Change of Circumstances
Advice on what will happen to your visa if your circumstances change or your visa is cancelled.
Visa cancellation
As a Tier 4 or Student Route sponsor, the University has to inform the Home Office of certain changes relating to your circumstances. Some changes to your study plans may result in your Tier 4 or Student Route visa being cancelled (formerly known as curtailment).
There are various possible changes during your studies which could lead to a cancellation of your Tier 4 or Student Route visa, including taking a break from your studies, completing your studies early, changing your programme or being unable to continue with your course.
If your student visa is cancelled, you must apply for a new visa if you wish to remain in the UK beyond the cancellation period.
Depending on the reason for cancellation, your visa may be rendered invalid:
- with immediate effect
- or within 60 days
- or within the same wrap-up period of leave after the new programme end date, as you were originally given for your original programme end date
No action to cancel will be taken if your visa is expiring in 60 days or less.
Informing the Home Office of changes to your circumstances
When the University informs the Home Office of changes in your circumstances, we will also email you. The Home Office will contact you, either by email or a letter to your last known UK address, to confirm that curtailment action has been taken and advise you of the new visa expiry date.
You may not receive the Home Office correspondence if the contact details which the Home Office holds for you are inaccurate or out of date. You must update your address and contact details, including your email address, on the Student Portal.
If you change your email address or UK postal address, after the university has notified the Home Office, you must inform the Home Office of the relevant changes by completing a Migrant Change of Circumstances form.
Although your physical visa (vignette inside your passport or BRP card) will remain unchanged, you must abide by the new visa expiry date contained within the curtailment email or letter. The University will not receive any notification as to the status of your curtailment.
If you do not receive a letter or email from the Home Office, but you have been notified by email by the University that curtailment action may be taken, it will be safest to assume that your visa be curtailed to the specified period stated in the email from the date you receive the notification from the University.
Travelling to the UK on a curtailed visa
If your visa is curtailed, it will no longer be valid for the purposes of entering the UK. If you do so, you will not be allowed entry into the UK.
If you’re not allowed entry, you’re normally advised to return to your originating destination at the earliest opportunity.
Working in the UK on a curtailed visa
If your visa is curtailed, you may also lose your work rights.
If your visa is curtailed to 60 days, you will lose your work rights once the Home Office curtails your visa.
If your visa is curtailed because you have successfully completed your programme early, you will retain the right to work during the curtailment period.
All visa sponsorship is governed by the University’s Sponsorship Policy - see the Student Immigration Compliance Policy
Changes to your studies
Your Tier 4 or Student Route visa can only be used for study at the University and for the particular programme for which the visa was issued.
Any changes to your programme of study is likely to have an implication on your Tier 4 or Student Route visa. Some changes to your study plans may result in your Tier 4 or Student Route visa being cancellation.
We’ve included below some common scenarios which could lead to a visa cancellation. If your circumstances are different or you have any questions, please contact the Visa Support Team for advice.
In all scenarios, the process stated in Visa Cancellation will normally apply once the Home Office has been informed of the changes in your circumstances.
All visa sponsorship is governed by the University’s Sponsorship Policy - see the Student Immigration Compliance Policy
Withdrawal from your programme
If you withdraw from your programme, the University is obliged to inform the Home Office. You will be notified by email when we inform the Home Office.
If you have plans to start or transfer to a new programme, you must apply for a new visa to do that programme. You will have to apply for a new Student Route visa from your home country.
Finishing your programme early
If you’ve finished your programme early, eg you were granted a Tier 4 or Student Route visa to do a four year programme, but completed the programme in three years, the University is obliged to inform the Home Office.
Once curtailment action is taken, the Home Office will write to you advising you of the new visa expiry date. According to Home Office policy, your visa will be curtailed so that you have the same wrap up period of leave after the new programme end date as you were originally given for your original programme end date.
If you intend to start a new programme, you must apply for a new visa in order to do so.
Exclusion from your programme
If you’ve been excluded from your programme, the University is obliged to inform the Home Office. You will be eligible to appeal against the exclusion.
The University cannot maintain your Tier 4 or Student Route sponsorship while the appeal is pending. If your registration is re-instated and you’re allowed to continue with your studies, you may have to apply for a new visa.
If you decide to leave the UK while your appeal is pending, curtailment action may be taken by the Home Office whilst you’re outside the UK and you’re advised not to return to the UK on your existing Tier 4 or Student Route visa.
Failure to attend your programme regularly, i.e. poor attendance, can lead to exclusion from your programme.
Transferring to a different programme
If you decide to transfer to a different programme part way through your studies because you feel it would be more suitable, you will only be able to do so if your new course is connected to your current one, shows deeper specialisation, or that both courses combine to support your genuine career aspirations.
This means that you are unlikely to be able to transfer to a new programme which is very different from the one for which you were granted Tier 4 or Student Route leave.
If you meet the above requirements but need more time in the UK to complete your new programme, you will have to apply for your new Student Route visa in your home country before transferring to the new programme.
You should always seek advice from the Visa Support Team on any visa implications of programme transfers, especially if you have a Tier 4 or Student Route visa.
Completing one programme, then starting a new one
If you’ve successfully completed one programme on a Tier 4 or Student Route visa and want to move on to a new programme at the same level on another Student Route visa, you should consider whether you will exceed any time limits for study on the Student Route visa, and if it's at the same academic level, whether it meets academic progression requirements.
