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Visas: Overseas Students

Volume 489: debated on Tuesday 17 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions the UK Border Agency applies in determining the length of student visas for foreign students wishing to study at educational institutions in the UK. (258631)

The period of leave granted to overseas students depends on the type of course they are studying and our policies are set out in full in Chapter 3, Section 3, paragraph 27 of the Immigration Directorates' Instructions, which can be accessed on our website at: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk. For the majority of students, however, leave is granted for the duration of the course or period of study, followed by an additional period of up to four months to await exam results, attend graduation, and either enrol on another course, make an application to switch into an employment route, which is possible for up to two years, or else leave the UK.