Tier 2 to Tier 4 [Questions on Costs/Maintenance for a PHD]

[6pandn21]

Hello folks,

I currently have a Tier 2 Employer Sponsored visa which is up for renewal in about 6 months time and while I am planning to do so and my employer will probably do it as well, I want to have a backup just in case things don't work out as expected.

I am thinking of applying for a PhD since I have already done a bachelors and masters from the UK. I did my masters while on I was on my PSW visa. I was also doing an internship and did the masters as university offered it to me for free.

So I was wondering if the following assumptions I have are correct.

1. I will have to show that I have enough maintenance costs for the period of 9 months and since I am outside London, if I apply before November 12 2015, it will be 7,380 GBP per month [9,135 after]
2. I will need to show that I have full fees for the first year [which is about 12-14000 GBP]
3. I won't need to do IELTS since I have completed a degree from a UK university

Hence, if I were to show about 20,000 GBP; I presume it should fulfil the requirement or will it be safer to show the full fee amount (for 3 years)?

Also in 2 years time, I will be reaching the 10 year legal period in the UK and to my knowledge, I should be able to apply an ILR?

Thanks.

[sah10406]

So I was wondering if the following assumptions I have are correct.

1. I will have to show that I have enough maintenance costs for the period of 9 months and since I am outside London, if I apply before November 12 2015, it will be 7,380 GBP per month [9,135 after]
2. I will need to show that I have full fees for the first year [which is about 12-14000 GBP]
3. I won't need to do IELTS since I have completed a degree from a UK university

Hence, if I were to show about 20,000 GBP; I presume it should fulfil the requirement or will it be safer to show the full fee amount (for 3 years)?

No, and no. You just need to show enough money to pay your fees and living costs, which by your own calculation could be £21,380.