You would need to provide evidence that your new course is connected to your previous one, shows deeper specialisation, or that both courses combine to support your genuine career aspirations
A CAS will not be issued to a student who wishes to begin a programme at a lower academic level than the one previously completed under Tier 4 or Student Route.
You can make your Student Route application in the UK, but you can't make the application more than 3 months in advance of the start date of your new programme.
If you are moving from another institution, you should complete your programme there first, before making your Student Route application to study at Newcastle.
Intercalating/Adding a work placement to your programme of study
If your programme includes an intercalating year, eg study abroad or work placement, and you intend to do this outside the UK, the University is obliged to inform the Home Office. You must apply for a new CAS and a new visa once you’re ready to return to the UK to complete your studies.
If your current Tier 4 or Student Route visa does not cover the length of your programme because you have added a work placement year, please see the information on work placements for students.
Interruption of studies
If you’ve interrupted your studies, unless in exceptional circumstances, the University will normally inform the Home Office.
It's not advisable for you to remain in the UK during your period of interruption, unless you’re unable to leave the UK.
You must apply for a new Student Route visa when you’re ready to return to your programme.
Returning home to complete studies
If you’ve been given permission by your school to complete your studies from outside the UK, the University is obliged to inform the Home Office that you’re no longer within the UK.
As you're no longer within the UK, it is deemed that you do not require a Tier 4 or Student Route visa. As such, curtailment action may be taken on the remaining time left on your visa.
If you want to return to the UK to submit your work and/or tie up your affairs, eg closing your bank account or moving out of your accommodation, you can do so on a Standard visitor visa.
Re-sitting examinations as an external candidate
If you’ve been allowed to re-sit examinations or repeat the year as an external candidate, the University is obliged to inform the Home Office, and this may result in your visa being curtailed.
You’re therefore advised to leave the UK as soon as practicable, and remain outside the UK until you need to return to re-sit examinations.
You must not travel to the UK to re-sit examinations on the curtailed visa. If you do so, you will not be allowed to enter the UK.
Instead, you should apply for a Standard Visitor visa to re-sit any examinations in the UK. Once you've been notified that you'll progress onto the next stage of your programme, you should arrange to apply for a Student Route visa from your home country or normal country of residence.
Re-sitting examination in residence
If you’ve been allowed to re-sit the year in residence, ie retake the year by attending classes for all the re-sit modules, please see to how to extend your student visa.
To be classed as a full-time student, you are required to be studying a minimum of 60 credits for full-time visa sponsorship.
Academic failure and appeal
If you’ve exhausted all re-sit attempts and submitted an academic appeal against the decision prohibiting you from progressing on your programme, please be aware that the academic appeal process is not part of your programme. As such, the University is unable to maintain Tier 4 or Student Route sponsorship while you wait for the outcome of your academic appeal.
When the University informs the Home Office that we have stopped sponsoring you under Tier 4 or Student Route, you will receive an email from the University. We always recommend you arrange to leave the UK within 60 days of receiving this email or leave by your current visa expiry date, if it is sooner.
When you have received an outcome of the academic appeal, you must contact your school to discuss the outcome.
Listed below are the common scenarios following a successful outcome of an academic appeal:
- if you’re allowed further opportunities to re-take the failed modules in residence, you may have to apply for a new Student Route visa. This is subject to any curtailment action which may have been taken while your appeal was in process. You must seek advice from the Visa Support Team at this stage. If you’re re-sitting modules in residence on a Tier 4 or Student Route visa, you must attend your programme in full.
- if you’re allowed to re-sit in residence, but your programme is 6 months or less, the University may not be in a position to sponsor you for a Student Route visa. We may offer you the opportunity to re-sit the programme on a Standar Visitor visa. Please seek advice from the Visa Support Team once you have discussed your re-sit options with your school.
- if your academic appeal is successful, but you need to re-sit the failed modules as an external re-sit candidate, the University will not be in a position to sponsor you for a Student Route visa. If, as a result of the academic appeal, you choose to take the re-sit examinations here in the UK, you must contact the Visa Support Team for further advice on your individual circumstances. If you’re successful at this attempt, and you’re allowed to progress on to the next stage of your programme, you will have to apply for a Student Route visa from your home country or normal country of residence.
New students – failure to register
If you’re granted a Tier 4 or Student Route visa from outside the UK, but fail to register on your programme by the latest start date, the University will have to inform the Home Office.
If you’re already in the UK, once curtailment action is taken, the Home Office will write to you and curtail your Tier 4 or Student Route visa with immediate effect. You can appeal against the curtailment if you applied for your Tier 4 visa before 20 October 2014. You will not be allowed to appeal or submit a request for administrative review if you applied for your Tier 4 or Student Route visa on or after 20 October 2014.
If you’re granted a Tier 4 or Student Route visa but you do not enter the UK to register on your programme within the required registration period, this will be reported to the Home Office. You should assume your visa will be cancelled with immediate effect and should not use it to travel to the UK. You will not receive any notification from the Home Office.
Returning students – failure to register
If you’re a returning student but have not completed the registration process for the next stage of your programme within the required registration period, eg you have not paid sufficient tuition fees or you have a hold on the Student Portal which is preventing you from registering, the University is obliged to inform the Home Office that you’re no longer a full-time student.
Curtailment action will be taken if your visa is not due to expire within 60 days. If you’re subsequently allowed to register on your programme, you may have to apply for a new Student Route visa.