Tier 4 extension - Course completion

[yxn]

Hi all,

I am currently in the UK on a Tier 4 visa for PostGraduate Diploma (PG Dip) course and am planning to switch to a MSc course. The advisor from my university mentioned that I need to return to my home country in order to apply for a new visa for my MSc course.

I would like to know if transitioning from PGDip to MSc passes the Academic Progression criteria, and if not do I really need to apply for the visa out of the UK.

Thank you.

[equitydealer]

The university that you’re going to need to agree that it’s academic progression and state that in the CAS.

PGDip to Masters would normally be a progression, albeit a limited one as it has more credits. Something which probably needs more discussion with your admissions team.

[sah10406]

I would like to know if transitioning from PGDip to MSc passes the Academic Progression criteria,

It appears that you have already checked this with the university, and they have advised that it does not. Can you clarify why you think this might be wrong advice?

[yxn]

Hi all,

(Note: in my university, MSc = PGDip + Dissertation. MSc and PGDip are at the same UKVI education level.)

My current Tier 4 visa is for a PG Dip course (Oct 2017 - May 2018), expiring in August. I am looking to upgrade/transfer to the same course at a MSc level. Since I have done the PGDip stuff, I only need to finish a dissertation, which will last until Sep 2018. So I will need to extend my stay here in the UK by applying for new Tier 4 visa.

My university informed me to return to my home country to apply for new visa, their reasoning was UKVI will not see that I have completed my previous course for which I am granted leave (PG Dip), therefore no academic progression.

However I have already passed all my exams for PGDip, and I can ask my course supervisor to write a formal letter saying I completed PGDip.

Would this be enough for UKVI to see that I have completed my PGDip, and extending it to MSc is enough for academic progression? I would much prefer to apply from within the UK.

Thank you.

[CR001]

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[yxn]

I would like to know if transitioning from PGDip to MSc passes the Academic Progression criteria,

It appears that you have already checked this with the university, and they have advised that it does not. Can you clarify why you think this might be wrong advice?

Their previous reasoning was PGDip and MSc has the same UKVI education level, and therefore is not academic progression. However Tier4 Policy Guidance p.74 states that academic progression may be represented if the courses are related (in my case the same subject) or they both support my career aspirations. Which is why I wanted some clarification.

[sah10406]

Their previous reasoning was PGDip and MSc has the same UKVI education level, and therefore is not academic progression. However Tier4 Policy Guidance p.74 states that academic progression may be represented if the courses are related (in my case the same subject) or they both support my career aspirations. Which is why I wanted some clarification.

It is highly unlikely that your university does not know about this provision, or that they have not taken it into consideration. If you fear that they have not, and that you meet it, I advise you put it in writing to the relevant person making the decisions.

[yxn]

Their previous reasoning was PGDip and MSc has the same UKVI education level, and therefore is not academic progression. However Tier4 Policy Guidance p.74 states that academic progression may be represented if the courses are related (in my case the same subject) or they both support my career aspirations. Which is why I wanted some clarification.

It is highly unlikely that your university does not know about this provision, or that they have not taken it into consideration. If you fear that they have not, and that you meet it, I advise you put it in writing to the relevant person making the decisions.

Thank you for the advice. I did indeed write to the person in charge, and referred to the Policy Guidance document. For some reason, they did not respond to my queries. Only when I asked my personal tutor for help did they respond.

My previous query was not dealt with, instead their new reasoning is that I have not completed my PGDip, therefore cannot justify academic progression. However I have passed my exams for PGDip and will ask my course supervisor to write a formal letter declaring I have completed. I would like to know if that will be sufficient for academic justification.

Thank you.

[sah10406]

However I have passed my exams for PGDip and will ask my course supervisor to write a formal letter declaring I have completed. I would like to know if that will be sufficient for academic justification.

Only your university can decide that. It is an academic decision, made by your university using their judgement.

The Home Office requires a confirmation of academic progress for a Tier 4 leave to remain application. Whether you have academic progress is a decision delegated to the sponsor.

No one here can make that judgement.

[yxn]

However I have passed my exams for PGDip and will ask my course supervisor to write a formal letter declaring I have completed. I would like to know if that will be sufficient for academic justification.

Only your university can decide that. It is an academic decision, made by your university using their judgement.

The Home Office requires a confirmation of academic progress for a Tier 4 leave to remain application. Whether you have academic progress is a decision delegated to the sponsor.

No one here can make that judgement.

Thank you for the response. My course supervisor has written me a formal letter saying I have completed. I have passed it along to the visa compliance team. Hopefully they will see it as sufficient to justify my academic progression.