Important Money Question - I am in UK already

[mmeehh]

Hello,

I am in UK on student visa because am studying for English at a Mayfair College in Oxford Street. Am very much enjoying the class and I love my college. I have a small question to ask.

When I applied the visa last year, I have to show 800x6months in money to look after me when I am studying. That is a total of 4800 pounds. I showed balance of above 3300pounds in my bank account, and I also paid for college accommodation for 2160 pounds.

Now I am in the UK and studying and am very happy. But I found myself a nice house to live, and now I don’t want to stay in the college accommodation. Normally they give a refund. But for me, they say that the money for accommodation is needed for my visa, so they can’t refund me. They say if they refund me the money, then my visa will be cancelled.

I know my college is very trusted and they are honest. But if they refund me now, then I am still using the money for my maintenance? And I already got the visa? And the total money available to me is still going to be used for my maintenance, even if they refund to my bank account?
Please advise: are my college allowed to give refund or not.

Thank you very much!

Isaac

[Greenie]

If you already have your visa then i don't understand why they are saying they can't refund you. They should give you a pro rata withdrawal. Is there an international student advisor at your college or student union rep you can speak to?

[mmeehh]

There is not any student advisory service, its quite a small college. What can I do / show them that they are allowed to refund my accomodation? they honestly believe that they are not allowed to, but every immigration person I speak to is saying they are allowed!

And they normally allow refunds.

[Greenie]

ask them to show you where in the sponsor guidance or the immigration rules or the tier 4 policy guidance that it states they are not allowed to refund you.

[kkj]

Actually, they are just making excuses and don't want to refund you money. There is no law which says visa will be cancelled if accomodation money refunded to student.

Get something in writing about this from your college then send it to UKBA complain unit or make an application to your college in which cleary state that you have found a better and comfortable accomodation which is cheaper then college accomodation and you want refund on pro-rata basis. Send CC to UKBA and when they reply and refuse to refund send it again to UKBA.