must prove they have up to £570 per month for at least up to 9 months. For the Home Office to consider the relative or foster guardian eligible to care for your child, they must be UK citizens or permanent residents.

Living Alone at Age 16 or 17

If you intend to live alone, you must show the Home Office that you can pay your fees for one academic session and cater to your living needs. To need to prove the latter by showing you have the following:

• £1,334 every month for 9 months if your school is in London.
• £1,023 every month for 9 months if your school is outside London.

This money must be in your account for at least 28 consecutive days. The last day of the 28 has to be within the 31 days when your visa application is ongoing.

Living with Your Parent or Guardian

If you are coming to the UK with your child, you must have a Parent of Child student visa UK. But this only works if they are less than 12. If they are above 12, you must have a younger child who is under 12 and has a child student visa of their own.

You should have sufficient funds to pay their tuition fees for an academic session, and you must show you have at least £1,560 per month for 9 months. This amount covers the living costs for you both.

If you are going to the UK with another dependent child, you must show you have an extra £625 per month for 9 months. Your child must also have a dependent child student visa UK.

Academic Requirement

For a child student visa to be granted, your child must meet the academic requirements.

Firstly, they must have an unconditional offer from an independent school with a student sponsor licence. The Home Office has a list of approved schools on their website. It would be wise to check the list before applying to the school.

Secondly, they need to have an offer to study an approved course that is in tandem with any of the following:

• The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) at level 3 or lower
• Independent school education inspection standards
• The national curriculum.

The course is also valid if the following academic bodies approve them:

• Education Scotland
• Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland)
• Estyn (Wales)
• Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)

It is vital to note that foundational courses that prepare for direct entry into tertiary institutions do not meet the academic requirements for a child student visa.

Again, the course chosen must have a duration of 6 months or more.

After your child gets admitted to their institution of choice, the school will send a Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS). You will have to present this when applying for the visa.

Your child will also have to pass the genuine student test. This is the Home Office’s way of determining whether they really are going to the UK to study. Or if it is a route to work instead.

To prove this, you will show the Home Office your child’s statement of purpose, transcripts and grades, exams and interviews they took before they were given admission. In addition, you will present their education history and post-study plans to grant legitimacy to the application.

How to Apply for the Child Student Visa

You have to apply for the Child Student visa online. Visit the Home Office’s official website for this. If you cannot complete the application in one sitting, you can always save it and continue later. After the online application, your child must visit the visa application centre for a visa appointment if they are 16 or 17. There, their fingerprints, photograph and ECOWAS passport will be taken. TLScontact centre is the establishment that handles all UK visa applications on behalf of the Home Office. You can choose to go for visa appointment in any of the three locations below:

• Ground Floor, Ivie House, 4/6 Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
• Ground and First Floors, Etiebets Place, 21 Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
• Third floor, Murkhtar El-Yakub Place beside Metro Plaza, on Plot 1129 Zakariya Maimalari Street, Central Business District, Abuja, Nigeria.

To apply for a child student visa, do the following:

• Go to the Home Office website and create an account with the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI).
• Fill out the child student visa form.
• Pay the visa fees.
• Schedule an appointment with the TLScontact centre for fingerprint collection and photo capture.
• Submit supporting documents when and where you are asked to do so.

Information and Supporting Documents You’ll Need to Apply

Overview

To apply for a Child Student visa, you have to present the following:

• a Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the school.
• Your child’s Nigerian passport with blank pages.
• Evidence showing you have sufficient funds to pay tuition and cater to living expenses.
• Proof that your child qualifies for the course they intend to study.
• A medical report showing they are free from Tuberculosis.
• A written consent from you and your child’s other parent stating that you agree to their moving to the UK for studies.
• Evidence of your relationship with your child or ward.

Consent from Parents

As part of the visa application, you must show the Home Office that you and your child’s other parent or guardian has consented to their moving to the UK to study. You will have to submit a written consent, and it must show that you agree to the following:

• Their applying for a visa.
• Their immigration to the UK.
• Their care and living arrangements when they get to the UK.

What are the Fees and Processing Times?

Fees

A Child Student visa costs £558 if you’re applying from Nigeria or anywhere outside the UK.

If you’re applying from inside the UK, it costs £558 to obtain.

You will have to pay for your child’s immigration healthcare surcharge of £776 each per year as part of your application. You will need to pay the health surcharge fee for your child’s siblings (if they are coming too).

If you and any other adult applicants are going with them, you will have to pay £1035 each per year as immigration healthcare surcharge.

Processing Time

A Child Student visa usually takes around 3 weeks to process if applying from Nigeria. It is also possible for you to pay to get a decision on the application earlier than 3 weeks.

Remember that the application can take longer if UKVI needs more information or if your child needs to attend an interview.

Working on a Child Student Visa

If the Child Student visa is approved, you will also get a list of what they can or cannot do while on the visa.

If they are at least 16, they can work only on a limited basis. They can also work as part of your course. They can work for 10 hours part-time per week during the school term. On holidays, they can work full-time.

Note that it is essential to keep by these rules to avoid the visa being revoked.

Switching to the Child Student Route

If your child is in the UK with a valid visa, they can switch to the child student visa route without returning to Nigeria. For this to happen, they must be between the ages of 4 and 17. They must also have an unconditional offer to study an approved course in an approved institution. You will show this by presenting the Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS).

You don’t need to show you have sufficient funds to support them if they have already stayed in the UK for 12 months or more on another valid visa.

The Home Office must get the application before their current visa expires. You can apply at most 3 months before their course’s start date.

It is impossible to switch to a Child Student visa if they are in the UK on a short-term student or visitor visa.

You will need to pay £558 to switch to a Student Visa for higher education once a child is over 18. Again, you must also pay the health surcharge .

To switch, you must submit the application online and then submit their biometrics at the nearest UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service centre.

It could take up to 8 weeks for you to get a response.

How Can IAS Help?

If you want to apply for this visa on behalf of your child or you’re considering another immigration pathway to come to the UK, IAS can help.

At Immigration Advice Service, we have experts in UK immigration. We have assisted many Nigerians with visa applications, immigration advice, pre-action protocols, and appeals. We are ready to help you reach your goal of getting your child to study in the UK.

If you’re looking for assistance with the child student visa requirements, unsure how to calculate how much you need to show for your visa to be approved, or need general help regarding your immigration case, we can help.

Our office in Lagos is teeming with qualified immigration lawyers that can help you make a standard application. We understand that visa applications can sometimes be challenging and stressful. And that is why we are here to help with that burden.

For more information about the services we provide and how we can help, you reach out to a member of our team today. Call on +2342013306361 or +44 (0) 3316300929.